Diagrams of cross sections on the Welland Railway, Port Dalhousie

Diagrams of cross sections on the Welland Railway, Port Dalhousie (4 hand-drawn diagrams), March 1860.

Scrap of paper with numbers of railway journals volume numbers, n.d.

Scrap of paper with numbers of railway journals volume numbers, n.d.

Amount paid to Frederick Holmes by the Welland Railway Company

Amount paid to Frederick Holmes by the Welland Railway Company for 26 days of service during February, March and April for excavations made at Port Dalhousie (1 page, handwritten). This is signed by S.D. Woodruff, Aug. 28, 1860.

Voucher #22 to James McCoppen (copy) which includes a letter from James McCoppen regarding a claim for having water backed up into his grain and grass by the embankment of the railroad. The letter is dated June 24, 1857 and the voucher is dated Jul. 1, 1857

Voucher #22 to James McCoppen (copy) which includes a letter from James McCoppen regarding a claim for having water backed up into his grain and grass by the embankment of the railroad. The letter is dated June 24, 1857 and the voucher is dated Jul. 1, 1857.

Pay roll voucher #27 from the Engineer Department of the Welland Railway for sundries for the month of August, 1857. A section of the list has been cut from the page, Aug. 31, 1857

Pay roll voucher #27 from the Engineer Department of the Welland Railway for sundries for the month of August, 1857. A section of the list has been cut from the page, Aug. 31, 1857.

Pay roll voucher #30 from the Engineer Department of the Welland Railway for the Southern Division for the month of August, Aug. 31, 1857

Pay roll voucher #30 from the Engineer Department of the Welland Railway for the Southern Division for the month of August, Aug. 31, 1857.

Letter to W.D. Woodruff from E.C. Wheeler Jr. of N.W. Harris and Co. Bankers of New York

Letter to W.D. Woodruff from E.C. Wheeler Jr. of N.W. Harris and Co. Bankers of New York (1 page, printed) regarding taking on some more of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway bonds, Jan. 15, 1909.

City of Niagara Falls Plans, 1846, 1877, 1884, 1886, 1889-1890, 1892-1894, 1903-1905, 1910, 1914, 1919, 1925, 1927-1928, n.d.

The collection consists of 37 plans, surveys or maps of the City of Niagara Falls beginning in 1846 until 1928. Some of the plans were created for the Falls Company, a group of land speculators that included Buchanan, Murray, Street, Allen, Robinson and others. Other plans relate to the building of the suspension bridge and the railway. Some plans and drawing may refer to estate documents in RG 167 Niagara South estate and legal documents collection. Item 22 has been scanned for preservation purposes.

Cabinet Card of Young Woman Photographed by N. C. Shorey, of Toronto [n.d.]

An unidentified African Canadian young woman is the subject of this cabinet card portrait photograph by N. C. Shorey, of Toronto, Ontario. The photo is undated but believed to be taken in the late 1890s. The photographer's stamp, with his name and address, appears in the gold lettering at the bottom of the card. The young woman in the photograph could possibly be a relative of the Sloman - Bell family, who resided in the London and St. Catharines areas. This cabinet card was in the possession of Iris Sloman Bell, of St. Catharines, Ontario. The Sloman - Bell family relatives are descended from former Black slaves from the United States.N. C. Shorey is listed as a photographer in Toronto, Ont. from 1892 - 1900. Source: Phillips, Glen C. The Ontario photographers list (1851-1900). Sarnia: Iron Gate Publishing Co., 1990. "Cabinet card photographs were first introduced in 1866. They were initially employed for landscapes rather than portraitures. Cabinet cards replaced Carte de visite photographs as the popular mode of photography. Cabinet cards became the standard for photographic portraits in 1870. Cabinet cards experienced their peak in popularity in the 1880's. Cabinet cards were still being produced in the United States until the early 1900's and continued to be produced in Europe even longer. The best way to describe a cabinet card is that it is a thin photograph that is mounted on a card that measures 4 1/4″ by 6 1/2″. Cabinet cards frequently have artistic logos and information on the bottom or the reverse of the card which advertised the photographer or the photography studio's services." Source: http://cabinetcardgallery.wordpress.com/category/cabinet-card-history/

Cabinet Card of Young African Canadian by The Dominion Photo Studio, Toronto [n.d.]

