There used to be a vast network of railway owned telegraph lines spanning the country. Where the tracks went, so went the poles and the wires. This early incarnation of the information superhighway stood alongside the rights-of-way and were a familiar scene to people back when. Look at any old train photo and I bet you’ll see lines just like these.
Before long distance phone calls were commonplace, these facilitated communication to far off places for both Joe Public and many businesses. In addition they were used for inter-company messaging.
Falling out of use a looong time ago (countless decades), it’s not odd to find the poles still standing, sometimes with wires, sometimes without. The always frugal railways are not quick to tear them down unless they become a nuisance or hazard. So many stand, a reminder of how it used to be.
This section of telegraph was found along a Canadian National Railway line near Calgary. Them’s some nice blue skies in back.
Short Subjects: reports that for any number of reasons are brief in nature. They might be updates to older articles, previews of posts planned or not yet published, brief snippets of things that don’t fit in anywhere else or subjects that are so obscure that information on them can’t be found. Or sometimes we just ramble on about Lord knows what.
If you need any more information on what we talked about here, by all means contact us!
Date of adventure: September, 2016. Location: Near Calgary, AB. Photo was shot from public property.
I apologize for a mental blunder on my part (which I finally realized yesterday). You had previously commented on a post (about the telegraph pole) I had made in the Facebook group Classic Canadian National. Thus I should have realized that you were already aware of this display. Mentally, I failed to recognize that Chris Doering and Chris BIGDoer are the same person.
Thank you for the article and photo. I always enjoyed seeing these along the railway lines! I don’t know if you are aware of a display in a Calgary front yard on the north side of 8 Ave. N.E. (and between Center St. & Edm. Tr.) which features a shorter version (& without the lower crossarm) of the rear 2 poles in your photo. There is also a switch stand and a flanger board sign there as well. The pole has a ‘natural’ look to where it stands among the shrubs and trees.
Glad you liked it. Yes, we’ve passed that house a number of times. Cool place. There’s anther house a few blocks away where there’s more switchstands (in the back yard).
(A long read) After twelve years it's time to put a face to the name and come clean on something. That's rarely-seen Chris in the photo, one half of Team BIGDoer, my best friend for almost thirty years and orchestrator of everything you see here. For his entire adult life, he's battled a deep depression.
Mostly it's manageable, but there are extended bouts where it's crippling and his life comes to a grinding halt. Sometimes there are days or weeks where he's lost. Sleep does not come easy at this time and further aggravates the issue. As he ages, it's worsening and seems intent on destroying him from the inside.
If you see a lack of posts here, or ones poorly worded, confusing or simply off, it's from one of these periods.
Through all this, he remains as kind, thoughtful and loving as ever, but is somewhere else. To the family, it's just Chris and accepted as it should be. The kids and grandkids adore him no less. Until today, however, this has been hidden from the outside world, although closer friends and some readers were probably already suspect of his condition. I hope admitting this does not break the site.
He finds clarity when we're out and doing things, hiking or documenting something historic and it's only THE reason this page and our website exists. It's therapy. Then he's a new and passionate person, but the monster as he calls it always returns. The Beer Parlour Project has brought out a side I've never seen and when out in the field he's never been so on point and confident.
This post is not for sympathy but to inform. Just so you know where he is and here's what you can do to help (a last ditch request)...
If you see a missed comma or oddly worded sentence in a post, please be kind. You'll probably see his uncertainty when he's off and be nice there too. But if you like what you see, even if the write up could be presented better, post your encouragement. Say something and say it loud...it's important and will keep him sharing. Help Chris get better by cheering him on.
Other than some photos that are mine, everything else comes from him. All the tiring research and the writing (he admits he's NOT a writer), are his.
Chris puts every dollar he makes into this "project of a lifetime", and it's supplemented by donations from readers who enjoy the content. If you want to help...
Admittedly he was not thrilled with the idea of posting this but agrees it probably should be said, even if it makes him uneasy. He doesn't like appearing in photos either. He's so shy, thinks he looks goofy and hates his husky eyes. I love them and they're windows into a wonderful, complex and quiet, but tortured soul. It breaks my heart when he's in a bad space.
This image comes thanks to photographer Arturo Pianzola and was captured while exploring the historic Riverview Mental Hospital in Coquitlam BC. Chris thought since he was in the area last year, he'd stop by to visit with a grandfather he never really knew, who spent his last years at the facility and is buried on the grounds.
Thanks for listening and your understanding. Hopefully we'll see you next week. Johanna (Connie).
Journey of Natty Gann (Disney 1985) and the same location in the Crowsnest Pass 2014. We're visiting the Pass over the new year, as we often do, and this time we'll be staying at a house that appears (briefly) in the film. How cool, eh? Chris has decided it's time on this visit to reshoot this and other Natty Gann comparison shots we did from ten years ago. Stay tuned!
This scene was shot in historic downtown Coleman and shows the former Holyk's Grocery. It was built in the early 1900s and the store closed in the '60s. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Johanna (Connie).
From 2015. Rob Pohl and his strange old-style view camera joined us in documenting the Laing House (with permission). Head down to the comments to see an amazing coincidence with something I found inside.
From the Crossley slides, it's an undated view of Towers School, out near Cluny Alberta. It was originally called Swastika School but that's before the word and symbol were ruined by negative connotations. Built 1922. Gone? _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
The same alley in downtown Calgary's west end, in the 1970s & today. You have to look hard to see the connection! The area was quite run down back then and is in stark contrast to all the shiny condo towers seen present day. Calgary Place West, an apartment block, appears in both images although it's barely a sliver in ours. Check the comments for more info.
Photo credit: James Tworow collection. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
Lost highways (2022): a section of old #93 in Southeastern BC. That BIGDoer-mobile is gone now but quite famous and had a following of its own. Old mine roads, cow paths, 4x4ing across fields - no problem and people would recognize us out in remote areas just by this car. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
I apologize for a mental blunder on my part (which I finally realized yesterday). You had previously commented on a post (about the telegraph pole) I had made in the Facebook group Classic Canadian National. Thus I should have realized that you were already aware of this display. Mentally, I failed to recognize that Chris Doering and Chris BIGDoer are the same person.
And now our cover’s blown! No worries friend, it may not have been the easiest connection to make. Thanks for commenting a lot!
There appears to be a large bird perched on top of the middle pole; IMO, a hawk. Still a common site in rural Alberta.
Yes there is! Good eye. With all the gofers there’s no shortage of hawks either.
Thank you for the article and photo. I always enjoyed seeing these along the railway lines! I don’t know if you are aware of a display in a Calgary front yard on the north side of 8 Ave. N.E. (and between Center St. & Edm. Tr.) which features a shorter version (& without the lower crossarm) of the rear 2 poles in your photo. There is also a switch stand and a flanger board sign there as well. The pole has a ‘natural’ look to where it stands among the shrubs and trees.
Glad you liked it. Yes, we’ve passed that house a number of times. Cool place. There’s anther house a few blocks away where there’s more switchstands (in the back yard).
Wow great pic!
Thanks, I like it a lot of some reason. So simple a subject but nice. Thanks for commenting!
Great composition!!!
Thanks. I didn’t expect much from the photo but the more I look at it the more I can appreciate it.