Thunder Bay Unseen

Historic Algoma Street

Algoma Street first appeared on the maps of Port Arthur in 1871. In 1883 it was marked on the map running through the heart of the growing town. Due to its central location Algoma Street has became the home of many of Port Arthur's prominent social and institutional developments developments. Centred just to the north of the commercial core, Algoma Street features a number of hidden gems, historically, for those willing to look for them.

At the beginning of this tour stands St. Joseph's Hospital. The hospital was the first established in Port Arthur over 110 years ago by the Sisters of St. Joseph to care for railway employees. The hospital has changed focus over the years as different services were added and removed.

At the rear of the hospital is the old emergency room entrance. The simple awning cover was never removed after the emergency room was permanently closed a decade ago. If you look closely on the rear wall you can see where the bricks have been reworked as windows have been removed or replaced.

Much of the grounds of St. Joseph's hospital have been extensively reworked and landscaped to provide a much greater natural feel. At right is the entrance to the Physical Therapy department. Rock gardens and low shrubs have been added to increase drainage and have less environmental impact.

1884 - 1934 As a testimonial of the Fifty years of noble and gracious service for stricken humanity completed by St. Joseph's General Hospital, Port Arthur. Almost the entire span of fifty years was passed under the energetic leadership of the late reverend Mother Monica who departed this life January 23rd, 1931 This plaque sits on a base upon which a statue of St. Joseph once stood. The statue has disappeared in recently and I am not sure if it is as a result of vandals or undergoing some sort of maintenance.

In the rear of the hospital a portion of the parking lot was replaced with an urban garden featuring trees, fountains, vegetable gardens, sitting areas, and recreational spaces. This area also used to feature a children's play structure but it has, unfortunately, been removed. Behind one of the fountains lie the old ambulance garages (Left and lower left) - they are now used to house grounds keeping equipment.

The purpose of this giant white surface was never very clear to me. Was it intended as a public art surface? Nothing has ever, to my knowledge, been painted here. Maybe it was intended as an outdoor screen or backdrop for events. In either case I cannot think of a time is was ever used for that purpose.

The vegetable garden is quite extensive and it is both planted and maintained by the patients. It is important to note that all of this engineered greenspace and urban beauty was, only a decade or so ago, a typical urban parking lot. The planners of this project definitely deserve to be congratulated for their dedication and success.

This beautiful sitting area is properly oriented and quietly situated to take advantage of the sunrise coming over the head of the Sleeping Giant in peace and tranquility.

The Sister Margaret Smith Centre is home to the St. Joseph's Care Group's Mental Health and Addicitions (MHA) Centre. The building was originally the Nurses Residence prior to 1972. When the MHA Centre moves to its new home near Chapples Park this building will become home to a new Mental Health facility under the St. Joseph's Care Umbrella.

Next door to the Smith Centre is the current Superior Court of Justice serving Thunder Bay. The building is a classic Revival style and features four Corinthian Pillars above the main entrance. The main entrance features tyndall limestone which contain visible fossil remains. Court Street, which this building faces, was named well in advace of its construction in 1924 because planners intended the courthouse to be located along that street. Hard to notice in the picture but between the two bushes on the main hill is an indentation marking a former flower bed that has been re-sod and grown over.

The giant windows on the rear of court house mark the "Hall of Justice", the main courtroom. The limestone caps and sills, as well as the window casements and trim continue around the entire building, emphasizing the symetrical design.

Much care was given to the updating and changes made to the courthouse in order to blend in with the original designs. Some windows have been bricked in, carefully, and using matching colour brick. Windows have also been replaced and updated but are not jaringly different in style from the original building.

Across Algoma Street from St. Joseph's Hospital sits this parking lot which was once home to Port Arthur's YMCA. All traces of the building, sadly, have been eliminated.

Once a corner store and now simply subdivided into residences this building sports a number of interesting reminders of its former life - not the least of which is the angled door facing the corner. The curved facade is also of note as is the weather vane on the front of the roof.

One former businesses's sign still stands in place near its entrance, albeit flipped on its head. Rosebud's Coffee sports an oddly detailed rose on what is otherwise a simply sign. Another notice of the former commerical nature of the building are the folded away cloth awnings tucked above the windows, waiting to be rolled out by the shop owners..

Two homes of note sit along this stretch of Algoma. First features unique curved windows at the front entrance and a squared corner turret. If one looks to the lane directly next to this home they would see bare rock outcroppings suggesting that this home is built directly upon the bedrock of the Canadian Shield.

The second home is much plainer in design that its neighbour but may have a much greater historical legacy. This building may have been the original St. Joseph's Hospital, moved across the street when a newer, larger building was built. The house is certainly quite old and very symetrical in design. It is know that the original building was moved almost a century ago but, thus far, I cannot confirm where it was moved to. This may, indeed, be it.

