Postcards from Old Ottawa: The Dominion Observatory

The third in our series of old postcards of Ottawa features the “Observatory, Ottawa Experimental Farm”.

Known officially today as the Dominion Observatory, you can see it just off Carling Avenue near the Civic Hospital. It’s a Classified Federal Heritage Building recognized for its historical and architectural value.  Back in the early 20th century this was one of the major sightseeing spots in Ottawa, as you can see from this postcard sent in 1909.

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They’ve taken off the awnings over the windows, but today the observatory looks pretty much the same as it did over 100 years ago. It’s currently home to the Office of Energy Efficiency , a division of Natural Resources Canada.  I’ve always liked this photo of the observatory , taken in 2003 during the power black-out that plunged most of eastern North America into darkness – and allowed for some great stargazing.

** See also: ** Ottawa History Guide

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