Student Museum Musings – Zara

By Zara F., co-op student

Hello everyone, Zara here. As I reflect on what I have done at the Oshawa Museum these past few months, I am thankful for all I was able to do. Although waking up at 7:30 am every morning was a pain (I typically wake up at 8:30 am), starting my slow morning with tired eyes but the determination to work with the quiet but sometimes energetic scene behind me was honestly, quite nice. I’m sure I’ll miss it, at least a little bit. I’ve learned and refined many useful skills through the projects I got to work on. I know for a fact that these will only continue to improve as I (hopefully) proceed with this sort of work in the future.

You may be thinking, “What did you like doing most?”

Unfortunately, I don’t have an answer for you, not one that’s straightforward at least. Through scanning 30-year-old photographs, taking a closer look at artifacts, and reading about Oshawa’s past through books, articles and newspapers, I’ve enjoyed the unique characteristics of each project.

With all that said, I’d like to shine a little more light on the Downtown BIA photo collection. 

If you’ve read my first blog post, you would’ve known that I only just recently moved to Durham a few years ago. Oshawa was a name I heard of in the past but never really knew much about. The Oshawa Museum offers great information, especially for people like me, to explore the deep history and culture of this part in Canada.

The BIA Collection presents a variety of things, from festivals, to store fronts, and much more. It was really cool to see these photos of Oshawa, people having fun and enjoying the city. As I scanned, I remember thinking, “Did these people, even just 30 years ago, ever think they’d be scanned and documented like this?” The world has taken so many photos in the past but ever so often are their photos documented and kept safely as archives. It’s a fascinating thought.

Here are some photos I’d like to feature:

Camels from the Bowmanville Zoo, marching down King Street East as part of a Santa Claus Parade, c. 1995; Oshawa Museum archival collection (A011.7.43)

I’ve heard of kangaroos walking around in Oshawa but not camels! If it weren’t for this record, I wouldn’t have believed anyone of this time who said camels really did walk these roads.

Festivals of Murals bus as part of the 1998 Santa Claus Parade; Oshawa Museum archival collection (A011.7.3)

I remember this photo being one of the first that I scanned. One thing I took for granted before moving was Montreal’s transit system. I took the Metro, and sometimes the bus, from school every day. Moving here, in Durham, I can conclude that the transit system… leaves something to be desired. Even the TTC is confusing to use, not user-friendly at all, at least in my opinion. Anyways, before I go on a long ramble, let us appreciate the artistry of this awesome design! Maybe if they brought back busses like this, I’d complain less. This seems to be the only bus of its kind in the entire collection, which makes me think that this is was probably painted for a very special occasion: Oshawa’s Festival of Murals!

Oshawa’s Development (Historical Industry and Development) mural, located at 47 Bond St. W. (east side of GO Bus Station); Oshawa Museum archival collection (A011.7.252)

Speaking of murals, let’s look at some! I love this one, not only is shading done to make it seem like it’s engraved insanely good, but I like how it highlights the important work of our workers, specifically blue-collar, of the past and present. We should never take labourers for granted, they must be appreciated more!

People on a stage in front of the Driving Force mural, at King and Celina Streets; Oshawa Museum archival collection (A011.7.333)

A stage at Summer Fest ’99, located at King and Celina Streets; Oshawa Museum archival collection (A011.7.342)

This mural is HUGE! Even after staring at this photo for quite some time, I still don’t think I understand just how large this mural really is. It’s beautiful. There is so much to look at. I love its unique art style, the funky shapes, dark shadows, and the use of a bright colour palette. I love the role it plays in these specific photos: as a colourful background for the musicians performing in front of it.

‘Farmers’ Market,’ which was located at 87 Simcoe St N, on the south side of Wilson & Lee; Oshawa Museum archival collection (A011.7.190)

Farmer’s Market around Simcoe and Richmond Sts., 1994; Oshawa Museum archival collection (A011.7.215)

Here’s a cool “life imitates art” moment! Both photographs showcase Oshawa of different time periods; one showcasing of what I assume, the early 1900s, and the other showcasing the 1990s with people looking to buy from a farmer’s market, with some of the same vegetables for sale and pumpkins in the background. It’s funny how these little things from far in the past are still relevant today, even with its slight changes.

