The Early Days of Ottawa: Not a Handsome City

 Painting showing the Sapper's Bridge and Lowertown around 1845. The big street going off to the left is Rideau Street. Painted by Thomas Burrowes, he added himself into the scene, painting away on what would be Parliament Hill today - Archives on Ontario C-1-0-0-0-11 McCord Museum MP-0000.25.887 Ottawa has undergone

Before Bytown – Part 1

 Sketch of the Ottawa River and Rideau Falls in 1826. At this point, they’re still untouched, and looked pretty much the same as they did when Champlain passed them. (Archives of Ontario, I0002118)  Ottawa’s story starts with the river that gave it its name. Of course, it wasn’t always called the