At the Forks of the Grand Vol. I

    This photograph shows the Paris fire brigade's steam-powered fire engine in 1878. This was the first mechanical water-pumping engine used in Paris, and was the subject of some great interest when it

    This photograph shows the 1908 Paris Fire Brigade, which had won first place in that year's fire fighters' competition. In the foreground is Robert "Bobby" West in one of his many eccentric costumes.

    This photograph depicts William Street opening out onto Grand River Street, with a view of the Gore Hotel and a bookstore. A cow and a public pump are visible on William Street. This image was printe

    This photograph shows a view of the Grand River in Paris, c. 1860, looking south from the railway bridge. The section to the left is the Willow Street raceway that powered numerous businesses, most p

    Robert became an entertainer in 1905, and his father died in 1912; this photo was taken at some time between those dates.

    The copy of the photograph digitized was extremely blurred. The copy presented here has been enhanced for additional sharpness and detail.

    This lithograph presents a view of Paris as it was c. 1855. It shows a foreground view of the land past the Grand River bridge, with the town rising up behind the river. This image was printed on pag

    This photograph shows a view of Paris's upper town c. 1885, with the Grand River and bridge in the foreground. The building to the left is the oilcloth factory. This image was printed on page 65 of A

    This photograph shows a few buildings off of Grand River Street N. in the 19th century. The building in the foreground is a part of Norman Hamilton's distillery, while the congregational church can b

    This photograph shows a view of downtown Paris looking north on Grand River. An ox-team is visible to the left, drinking from a public trough, while the congregational church can be seen in the backg

    This photograph depicts an aerial view of Paris as it was circa 1945. It focuses on the areas west of the Grand River, with the area south of the Nith in the foreground. It was taken by the London Fr

    This photograph depicts a 19th century fire brigade, one of Paris's earliest. This image was printed on page 121 of At the Forks of the Grand: Volume I by D. A. Smith.

    This photograph shows a group of cricketers playing on the Riverview Park cricket ground c. 1910. Cricket was a popular sport in Paris at the time. Riverview Park was located below Homestead Road. Th

    This photograph, taken c. 1885, depicts a group of lacrosse players on the old Agricultural Grounds on Elm Street in Paris. Lacrosse was one of the most popular sports in Paris during the 19th and ea

    This photograph depicts a horse-drawn sleigh and cattle being led down a snow-covered Paris road on their way to the market. This image was printed on page 215 of At the Forks of the Grand: Volume I

    This photograph shows the railway crossing on Grand River Street, c. 1905. At this time, the train crossed directly over the street. The small shack next to the tracks housed the guard. This image wa

    This photograph shows Sinclair Knill and some of his friends in a car in front of an early Paris movie theatre, c. 1913. Richard Thompson's car was among the first in Paris, bought in 1909, and Knill

    This photograph depicts William "Wally" West (1818 - 1912), self-proclaimed Bard of the Nith and Grand Commodore of the Nith Navigation Co., with wife Jess aboard one of their boats. He and his son R

    This photograph shows Robert "Bobby" West with some of his many medals. Robert was the operator of the Nith Navigation Co. after his father, William, grew old. In addition to renting and piloting boa

    This photograph shows a parade down River Street (now Grand River Street) in Paris c. 1895. A similar photograph, taken from the same angle and at the same day, is also a part of this collection and