This ongoing series from Deb Exel at the Barrie Historical Archive shows old photos from the collection and one from the present day.
This is also a special edition of Then & Now – some then, some now – and some recognition for a special colleague at the Barrie Historical Archive.
The Queen’s Hotel
In the 1850s, the grey building in this 1972 photo was the Queen’s Hotel and the hotel we all know as the “Queen’s” today, was called the Barrie Hotel.
In 1879, the Queen’s was remodelled, enlarged and bricked as seen in the photo from the 1880s.
The Queen’s Hotel was destroyed in a fire Feb. 10, 1915.
Flash forward to 2019, our resident storyteller and historian Mary Harris, stands in front of the former Queen’s Hotel for her official photo as a recipient of this year’s Barrie Heritage Award.
We were proud and thrilled for Mary as she received her award on Dec. 16 at Barrie City Hall.
During the presentation, Mary drew tears and smiles from council and audience as she read a portion of her most recent BarrieToday story about Nicholas Cotter, a man who lived in a simple frame house on Worsley Street and opened his home to the Children's Aid Society following the death of his wife and daughter.
Congratulations to Mary on her award for her contribution to preserving Barrie’s history through her gift of writing, walking tours and storytelling.
The Barrie Historical Archive also wishes everyone a happy holiday season and all the best in the New Year!
