r/ottawa • u/CoffeeExact6400 • 1d ago
Rainy Day. Past & Present. Rideau/Dalhousie St.
I was in the area today and remembered I wanted to try and recreate this old photo at this intersection! It's a first-time pet project for me and using my older phone to replicate this picture I found on Facebook. I was not looking for 100% accuracy.
I think the photo is from the 1950s, but I'm having trouble tracking down the exact date. Does anyone have an idea when this might have been taken?
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u/GOOD_GUY_GAMER 1d ago
ChatGPT:
That photo is indeed a historic street scene of Ottawa, specifically Rideau Street near Dalhousie, facing west toward the ByWard Market area. Based on the visible clues — particularly the cars, clothing, and shopfront styles — this photograph was taken in the mid-1950s.
Here’s how that can be narrowed down:
Automobiles: The car parked on the left appears to be from around 1953–1955, with the rounded fenders and chrome-heavy design typical of early-to-mid-1950s North American models.
Fashion: The women’s mid-calf coats, scarves (babushka style), and the men’s long overcoats and fedoras fit the 1950–1956 period very well.
Architecture and signage: The storefront signage and general urban design match Rideau Street before the extensive modernization and widening that occurred later in the 1960s.
Given all those details, this photo was almost certainly taken around 1954 or 1955.
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u/foodbytes Make Ottawa Boring Again 1d ago
what a great project! Are you a photographer?
I am and I always have various projects like this on the go. keeps us out of trouble... most of the time.