For Canada’s 150th Birthday this year, I am devoting my ‘Vintage Travel To Do List‘ posts to cool places in Canada that you and I should visit.

Up first…..

Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

Located in Alberta’s Banff National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

1920s vintage travel poster for Canadian Pacific - travel to Chateau Lake Louise. The illustration features 1920s women in 1920s bathingsuits. — Source: Ebay

Historic Overview:

The lake in front of the hotel was originally called “Lake of Little Fishes” by the Stoney Indians who lived in the area. Then it because “The Emerald Lake” after a Canadian Pacific Railway employee who was introduced to it by the Stoney Indians. It would change names one last time, to Lake Louise in honor of Queen Victoria’s fourth daughter, Princess Louise Caroline Alberta.
1890-Chalet Lake Louise. One story log cabin constructed on the shores of Lake Louise, it hosted visitors from different dining stations along the railway line as well as day visitors from its elegant sister, the Banff Springs Hotel.
While only 50 guests registered at the chalet in 1890, by 1912, 50,000 guests had already slept there.
2 Fires and 4 architects later, the small cabin dating back to 1911 would become the Chateau Lake Louise standing today.
1900’s Professional Swiss Mountain Guides were brought in to safely guide guests to the summits. Between 1899 and 1954, generations of these Swiss mountaineers taught thousands of visitors and locals to climb and, later, to ski.
Early movies shot in Lake Louise include 1928 ”Eternal Love” starring John Barrymore, 1942 ”Springtime in the Rockies” with Betty Grable and Carmen Miranda and 1944 ”Son of Lassie.”
Hundreds of stars have come here for filming or vacationing, including Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Alfred Hitchcock, and Marilyn Monroe.
The Chateau has also welcomed dozens of royals including Prince Rainier of Monaco, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip, Queen Margrethe of Denmark, King Hussein and Queen Noor of Jordan.
Due to gas rationing and patriotism, Chateau Lake Louise was closed to the public during WWII.

1909 Lake Louise Chalet (not yet the Chateau)

Lake Louise Chalet Vintage Image 1909 — Source: Historic Hotel then and Now

June 1928, now a Chateau (as you can tell from the increase in size).

Chateau Lake Louise 1928 vintage image — Source: Library & Archives Canada

Swimming at Chateau Lake Louise in the 1930’s.

1930s swimming in the pool at Chateau Lake Louise — Source: Heroines.ca

Another view of the pool in the 1930’s.

Outdoor swimming pool at the Chateau Lake Louise with swimmers 1930s vintage image — Source: Peel’s Prairie Provinces

Queen Elizabeth II paying a visit.

Queen Elizabeth the second at Chateau Lake Louise vintage image

1942 ”Springtime in the Rockies” with Betty Grable and Carmen Miranda.

springtime-in-the-rockies-1942-dvd-betty-grable-carmen-miranda-996-p

INTERIOR: Dining room 1930’s.

vintage image of the dining room of the chateau lake louise — Source: Peel’s Prairie Provinces

Ladies lunching in the Lakeview Lounge, circa 1930’s. Wow what a view!

1930s vintage image of Chateau Lake Louise — Source: Historic Hotel then and Now

Tea Time-1935.

1935 tea time chateau lake louise — Source: Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

The Chateau Today-The Magnificent Grand Lobby.

Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise grand lobby other view — Source: Redtag.ca

My favorite room-The Victoria Ballroom.

Chateau Lake Louise Ballroom — Source: Design Locations

Lakeview Lounge. An updated version of the room seen in the vintage images above.

lakeview lounge chateau lake louise — Source: Pinterest

chateau lake louise lakeview lounge — Source: Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

Walliser Stube

Vintage Travel Poster from the 1940s for visit by train with Canadian Pacific to Banff, Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies. Illustration features Chateau Lake Louise and a young woman. — Source: Where.ca

And that my friends is the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. I hope you enjoyed our little online visit of this magnificent hotel and will consider adding it to your own ‘Vintage Travel To-Do-List. I know it’s on the top of mine!

FURTHER READING: Collection of Vintage Travel posts & Vintage Canada Posts by the Vintage Inn Blog

Liz

Want to Visit Lake Louise & Chateau Lake Louise?

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During the 1920’s and 30’s, Toronto experienced an Art Deco building boom. Today’s Vintage Photo Tuesday will showcase a collection of some of those Buildings.