Sam’s Falafel & Pizza, located on the north side of King Street, west of Centre; Oshawa Museum archival collection (A011.7.242)

The New York Deli, located at 11B Ontario Street; Oshawa Museum archival collection (A011.7.313)

With all the talk about food, let us look at our next set of photos: restaurant storefronts! I’m always down for a good sandwich. Bread, protein, and vegetables all layered on top of each other; it’s perfect! I guess the insides spilling out is a disadvantage but it’s all part of the sandwich experience. I have yet to try a proper New York style deli sandwich. I can, however, talk about my appreciation for the great shawarma and döner. They’re amazing, and as filling as they are, I always have room for two. Interesting fact: the donair is a Nova Scotian variant of the Turkish döner. The difference is that donairs are made out of seasoned ground meat instead of sliced meat from a skewer. They have different toppings as well. The food scene has changed so much in 30 years. There are many restaurants to choose from, from Indian, to Mediterranean, Italian, Chinese, Thai, and more!

My final blog comes to an end. There is so much more I can showcase and talk about from this collection, but if I do, this post will go on forever. Thank you to the Oshawa Museum for giving me such an amazing opportunity! And thank you to the readers for reading until the end! I hope I have given you a reminder of Oshawa’s love for art, music, and food. May we continue to celebrate it!

Blog Rewind: Downtown Oshawa: Our Hidden Heritage

This post was originally posted in 2013, right before relaunching the Downtown Walking Tour. Join us on June 8, 2pm at the McLaughlin Library for 2024’s Downtown Walking Tour.

Oshawa’s downtown core is centred around King and Simcoe Streets, or, as many locals call it, the Four Corners.  John Kerr was the first European settler of the area, who purchased 200 acres at the northwest corner of King and Simcoe Streets in 1816. For many years, the settlement was called Kerr’s Creek.

In the 1830s, local merchant, Edward Skae opened a popular general store at the corner of Simcoe and King Streets and the hamlet soon became known as Skae’s Corners. In 1842, Edward Skae made application to the legislature for a post office. He received a reply that a name other than “Corners” must be chosen for the post office as there were already too many place names containing ‘Corners.’  The name Oshawa was chosen and translates from the Indigenous dialect to mean ‘that point at the crossing of the stream where the canoe was exchanged for the trail.’

Edward Skae’s checkered General Store

Oshawa’s downtown has seen several changes since it was settled almost 200 years ago.  Some of the heritage buildings are lost, some still stand, although they would be unrecognizable to early settlers, while a few buildings have remained steadfast through the years, as beloved as they were when they were first constructed.

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On June 8, 2024, the Oshawa Museum is excited to host the return of the Downtown Walking Tour, highlighting the heritage than can be found around the Four Corners.  The tour will depart from the Oshawa Public Library, McLaughlin Branch (65 Bagot Street), at 12PM.

This walking tour is expected to take 1.5-2 hours in length.  The cost is $5 per person or FREE for members of the Oshawa Historical Society.

Please be sure to join us for a stroll through our Downtown Heritage!

Downtown Oshawa BIA Collection

By Lisa Terech, Community Engagement

A lot has changed in Oshawa in two decades. This is highlighted in a collection of photographs from the former downtown Oshawa BIA. These images were donated in the early 2010s. Registrar Kes started the cataloguing process, and co-op student Zara (shout out Zara!) has been working to scan all 373 images in the collection. She’ll have the collection scanned before her co-op ends in June. While Kes added very simple descriptions, I have been adding and enhancing the descriptions where possible, attempting to make this collection as searchable and (hopefully) useful for future researchers.

Sometimes, this process is easy. Certain storefronts and streetscapes look very similar to how they did in the late 1990s. Growing up in Oshawa and being familiar with photos from the past helps with this as well. I can pinpoint the Four Corners just as good (if not better) than the next person! However, there are a few times that I have been stumped while looking at these images, and the satisfaction from accurately locating the image is great.

For example, this photo had me stumped:

Oshawa Museum archival Collection (A011.7.106)

It is a municipal parking lot. You can see the ‘Pay Here’ sign. Beyond that, there is little by way of identification. There are no street signs, no street numbers, just a few houses and a red brick building in the background. I used Google Streetview in helping to locate a number of photos, and I spent some time looking around different municipal lots I knew before giving up, simply noting in the description that the exact location is unknown.