St. John Street has not existed as a city street for over half a century. Once one of a series of small streets leading west from Algoma Street St John Street is the only one not to carry through to the present day. After sitting empty and derelict for dozens of years the city has begun to beautify this lot in conjunction with a number of community partners.

The entrance to the park is a gradually sloping path off of Algoma Street, lined by wood posts and landscaped with endemic plants. The path curves up through the lot until it exits onto a lane near Jean Street. The path passes directly over another exposed patch of the Canadian Shield, the bedrock upon which all of Thunder Bay sits. It was this granite base that, in the past, limited construction and development but also led to many of the natural wonders in the area. Along one edge of the park is the last physical reminder that this was once a city street - a utility pole. It has been cut short but not removed. The lot has been extensively planted with trees, especially higher up the trail.

St. Joseph Street is named for nearby St. Joseph's Hospital which is name for St. Joseph, the father of Jesus.

Built across Camelot Street from St. Joseph's Hospital the Thunder Bay Medical Centre still serves as the home for many specialty service medical practitioners. At one point, many of the physicians who provided services at St Joseph's hospital located their practices here.

Almost hidden behind foliage along this part of Algoma, this home is unique in that it does not seem to be home to any sort of professional practice, nor does it appear to be subdivided into apartments. It appears to still exist as a single family home. Note the stone lintels under all of the windows.

One of the newer Catholic Churches in Thunder Bay, St. Mary Our Lady Queen of Poland was built by the Diocese of Thunder Bay, acting in concert with the Queen of Poland Parish. In an unprecidented (at that time) move Bishop EQ Jennings confided in perpetuity the Queen of Poland Parish to preist of Polish ethic origin and language. It was built in time to commemorate the first millennium of the Polish nation (966-1966). Its tower is distinctive in Port Arthur and can be seen from some distance.

The corner stone reads as follows: St Mary's Church Church of Our Lady Queen of Poland 1964 Our Lady Queen of Poland

This home next door to Queen of Poland parish serves as the parish office. It features a circular turret. Although the front entrance has been replaced with a newer and not architecturally attractive porch, the marks of the former porch can still be seen on the exterior of the home. The coal chute is still in place, as well, at the base of the turret.

Running parallel to Algoma Street is Royston Court which provided the entrance to the large Keefer residence on the top of the ridge. The home has since been demolished. The street also provided additional access to the HMCS Griffon.

Lakeview Presbyterian Church was formed by members of the Presbyterian Congregation who left St. Paul's church after the majority of that congregation voted to join the United Church of Canada. This current church was built in 1927 and was named First Presbyterian Church until after the amalgamation of Fort William and Port Arthur when it was decided to rename it.

Like many other churches in the city Lakeview also has its share of bricked over windows. Interestingly, however, is the continuation of architectural details in the bricked over area such as the brick edging line below the peaked cap.

McMahon Hall was an addition to Lakeview built in 1958, housing a parlour, kitchen facilites, a nursery, as well as restrooms. The hall is named for the Rev. John McMahon who was the first minister of Lakeview Church when it opened in 1927. Rev. McMahon had only been inducted in 1926 but served to distinguish himself to both his congregation and the community at large.

This office was built in 1955 to house the Ontario Land Claims Registry Office here in Thunder Bay. A few years ago it was declared surpluss to the government's needs and sold of for institutional uses. It was purchased by Anishinabe Mushkiki, Thunder Bay's Aboriginal Community Health Centre. They offer a number of health related services to the Aboriginal Community including a walk-in clinic, workshops on mental health and healthy lifestyle development, and traditional health services and ceremonies. The building is a typical post modern institutional style with some definite neo-classical details such as the imposing main entrance..

There are other professional buildings along Algoma Street, including this one which was designed with a clear post modernist leaning. The large solarium in the centre of picture on the second floor is just one example of the inlets for natural light into this building. Like it's neighbour across Algoma Street, the Thunder Bay Medical Centre, this building also houses a number of health related professionals.

Some of the homes along Algoma Street have been extensively modified to serve as both apartment complexes and store fronts. Some of the modifications have been so extensive it is hard to find traces of the original home under the additions.

Others have seen little modification. The house at right has had its front door and porch moved. The outline of the original porch peak is still clearly visible to the left of the new porch. The newer window to the left of the porch was once where the front door was as well.

One of the former entrances to the DF Burk estate St Vincent street is named for the Earl of St. Vincent John Jervis, who won the battle of Cadiz in 1797.

