Today’s post is going to showcase Vintage Travel Posters of Ontario in the 1920’s-1960’s. Ontario is where my home of Toronto is located (and TO is the capital of Ontario) and it also is home to my childhood home of Sarnia. So Ontario is very special to me and since it’s Canada’s 150th birthday I want to show-off the vintage side of my beloved province.
Lets Begin!
In 1924 a Tourist and Publicity Bureau was set up to promote Ontario’s attractions, especially those associated with nature and the outdoors.
To encourage tourism, the Bureau published an annual guide to “point out some of the advantages of the Province of Ontario as a tourist centre in summer and winter”(Source).
1926 Ontario Travel Guide- “The Lake-Land Playground“.
Archives of Ontario State:
By the 1930s, three out of every four Americans visiting Canada chose Ontario for their vacation. The government’s tourism marketing strategy through the forties and fifties was to target Americans who wanted an outdoor vacation. This advertising was directed at families who desired to holiday on one of the many lakes, as well as at individuals who wanted to hunt and fish in Ontario’s forests and streams.
Publications and photographs promoting Ontario as “the Lakeland Playground of America” were forwarded to travel editors and inserted in newspapers and magazines throughout the United States (Source).
Inside of above brochure
And that friends was your virtual visit to Ontario. Hope you enjoyed your trip!
On an end note, there will be no blog post next week as I will be in London, UK and Paris, France celebrating my husband and I’s 5th wedding anniversary and my Big 4-0 birthday. If you want to see my adventures while I’m there please follow me on Instagram.
Liz
Thanks for that tour. And so familiar. When we’re at the cottage (in Haliburton) we sometimes still feel we’re in a 1950s time warp (except for the neighbours’ water toys)
(But wait, no Algonquin Park??)
My friend has a cottage up in that general area as well and she says the same thing as you lol!
I could not find ANY advertising for Algonquin Park, not sure why. I mean there was very modern stuff but nothing for the time periods I was searching for. I might have to dig deeper next time.
“Last one in’s a loser” seems a little harsh! Hehe.
lol!!
I love looking at old travel ads, these are so lovely. Looks like a wonderful part of the world.
I’m pretty lucky to live where I do indeed 🙂