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.
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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).
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Beer Parlour Fridays: The Cadillac Hotel in Cadillac Saskatchewan, visited in June 2024 by Chris and Rob. Sadly, they unexpectedly closed soon after their visit, but it is for sale and hopefully will reopen under a new owner. Those amazing SK skies! Watch for the Cadillac Hotel and others appearing at https://www.BeerParlourProject.com. Celebrating old school watering holes!
Scroll down to the comments for more!👇 _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Johanna (Connie).
Beer Parlour Fridays: before Pilsner in Saskatchewan, there was Bohemian or simply Boh. For decades, it was the most popular beer in the province. Incidentally, both Pil and Boh were for decades products of Sick's Brewery. This Boh cap was found in the basement of an old hotel in SW Saskatchewan during a visit by the Beer Parlour Project. It celebrates the beer winning a prestigious best in world award in the late 1960s.
Beer Parlour Fridays: here's a standard issue cast-metal leg round-top Beer Parlour table. These were supplied through the liquor control board (who heavily regulated the business) and therefore could be found at most drinking establishments. They date back to the 1940s-1960s period and surprisingly, we still see them out there in the wild all the time. Often they were covered in terrycloth to help sop up spilled beer. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Johanna (Connie).
Beer Parlour Fridays: The Tompkins SK Hotel/Lucky Loon Saloon, previously Woody's. It was just a drive by visit and not a stop on the recent Beer Parlour Project tour of SW Saskatchewan. Had it been open we would have checked it out, however. Celebrating old school watering holes at https://www.BeerParlourProject.com. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Johanna (Connie).
Beer Parlour Fridays: The Wildwood Hotel in Wildwood Alberta, built in the late 1950s to replace one that earlier burned down. Visited in October 2024 by Chris and Rob. Watch for this hotel and others appearing at https://www.BeerParlourProject.com. Celebrating old school watering holes!
Scroll down to the comments for more!👇 _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Johanna (Connie).
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.