My father took this picture of me at age four with my sisters, Betty on the left and Helen on the right, back in 1953. Little did I know at the time this picture was taken how much influence this scene would have on my future life when I grew up and the careers I chose at the time. It was taken in Calgary Alberta at 9th Ave. and 4th St. S.W. at that time there was a level railway crossing at grade controlled from a tower by a crossing watchman, a subway was built here in 1954 to alleviate the traffic problems here. In the background you can see CPR coach engine 7054, a S-2, built by ALCO as #75538, in 1947. Its handling a heavyweight passenger coach and probably returning to the CPR coach yard located west of 1st St. West and 10th Ave. behind the 7054 is the Robin Hood flour mill, the ramp you can see above the engine connects the elevator side that is out of view on the left side of the picture with the mill side of the factory you can see on the right.
This mill was a familiar landmark in downtown area from the time it was built as the Calgary Milling Co. in the early 1900s. Robin Hood Milling Co. bought the mill in 1911 and operated it, until it was torn down in the early 1970s to make room for Gulf Canada Square which was built on the site.
In 1995 CPR moved their headquarters from Windsor Station in Montréal to Calgary and now occupy many floors in Gulf Canada Square for their centralized operations.
1 comment:
Betty looks like Ugly Betty with those glasses. I remember the old Robin Hood flour mill, it has been many years now since it got torn down.
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