A while later, while looking on Streetview to ID the location for another photo, I noticed the former Queen’s Market Square. Today this is where the Holiday Inn is located, but for a while in the late 1990s and into the 2000s, this was an outdoor gathering space, with a parking lot adjacent to it. Seeing that parking lot as it was documented in 2009 by Google, and it was a ‘lighbulb moment!’ Everything in the background matched the photo.

Queen’s Market Square; Oshawa Museum archival Collection (A011.7.201)

Other times, there are clues to help locate an image. There might be a number on a door, a street number. I can search around Streetview, looking for similar exteriors. The businesses and signage might have changed, but often, the architecture is the same. I have even used the reflection in windows to help locate a photo, like this one: the Wilson and Lee sign really helped place this image.

The Environmental Factory; Oshawa Museum archival Collection (A011.7.85).

With this image, the sign to the left has a partial address ‘T East,’ and above the doorway, there is the number 16.

Keepsakes; Oshawa Museum archival Collection (A011.7.89)

This helped to place this store at 16 King East.

There were two images that stumped me, but looking at them side by side, and you cannot help but notice that the exterior of both are similar – note the stucco, the teal paint around the windows, and that they each have a teal painted pole beside the window.

Millennium Books; Oshawa Museum archival Collection (A011.7.111)

The Great Little Bread Co.; Oshawa Museum archival Collection (A011.7.224)

Now, take a look at this image, showing a Fiesta Queen turning from King onto Centre. Do you notice the building at the northwest corner (the Oshawa House):

Fiesta Parade, 1996; Oshawa Museum archival Collection (A011.7.207)

I then looked at the Oshawa House on Google Streetview, and even though the facade has changed, there are still the poles on either side of windows. I’m fairly confident in saying this is the location for Millennium Books and the Great Little Bread Co.

The tricks I was using to locate these images are the same that you could use with your own photos. Take a good look for any clues you can find. Can you see addresses? Can you see any familiar landmarks? Can you find something similar in another image? Take a high quality scan and zoom in to see what you can to help date or place an image.

While the late 1990s were not that distantly past, this collection from the BIA highlights many different storefronts, events, and murals around downtown Oshawa. While somethings haven’t changed, 25 years past does leave some changes. This collection is a wonderful addition to the archival collection in documenting our community.

Oshawa’s Two Queen’s Hotels

The old Queen’s Hotel was established in 1874; it can be seen in the 1921 City Directory but is no longer there in the 1923. This fits with the information that shows the hotel closed at the start of the 1920s. The upper storeys of the building remained open as the Queen’s Apartments for some time after that. The building fell into disrepair during the 1960s and 70s and was eventually torn down in 1987.

Queen’s Hotel; Oshawa Museum archival collection (ax995.11.86)

Parade going along Simcoe Street, and Queen’s Hotel can be seen to the left; OM Thomas Bouckley Collection, Oshawa Museum archival collection (a982.44.12)

Queen’s Hotel; Oshawa Museum archival collection (A008.13.54)

Queens Hotel; Oshawa Museum archival collection (a010.7.20)

Queen’s Hotel; Oshawa Museum archival collection (A010.7.7)

The second Queen’s Hotel does not appear in the City Directories until 1935. Prior to becoming the Queen’s Hotel #2, the address was home to a fish market, a shoe repair, a music store and a tailor. It is likely that these hotels were never the same ‘business’, but rather it is likely that someone thought to capitalize on a well known name when they opened the second Queen’s Hotel in the 1930s.

Queen’s Hotel; Oshawa Museum archival collection (a975.8.1)

Aerial photo looking NE from Bond towers towards GM-Aug 1974; Oshawa Museum digital archival collection

Queens Hotel at Smcoe and Richmond, NE corner -1978; Oshawa Museum digital archival collection

The black and white photo is in the archival collection of the Oshawa Museum; the colour photographs are from the Bill Miles digital collection.

Oshawa’s latest hotel, a Holiday Inn, has been built and recently opened at Simcoe and Richmond, the site of the second Queen’s Hotel.

Oshawa’s Post Office

By Heather Snowdon, Durham College Journalism Student

When Bryan Jacula was ten years old his parents, Mary Nee Rudka and Michael Jacula, owned a store. Located on King Street and Westmount Avenue in Oshawa, it was a sub post office, which means it was a post office as well as a general store. Now in his fifties, Jacula still lives in Oshawa.

“It’s been so long since I’ve thought about that store,” says Jacula.

