Notes
You'd think this would be easy to place, but I've been unable to find a picture of a "Union Station" to match this one. My guess is it's been replaced with a shopping mall, but you'd think there would still be some old photos around?
[Update] Good work tracking this one down. It is the Great Northern Railway Depot in Vancouver, BC. It was constructed in 1917, and served until 1962. It was demolished in 1965. Here's a view from 1922, already showing a little age compared with our view. My guess is Alva Day visited in 1917 on his way to or from Alaska, so we're seeing the station immediately after construction.
[ed. note: I've added some detailed views of this image here.]
Category: [default]
Tags: Alva_Day automobile British_Columbia Canada carriage Great_Northern_Railway horses Mystery_Monday railroad Vancouver
Comments
WAG? - something about the clouds, the light, the gravelly nature of the foreground, the lack of background hills says Puget Sound area...
spinsur on 9th September 2013 @ 7:07am
Why he would have a photo of this particular Union Station I haven't a clue, unless he went there to visit or something. This is Union Station in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
charlott on 9th September 2013 @ 7:12am
I stand corrected....not Lancaster, but certainly looks similliar....
Charlott on 9th September 2013 @ 7:15am
I don't know where, but I love the combination of autos and horses in front of what looks to be a fairly new train station.
To bad we can't see more of the flag, because it isn't a U.S. flag so might tell us what state.
l.e. on 9th September 2013 @ 7:36am
Are there any clues from the images in the reflections in the big windows?
connie on 9th September 2013 @ 8:58am
license plates?
spinsur on 9th September 2013 @ 9:12am
I've solved this one with a few hints from details you can't see at this resolution. I'll post some better details shortly on Flickr so you can enjoy the puzzle.
Arthur on 9th September 2013 @ 9:26am
I'm not playing any more Arthur. Not if you already know the answer.
I'll just wait for the next hint.
I will say that when I took Amtrak back to Chicago last summer, it was sad to see some of the old, unique looking train stations falling into dis-repair. I know upkeep is expensive and it is cheaper to build a new one, but those old ones sure had character.
l.e. on 9th September 2013 @ 10:52am
Here are some great detail clips. One of these led me to the answer:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33624788@N05/sets/72157635450132637/
Arthur on 9th September 2013 @ 11:15am
Well I thought the cars looked different... Then I saw the "bobbie"...
spinsur on 9th September 2013 @ 11:44am
Yes, but where is it? It isn't Vancouver B.C. Looks similar, but not the same.
It isn't the Canadian flag.
It looks like the steering wheel is still on the left side of the auto, which means it isn't England. Although, England does have a Union Station.
The flag isn't the Union Jack.
Why do the women have big white collars?
l.e. on 9th September 2013 @ 1:45pm
Sure looks like the Vancouver Union Station to me. Looks identical based on the photos I have seen.
Jim F. on 9th September 2013 @ 2:22pm
Well, I think we have a winner, but until a little more digging, all the photos of the Vancouver station are the "newer" station. The one above was demolished in 1968.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37908073@N04/9188449914/
spinsur on 9th September 2013 @ 2:58pm
The "new" station is decidedly different:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Central_Station
spinsur on 9th September 2013 @ 3:01pm
Yeah, the pictures I saw were from around 1915 or so and were definitely of that building. Not surprised they have enlarged/replaced it since.
Jim F. on 9th September 2013 @ 3:16pm
Good job spinsur.
I was reading this article http://www.greatamericanstations.com/Stations/VAC about Vancouver train stations and not a mention of the the one you found.
And good job guessing a coastal area.
Now, why is the flag so dark?
l.e. on 9th September 2013 @ 3:24pm
Earlier I had been led astray by the great American site also.
S'pose just shadow? Or it may be the "old" flag of BC?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_British_Columbia
spinsur on 9th September 2013 @ 3:42pm
Good work everyone-- I've updated the post with some info on the station. The 1922 photo I've linked to shows the flag more clearly. I never realized how many train stations there are/were in Vancouver.
Arthur on 9th September 2013 @ 3:45pm
what other railroads did this station serve? my understanding is that the term union station indicates serving multiple railroads.
arlen sheldrake on 16th September 2013 @ 6:27am
I'm very late to this party, but I can fill in some gaps.
First, The two railroads were Great Northern and Northern Pacific, though the latter did not run to Vancouver AFAIK
David Banks on 31st July 2016 @ 10:45pm
It would have also served the Vancouver, Victoria,and Eastern, which was completed 100 years ago today. I'm not certain, but I think Union Staition may have opened the same day.
BTW, there was no enlargement, there were two stations
https://www.cardcow.com/images/set516/card00422_fr.jpg
David Banks on 31st July 2016 @ 11:21pm
It was demolished in 1965. The land it sat on has been vacant for 50 years
David Banks on 31st July 2016 @ 11:26pm
Definitely the Great Northern Union Terminal in Vancouver, BC built in 1917. The flag could be the Canadian Red Ensign or maybe even the GNR company flag of that day.
R. Crompton on 18th December 2022 @ 1:19pm