Ottawa Over 100 Years Ago – 40 Rare Photos Show the Capital City of Canada Before 1900

Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It stands on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of southern Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec.

The city is the most educated in Canada, and also has the highest standard of living in the nation and low unemployment.

Here below is what Ottawa looked like before 1900.

Elgin St. from Wellington with the City Hall on the left background, ca. 1890s

Entrance to the Rideau Canal, ca. 1890s

Family at Majors Hill Park, 1894

Home for friendless women, Wellington St. 1891

Horse drawn cab stand in front of the East Block, 1897

Horse drawn passenger car, 1877

Horses dragged the trolleys on the tracks, 1871

Looking east on Sparks St. at Bank St., ca. 1890s

Metcalfe corner of Sparks, 1895

Metcalfe St. looking north to Sparks St., 1890

New Edinburgh flood, ca. 1890s

Orme's Piano Store on Sparks St., 1897

Ottawa in 1866

Parliament Hill, ca. 1890s

Rideau St., 1876

Rideau St., 1898

Russell Hotel, 1893

Russell House Hotel at Sparks St. southeast corner and Elgin St., 1882

Russell House Hotel, 1898

Sailing canoes on the Ottawa River, 1889

Skiing in Rockcliffe Park, 1895

Skiing in Rockcliffe Park, ca. 1890s

Snowstorm on Sparks St. ca. late 1890s

Sparks St., ca. 1890s

St. Andrew's Church at Kent and Wellington Streets, 1891

Sussex St. and George St., ca. 1890s

Teacher's College, 1895

The Grand Hotel on Sussex Dr. at Rideau St., ca. 1890s

The main building of the Central Canada Exhibition, ca. 1890s

Timber Slide at Chaudiere Falls, 1890

Town Hall on Main St., 1895

View from the Victoria Tower of the old Parliament in 1889

View from the Victoria Tower, 1895

Along Sparks St., 1890

Cabmen's rest at George and Sussex Streets, 1893

Children fishing at Lake MacKay, 1890

Construction of the Alexandra Bridge, 1898-1900

Construction of the Victoria Museum, 1899

Cummings Bridge, 1896

Dominion Day in Smiths Falls, 1897

(Photos from Ross Dunn)