It was 1835 when Edward Skae came to Oshawa. Back then it wasn’t known as Oshawa, the town was small and was just starting to grow. Skae was well liked by residents and the town became known as Skae’s Corners.

As Skae’s Corners grew, there was a need for a post office and in 1842 Skae sent in an application to Home District in parliament, a form of government at the time, asking for one.

In the 1800s, it was common for residents to go to general stores to pick up mail. Many small towns didn’t have stand-alone post offices. Sub post offices, located in general stores, were the norm.

To avoid confusion, parliament told him he could have a post office if Skae’s Corners changed its name since there were too many towns in the area with the name ‘corner’.

The townspeople held a meeting and many wealthy residents in Skae’s Corners were in attendance, Moody Farewell was one of them. He was a farmer and large hotel owner in Oshawa. Legend has it he asked his Indigenous friends what the name of the town was and they told him it was called Oshawa.

Another legend says Farewell was angry with the First Nations for coming to the meeting and there was a confrontation between them. Jennifer Weymark, archivist at the Oshawa Museum, says one of the legends is likely true.

The Indigenous named the town Oshawa, which was translated from Ojibwa, an Algonquian language, means to portage or to take the canoe out of the water and go over land. Other translations include the crossing of the stream where the canoe was exchanged for the trail.

Skae opened Oshawa’s first post office in 1845, known as a sub post office, because it was located in his general store. He became Oshawa’s first post master. Skae was post master for three years, following his death at the age of 44.

In the 1800s, mail was delivered by sleighs and stage coaches, which are horse drawn carriages. Before that, men on horseback delivered mail from Kingston to Toronto on what we now know as Highway 2 or King Street. It took 18 days for mail to reach Quebec from Pickering, Ontario. Lake Ontario became a lifeline to early settlers who used it as their only means of transportation, and in 1822 settlers began to establish themselves along Highway 2.

It wasn’t until the 1850s that Canada would start the Trans-Atlantic mail delivery and in 1856 Canada opened the Grand Trunk Railway and mail was no longer carried by stagecoaches or on horseback.

The closure of Skae’s post office sparked a change in Oshawa. In 1872, a new sub post office was opened on King Street.

As Oshawa continued to grow, there was a need for a larger post office.

Location of the former Post Office at 40 King Street East

In 1907, Oshawa acquired its first stand-alone post office, located on 40 King St. E. It was running until 1950, when the City of Oshawa decided to sell it.

A fire in 1955 left no one to bid on the property and in 1957, the first stand-alone post office was demolished and left Oshawa forever. The actual whereabouts of Oshawa’s first sub post office, in Skae’s General Store is unknown. Myths surrounding its location suggest the building was put on the corner of King and Queen Street in 1825.

According to an archival article, written in 1949, by Oshawa’s Daily Times Gazette, was torn down for a grocery store in the early 1950s.

There was a demand for a post office in Oshawa after the closure of the 40 King Street’s post office in 1950. In March 1951, the Jacula family opened a sub post office in their convenience store, located at 399 King St. W.

“It was a tight fit, putting the post office in the convenience store,” says Jacula.

According to an article provided by Eva Saether, local history and genealogy librarian at the Oshawa Public Library, in 1950 two residents living on Church and William Street in Oshawa were asked to vacate their homes for a new post office. In 1952, the new stand-alone post office was built. But it was only temporary.

Many postal closures happened in 1986. In Oshawa, there were 5,955 rural and urban post offices. By the 1990s, there were 93 urban and 1,442 rural post office closures, leaving 14,000 workers in the postal services without jobs. From 1989 to 1992, 2,250 rural post offices closed and there were 153 urban closures from 1992 to 1993. Canada Post fired an average of 47 workers per month in 1992.

Canada Post was planning to shut down public post offices by 1996, saying it would make sense economically to have one public post office.

A new post office was opened at 47 Simcoe St. S. in 1954. This building is still being used today, and this location is the implemented plan from Canada Post. In Oshawa, there is now only one public post office.

Bryan Jacula says his parents were adamant about the importance of having a post office in Oshawa.

“I’m glad we were a part of it,” says Jacula.

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The land where we stand is the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

Durham College‘s newspaper, The Chronicle, launches a new feature series called The Land Where We Stand, about the hidden stories that shape our region.

Some of the articles found on this blog have been provided through partnerships with external sources, and we welcome reader engagement through comments.  The views expressed in such articles/comments may not necessarily reflect those of the OHS/OM.