On a recent visit to Kingston, Ontario, I was wandering up Ontario Street and decided to take a picture of what used to be a building between Earl Street and William Street. After doing extensive research and finding nothing in the history sites of Kingston, I think I’ve figured out it was either a shed, or more likely a stable that was demolished sometime around 1953. It could have been a house or maybe servant’s quarters, but it wouldn’t have had road frontage. I found a map that dates back to 1865, with a slider that morphs the map up to 2013. Now, the wall faces a parking lot behind the houses on the two above-mentioned parallel streets. Here’s the map: https://apps.cityofkingston.ca/snapshotkingston/ It’s actually really really neat. I found the streets by their names in the 1865 version of the map. Grab the map and move it right and up slightly, so you’re moving south west – the block you’re looking for is right at the letter “A” in “ONTARIO.” (Note: Ontario Street runs parallel, and closest, to the water.) You can zoom in once you find the right block (the +/- button is at the top left of the map). You can see the building there before 1953, but it disappears at about ’53 and then shortly after, the wall appears as a white line in the middle of the block, running parallel to Ontario Street. It’s the wrong colour to have been the the above-mentioned building, but on close inspection I can’t tell what else it could possibly have been.
I’ve always had an interest in ruins. They cause my imagination to go in both conceivable and inconceivable directions. Next time I’m in Kingston, I plan to visit the library or the town archives to see if there’s any information on what this might have been. In the meantime, I’ll allow my imagination to play.
I’m so happy and excited to finally be participating in this prompt. Kingston is just a two hour drive from where Norm took his Thursday Doors pictures. Check out his post (by clicking on his name) for the prompt and join in!
May 27, 2016 at 2:00 am
the photo in the reader feels like a photo prompt – and I like this kind of stuff too –
peace and happy Friday
LikeLike
June 3, 2016 at 12:32 pm
I suppose it would make a good photo prompt. Leaves a lot to the imagination. 🙂 Happy Friday to you too, albeit a different Friday.
LikeLiked by 1 person
June 4, 2016 at 4:26 am
😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 26, 2016 at 7:42 pm
Welcome to the wonderful world of doors! I enjoy ruins, too.
janet
LikeLike
May 26, 2016 at 10:53 pm
Thank you, Janet! Ruins can be so fascinating, can’t they? 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 26, 2016 at 6:12 pm
I love photos of ruins, too. That map is so interesting, I was playing with it for ages. The zoom was great fun and showed up so much detail.
LikeLike
May 26, 2016 at 10:55 pm
I know, isn’t the map great? I must have fiddled about with it for about half an hour. 😀 Thanks for commenting, and the follow too, Jean. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: A long time gone | Little steps to Somewhere
May 26, 2016 at 2:45 pm
Nice, Linda
LikeLike
May 26, 2016 at 10:57 pm
Thanks, John. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 27, 2016 at 8:55 am
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 26, 2016 at 2:27 pm
Yay we’ve another convert; one of us…one of us…one of us.
Welcome aboard 😀
I’m not sure what that building could have been, but you’ve sure piqued my curiosity.
LikeLike
May 26, 2016 at 10:59 pm
Thanks for your warm welcome, Norm. 😀
It’s certainly a curious piece of architecture, isn’t it? 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 26, 2016 at 1:26 pm
Is there a local college or university with an archaeology department? They might know what the building was. If not, they might be able to find out. Local history is very important, and you might have stumbled across a place of significance that the town might not want to get rid of.
LikeLike
May 26, 2016 at 1:57 pm
Good idea! There’s a major University in town. I’ll check that out. Thanks! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 26, 2016 at 1:06 pm
Glad to have you join us door addicts, Linda. I look at those photos and start imagining all kinds of things. I’m guessing manufacturing or something like that. Lots of stuff going on on the main floor and lots of windows at the top for light. Of course, all the old mill buildings I’ve ever seen had windows everywhere. If you follow-up, be sure to let us know.
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 26, 2016 at 1:21 pm
I thought maybe it was used for manufacturing too. As you say, the windows are too close together to be of use for rooms other than the size of a hotel room – unless it was an inn. Being that it’s tucked in between two houses, maybe a farrier’s shop? Or perhaps it was actually there before the houses. A quick search tells me those were built in…1834 and 1845.
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 26, 2016 at 4:14 pm
I enjoy researching these things.
LikeLike
May 26, 2016 at 10:55 pm
It’s fun! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 26, 2016 at 1:21 pm
By the way, I’ve been an unexpressed door addict for years. 😀
LikeLiked by 2 people
May 26, 2016 at 12:18 pm
Me too! I’m more likely to take photos of tumbledown ruins than of friends and family – especially now that the Kid is a teenager and camera shy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 26, 2016 at 12:20 pm
Hehe. Yeah, I’ve got a couple of those, but they’re in their twenties. But seriously, aren’t ruins great?! 😀
LikeLiked by 2 people
May 26, 2016 at 12:37 pm
Definitely. I was off for a few minutes looking at some of my favourite black and white shots. I really ought to post some of them.
LikeLike
May 26, 2016 at 12:40 pm
You should! 🙂
LikeLike
May 26, 2016 at 3:00 pm
I just have 🙂 A pingback might turn up for you!
LikeLike
May 26, 2016 at 10:56 pm
It did. 😀 Thanks! I’ll come and have a look!
LikeLike