TEST PATTERN.....a then and now.....and local newspaper ad's from the 1950's...

Here we have the test pattern that was very commonly seen when we turned on our old "DUMONT" TV set back in the 1950's before daily programming would start. So adjust your set and proceed to the following before and after as well as a number of old newspaper ads from Fort William and Port Arthur.........How many will you remember?.......are you too young or too old? WOW, I don't even remember ALL of them....

Here we have an original ad from the T&M Grill and the today's coloured photo shows 145 Simpson St on the corner of Leith & Simpson where it was and is now General Appliance Centre. The restaurant was owned by the Syroid family, parents of Mrs. Petlow who was part owner of the Millionaire Drive In shown further down in my blog.

Here are Fort William and Port Arthur Commercial pages that could be seen in a number of brochures advertising our fair cities as a wonderful place to visit and as a vacation destination.

Here are two that I am honest to say I don't remember, the Cabin Village Motel and the Boston Tourist cottages. All I know is that I was here during the 1950's when most of these ad's appeared in the newspapers.

These were probably the most popular Jewellery stores here in the Lakehead cities.

The City Tourist Court was near downtown Fort William and the Current River Park Motel and Cabin resort was just up on the knoll behind Current River Park. You can see a post on the Casino Dance Hall in Current River Park also a post in this Blog.
Here is a ticket to the Fort William Hi-Y Snow Flake Formal with Howard Humby and His Orchestra playing in 1957. I was a little young to go to dances then, but I do remember Howard's orchestra. The next ad here is Wishart's "Fashion Craft" ...which as noted before was where I held my first "real" job.....Mr. Wishart was a very nice person to work for.

Lacey's Taxi was one of the best of many Taxi businesses here in the twin cities. This Road Gents Car Club card was also shown before but note where they had their meetings......at the Emergency Measures Organization Building on Waterloo St. which is long gone now and was on the south/east corner of the "Friendship Gardens" in Fort William. The Northern Ontario Timing Association(the club I belonged to) also held their meetings at the EMO building.

Another tourist lodge and Scollies Locker Service......Scollies was at this address on Catherine Street long before the ice cream parlour on Waterloo Street. I remember my dad buying a side of beef from them and storing the bulk of it there.

Last but not least is another of many taxi companies.....their ad showing mileages around the district. Finally the Totem Tourist Court.....which was also a mobile home park where friends of ours had actually lived some time ago. When you came into Fort William from the USA, the tourists would have to pass this place, which did very well in its day. It was directly across Highway 61 from the turn off to Mount Mckay Ski Area.
Hope you enjoyed this little bunch of advertising memories.....How many can you remember?
Click on each to enlarge!