Vintage Photo Tuesday_ 1930's Art Deco Toronto

Eglinton Cinema-1936 Is considered one of the city’s greatest examples of Art Deco Style. It cost $200,000 to build, which was a lot of money when the city was in the middle of the Great Depression. It had 775 seats and was in the cinema business till 2002. Today the building has been renovated, keeping many of its Art Deco design and is used for Weddings and other functions. You can see the remodel HERE.

1930s vintage photo of Eglinton Theatre in 1936 from the Toronto Archives — Source: Historic Toronto

Interior-Lots of Art Deco details to behold.

1930s vintage photo of the Interior of the Eglinton Theatre Toronto Archives — Source: Historic Toronto

View of one part of the Lobby. Even the lettering on the sign is in the Art Deco style.

1930s vintage photo of the Eglinton Cinema vintage image of lobby Toronto 1936 — Source: Toronto Archives

Eaton’s 7th Floor Auditorium (image 1) and the Eatons Round Room (image 2) are recognized as a tour de force of Art Deco design. These spaces are located in the former Eaton’s College Street store (famous Canadian Retailer) in downtown Toronto (Source).

1930s vintage photo of the Eatons auditorium in the Art Deco style — Source: Historic Places

The series of Art Deco-style rooms, designed by French architect Jacques Carlu, muralist Natacha Carlu, and architect René Cera within the Eaton’s College Street department store, was built in 1930, opened in 1931 and sealed off by 1970 until they were restored in 2000 – 2003.

1930s Photo: Here is John David Eaton and Lady Eaton, his mother, arrive at the opening ceremony for the company’s College St. store. Same store where the 2 rooms shown above are found.

1930s Photo: Here is John David Eaton and Lady Eaton, his mother, arrive at the opening ceremony for the company's College St. store. They are wearing 1930s fashions — Source: BlogTO

Toronto Stock Exchange (1937), now the Design Exchange is one of my FAVORITE Art Deco Buildings in Toronto. It’s truly stunning.

1930s vintage photo: Toronto Stock Exchange (1937), now the Design Exchange is a stunning Art Deco Building in Toronto — Source: BlogTO

Here is an image I took during a recent visit to the building. These are the images you see above the clock from the photo above.

The TSX is a fantastic example of streamline moderne, art deco and stripped classicism architecture. The architects produced an elegant yet sturdy looking edifice with classic art deco touches throughout (source).

Design Exchange Toronto Stock Exchange Vintage Art Deco Building — Source: Blog TO

Maple Leaf Gardens (1931) – Canada’s “Cathedral of Hockey”. It took the builders only 5 1/2 months to construct the building and it has been home to twelve Canadian sports teams since first opening its doors. Today it’s renovated and is now the Athletic centre for the University I attended, Ryerson. You can see the renovation HERE.

Art Deco Highlights: Decorative stonework around the massive vertical rows of windows and fancy brickwork.

Maple Leaf Gardens 1930s vintage image — Source: Mattamy Athletic Centre

Here is a renovated image of the front of the building in present day (better view of the design).

For a ‘Non Hockey’ history post on the Gardens, check out one I wrote HERE (P.S. It includes Elvis!).

Maple Leaf Gardens Toronto Art Deco Architecture.

Tip Top Tailors Building.(slips in as 1929 Building). A Canadian menswear clothing retailer founded in Toronto in 1909. It is now a renovated Condo Building (and my husbands dream, win the lottery home).

Art Deco Highlights: Colourful decorative tile above the upper windows, giant concrete piers with pyramidical roofs, and elaborate carvings of people and mythological animals around the main entrance (source).

Tip Top Tailers Building 1930s Art Deco Building-Tip Top Tailors Building.(slips in as 1929 Building). A Canadian menswear clothing retailer founded in Toronto in 1909 — Source: Toronto Public Library

Here are some modern images of the building, so that you can see the design better. Starting with the Lobby.

Tip Top Tailors art deco lobby toronto — Source: Toronto Livings

The Art Deco front doors.

tip top tailers front of building Art Deco Architecture. — Source: Lomax Management

Ad for Tip Top Tailors as seen in the Vancouver Sun, Oct 18th, 1935.

art deco tip top tailers 1930s vintage ad — Source: Vancouver Sun

And there is a brief overview of just SOME of the Art Deco beauties we have in Toronto for Vintage Photo Tuesday. If you ever visit, make sure you check them out.

Question time: Do you like Art Deco Style? Architecture? If not, what is your favorite?

Further Reading:

Vintage Toronto Blog Posts Archive

Liz

Tag: vintage Canada

Vintage Travel To Do List: Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

Located in Alberta’s Banff National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Historic Overview:

Vintage Photo Tuesday: 1930’s Art Deco Toronto