Ontario Abandoned Places will be rebranded as Ominous Abandoned Places

Latlng: (43.108261, -79.06034)

SHOP NOW
Other Albums at
Welcome to Canada, c.1898
See all albums
Other nearby Locations Niagara Falls
See all locations

Welcome to Canada, c.1898

Demolished House in Niagara Falls, Ontario

Dec 21 2014

ground state
 |  401
 |  0
Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - Welcome to Canada c.1898 01.jpg
April 1883 - Construction begins on the Lower Steel Arch & Michigan Central Railway (MCRR) between Canada and the U.S.
 0
Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - Welcome to Canada c.1898 03.jpg
This was to be a rail bridge only. On December 1st 1883, the bridge was officially completed at a cost of $700,000 dollars. On December 6th 1883 at 11:41 a.m., the first crossing of this new bridge was made. It consisted of an engine pulling a tender and passenger car.
 0
Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - Welcome to Canada c.1898 04.jpg
It was the dream of Cornelius Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt needed a rail link between Canada and the U.S., but was not prepared to pay the high rental price which the owners of the Lower Arch Bridge (seen in the background) were asking for in lieu of using their bridge.
 0
Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - Welcome to Canada c.1898 05.jpg
This 3-story mansion was the original receiving headquarters for trains coming across the bridge. In the background to the right of the house, one can see the bridge extending into the U.S.
 0
Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - Welcome to Canada c.1898 06.jpg
 0
Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - Welcome to Canada c.1898 09.jpg
The different floors of the house had various functions. The main floor had a post office and customs check....
 0
Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - Welcome to Canada c.1898 10.jpg
There were also several lavish rooms with fireplaces where visitors to Canada could relax and enjoy upper-class comforts while waiting for official clearance.
 0
Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - Welcome to Canada c.1898 11.jpg
 0
Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - Welcome to Canada c.1898 12.jpg
The 2nd floor of the mansion had several guest rooms featuring overnight accommodations, if necessary.
 0
Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - Welcome to Canada c.1898 13.jpg
 2
Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - Welcome to Canada c.1898 14.jpg
The rooms were opulent enough that even King Albert of Belgium stayed here for two nights in the late 1910s during a trip to Niagara to visit Hon. N. W. Rowell, leader of the Ontario Liberal Party.
 0
Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - Welcome to Canada c.1898 15.jpg
The 3rd level was an administrative office used to store business records pertaining to immigration.
 0
Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - Welcome to Canada c.1898 16.jpg
 0
Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - Welcome to Canada c.1898 17.jpg
In the 1940s, the mansion was sold and converted into regular residential real estate. Several of the retrofits left bizarre modifications that can still be seen....
 0
Welcome to Canada, c.1898 - Welcome to Canada c.1898 18.jpg
Some doors, like this one in the ground floor bathroom, are several feet off the ground and lead nowhere. This one is permanently sealed shut.
 1

Comments

Please log in to leave a comment

No comments yet