This unidentified African Canadian man is photographed at the Dominion Photo Studio, located at 388 Queen St. West in Toronto. The photographer's name is not known. No date is provided, however, the Dominion Studio is listed as operating from 1893-1894. The reverse of the card displays the Dominion Photo Studio stamp in gold lettering (image also attached). The gentleman in this cabinet card is possibly a relative of the Sloman - Bell family, who settled in the London and St. Catharines areas of Ontario. This cabinet card was among the family memorabilia in the possession of Iris Sloman Bell, of St. Catharines. Relatives of the Sloman - Bell family include former African American slaves who came to Canada.The Dominion Portait Co. is listed as operating from 1893-1894 in Toronto. There is an additional listing for the Dominion Portrait Co. (Gourlay and Clark props.) for 1894. Source: Phillips, Glen C. The Ontario photographers list (1851-1900). Sarnia: Iron Gate Publishing Co., 1990. "Cabinet card photographs were first introduced in 1866. They were initially employed for landscapes rather than portraitures. Cabinet cards replaced Carte de visite photographs as the popular mode of photography. Cabinet cards became the standard for photographic portraits in 1870. Cabinet cards experienced their peak in popularity in the 1880's. Cabinet cards were still being produced in the United States until the early 1900's and continued to be produced in Europe even longer. The best way to describe a cabinet card is that it is a thin photograph that is mounted on a card that measures 4 1/4″ by 6 1/2″. Cabinet cards frequently have artistic logos and information on the bottom or the reverse of the card which advertised the photographer or the photography studio's services." Source: http://cabinetcardgallery.wordpress.com/category/cabinet-card-history/

Tintype of Two Young Women, Seated, with Man [n.d.]

A small tintype of three unidentified individuals, two women, seated, and a young Black gentleman, standing. The date, location and name of the photographer are unknown. This tintype was in the possession of Iris Sloman Bell, of St. Catharines, Ontario. The Sloman - Bell families have relatives who were former American slaves who came to Canada. They later settled in the London and St. Catharines areas of Ontario."Tintypes were the invention of Prof. Hamilton Smith of Ohio. They begin as thin sheets of iron, covered with a layer of black paint. This serves as the base for the same iodized collodion coating and silver nitrate bath used in the ambrotype process. First made in 1856, millions were produced well into the twentieth century. When tintypes were finished in the same sorts of mats and cases used for ambrotypes, it can be almost impossible to distinguish which process was used without removing the image to examine the substrate." Source: American Museum of Photography http://www.photographymuseum.com/primer.html

Tintype of Young African American Woman Seated at Table [n.d.]

Black and white tintype of an unidentified woman seated with hand-colored red detail on her scarf and the tablecloth. The date, location and photographer are unknown. This tintype was in the possession of Iris Sloman Bell, of St. Catharines, Ontario. Relatives of the Bell - Sloman families include former slaves from the United States who escaped to Canada. They later settled in the London and St. Catharines areas of southern Ontario."Tintypes were the invention of Prof. Hamilton Smith of Ohio. They begin as thin sheets of iron, covered with a layer of black paint. This serves as the base for the same iodized collodion coating and silver nitrate bath used in the ambrotype process. First made in 1856, millions were produced well into the twentieth century. When tintypes were finished in the same sorts of mats and cases used for ambrotypes, it can be almost impossible to distinguish which process was used without removing the image to examine the substrate." Source: American Museum of Photography http://www.photographymuseum.com/primer.html

Small Tintype of Young Black Woman, Seated [n.d.]

A young woman seated with arm resting on a side table is pictured in this small black and white tintype photograph. The date, location and name of the photographer are unknown. This tintype was among the family memorabilia in the possession of Iris Sloman Bell, of St. Catharines, Ontario. The Sloman - Bell families have relatives who were former slaves from the United States. They escaped to Canada and later settled in the London and St. Catharines areas of Ontario."Tintypes were the invention of Prof. Hamilton Smith of Ohio. They begin as thin sheets of iron, covered with a layer of black paint. This serves as the base for the same iodized collodion coating and silver nitrate bath used in the ambrotype process. First made in 1856, millions were produced well into the twentieth century. When tintypes were finished in the same sorts of mats and cases used for ambrotypes, it can be almost impossible to distinguish which process was used without removing the image to examine the substrate." Source: American Museum of Photography http://www.photographymuseum.com/primer.html

Brown Bess Musket

This original Brown Bess musket is an East India Pattern musket (3rd model) as it has a 39 inch barrel, a brass side plate on the opposite side of the lock and has no tail to it. The tang on the butt plate is also short. The lock mechanism reveals that this musket has been converted to a percussion cap musket, which became popular in the 1820s. It was assembled at the Tower of London and is engraved with a crown, "GR" and an "X", on the top of the barrel. There is also a ".W. Reg.t" marking on the side of the barrel. This rare musket is typical of the muskets carried by British and Canadian soldiers during the War of 1812 and the Rebellion of 1837.

Travel themed scrapbook

The main focus of the articles is transportation in St. Catharines and Merritton, Ontario from 1903-1911.