Grant Terrace Ville was built at the back of the Burke Estate in 1948, the last of the three apartment complexes on the Burke land to be built. It is the only one of the three to feature an enclosed court yard which backs onto a short lane which may have been Burke Lane, a short street providing access to the Burk Estate.

St. Vincent Court was built in 1947 on what was once the expansive front lawn of the Burk Estate.

St. George Street was originally another one of the entrances to the D F Burk estate and was named for the patron Saint of England.

St George's Manor was built in 1940, the first of the apartment blocks to be built on the Burk Estate. It has features not found in the other buildings such as the adjacent garage with its classic double garage doors.

This house stands on the opposite side of St. Vincent Street from the Burk Estate. Most of the homes in this general area are dated from after 1940 when the estate was broken up for development. This home, however, I believe to be somewhat older as its architectural style in much more classical.

The last pictures in this set were taken on the grounds of the HMCS Griffon during the Doors Open 2008 event. This property is usually closed access to the general public as it is a Defence Controlled Area under the control of the Department of National Defense. One cannot just decide to visit this property on a whim - baring special events special arrangements must be made.

The HMCS Griffon (Her Majesty's Canadian Ship) is a "Stone Frigate" or a Naval Establishment on land. The Griffon has served as part of the Canadian Naval Reserve for over 60 years in its present form. The Griffon's primary purpose is to recruit and train people to crew the nation's Maritime Coastal Defense Vessels (MCDV), and it also supports a dive team and trains for Harbour Defense. The property that the Griffon sits upon was once the estate of James Whalen, a multi-millionaire industrialist, who called Port Arthur home and was responsible for some of its most important infrastructure pieces including the Whalen building on Cumberland Street and Western Drydock and Shipbuilding (which eventually became PASCOL). The family eventually sold the estate to the Sisters of St. Joseph to be used as an orphanage and school before it was leased to the Canadian Navy around the Second World War to be used as a Naval Base, which it still is today.

The Griffon Arch of Service Honouring all men and women of the Canadian Naval Serice who have proudly served their country in time of peace and war while servicing in HMCS Griffon. Dedicated in the 65th year of the establishment of the Canadian Navy in Thunder Bay, 1937-2002 Erected by the Volunteers of the Thunder Bay Naval Association May 5, 2002

Twin 4" MK XVI AA Gun This type of rapid firing gun was the main armament of WWII cruisers, destroyers & frigates for Aircraft defence. It was a lethal weapon with muzzle velocity of 2650 feet per second and range up to 19,400 yards (11 miles), shells weighed 63 lbs. Upkeep of this gun provided by the Thunder Bay Naval Heritage Fund and HMCS Griffon. May 5, 2002

The mechanism of this gun has been meticulously maintained in what appears to be and can only be described by me as "Battle Ready." Being up close to it gives one a sense of solemnity due to its readily apparent lethal nature.

The various brass instruction plaques have all been maintained while the elevation hand crank looks to be in perfect working order.

There are a number of memorials around the grounds of the Griffon, including this bench which has been inscribed with the names of those who served

There is a large monument just inside the fence at the Griffon that was erected in 1967 to pay tribute to those men who enlisted (but did not necessarily live here) and subsequently gave their lives in service during WWII. The monument features local amethyst bearing stones and a single anchor atop it.

Standing alongside the main entryway, opposite from the main complex of buildings stands the Chief & Petty Officer's Mess. This building was home to lodging for the Chief and Petty Officers as well as an area to eat and socialize. Due to military tradition and regulation this mess was separate from the Officer's Mess (which is contained in the main building). Certain changes have been made since the building was first constructed but most have been cosmetic. This building is now home to the Military Family Resource Centre.

The rear of the parade hall once had an entrance to the rear that allowed access from Royston Court. The entrance was sealed within the last decade or so.

The ship's mast. The flag at the front, extending to the left, is the Canadian Flag. The other flags are the Joint Service flag of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Navy Jack which is only flown by ships bearing the HMCS prefix. At the base of the ship's mast can be found another piece of field artillery - part of the ship's armament. It is a little worse for wear, unlike the other AA gun. It has not been as completely restored as the first. I suspect that this gun is just as battle ready as the first.

Also at the base of the Ship's Mast in the ship's anchor. I do not know the original ship that carried this anchor or if it was brought here new.

As a home of significance it features a great number of architectural distinctions - most specifically the 3 story octagonal tower. The third floor of the tower once housed the master bedroom with an incredible view of the whole of the harbour. The porch and much of the foundation are constructed from Verte Island red sandstone and still feature the heavy wood door of a turn of the century home.

The third floor also features a unique eyelash window.

Lastly is the drive way leading up from the old Court Street entrance to the grounds. This drive now leads down the parade grounds where the military stores various vehicles.