Francis J. Petrie was for many years the City Historian of Niagara Falls, as well as the author of a regular newspaper column in the Niagara Falls Review.
After his death many of his photographs, negatives, slides, and postcards were donated to the Library.
The schooner Erie Belle is docked in Chippawa Harbor (background left) ; a small boat house is (right) ; the small motor boat in the foreground was built in Port Burwell & registered in 1873 ; the Scott family of Buffalo are in the motor boat
Two women identified as Helen Rapeljie in the stern and Eleanor Bukator in the bow paddling in Chippawa ; electric railway poles in background ; verification of identity provided by Eleanor Bukator February 9 1975 ; in background can be seen the old mouth of Chippawa Creek which has now (2008) been filled in and is known as King's Bridge Park ;
Small boat houses along the banks of Chippawa Creek ; boat house extreme left belonged to Walt Gorings, extreme right belonged to Gilbert McMicking then Herman McKenzie ; the largest boat house one in from the right was the club house ;
Shops stores and business in downtown Chippawa ; Village of Chippawa Town Hall (centre left) ; Royal Bank of Canada (right) ; horse and buggy is outside the bank ; two men are posing in the centre of the image where the bandshell was later built ;
Small narrow stone bridge ; various men and children are posing on the bridge itself and women and children are seated near the creek bank by one of the bridge supports ;
A large stone house ; central steps leading up to main porch with four large pillars an automobile is parked on the driveway ; side porch and verandah to the left ; out buildings to the right ; a large road side advertising sign (bottom right) reads " Old Manor Camp Tourists STOP 150 years old visitors welcome" another sign to the right of the road side sign advertises "Old Manor Restaurant" ; the Niagara River Boulevard/Parkway runs across the bottom of the photograph ;
Two panoramic views on one card ; view 1 - top small white cabins clustered around grass and flowerbeds ; view 2 - lower - main entrance tor registration, advertising for coffee shop sign on tree in front of buildings ;
A row of small cottages built for workers of the Norton Company in Chippawa, sometimes called Norton Village; note the newly planted maples; Dirt road is now the Chippawa Parkway
View looking south up the escarpment to the Mountain View Hotel at the top of the James Street Incline (Hamilton and Barton Incline Railway) ; (right) entrance gateway to “Ballinahinch”, the mansion built in 1849 for A.S. Kennedy, a prosperous Hamilton dry goods merchant ;
View of Fort Erie and Bridge in distance ; view is bordered by crests of the Canadian provinces, Newfoundland and Labrador is not included so date must be prior to 1949 ; central crest reada "Honi soit qui mal y pense" translated "Evil be to him who evil thinks"
Large brick building with highly sloped roof, incorporates standing tower with gothic arch window to the right ; steep steps lead from the waklway to the church entrance ; gravestones in the surrounding cemetery and four small trees in front of a stone wall in the foreground ;
The large brick two story school building has a large area of open land around it ; the main entrance has a small tower which holds the flag pole ; as a small shed is to the left and snow is on the ground ; a single male dressed in winter clothing is in the centre of the photograph ;
Jarvis Street at this time is a dirt road, there are stores on the left and also the right ; in the distance on the left and right can be seen residential houses ; hydro poles are located on both sides of the street ;
Reverse reads Commemorates 100 years of peace between United States and Canada. Cost $4,500,000. Length 4,900 feet. Dedicated by Prince of Wales and Vice-President Dawes on August 7 1927. Accommodates 3000 autos an hour ;
Knox Presbyterian a multi gabled brick building with central bell tower, snow on ground ; St Paul's a brick building with the main entrance offset to the left directly underneath a large bell tower, snow on the ground ;
Post office building with clock tower , flag on clock tower ; clock set to 11:45 am and sign on left side of building reads "Dominion Public Building" sign above entrance "Dunnville", sign above door "Post Office" ; residential houses behind the building to the right ; what looks like snow in the bottom left quadrant is in fact damage to the photograph ;
View of the Grand River with an island (centre background) and the shore in the distance (right) ; left there is a small dock and a small boat steaming toward the dock ;
Post office building with clock tower , flag on clock tower ; clock set to 1:20 pm and sign on left side of building reads "Dominion Public Building" sign above entrance "Dunnville", sign above door "Post Office" ; horse and wagon at left side partially hidden by building ;
The large downtown block fills the entire image ; a group of men are gathered outside the bank in the centre ; snow is on the ground and a sign "Skating tonight" is attached to a hydro pole to the right of the bank ;
The railway station is to the centre left of the image ; a boxcar can seen to the extreme left partially hidden by the station ; snow is on the ground ;
The railway station is in the centre of the image ; a train and passengers are to the right of the station ; passengers are waiting on the platform ; a horse and cart and a horse and buggy are also in the image ;
Gazebo like structure in foreground, two men standing beside it ; windmill to the right of the gazebo ; large building in background mostly hidden by gazebo has sign reading C D Martin ...;
Royal Bank of Canada (right) ; Drug store (centre background) name not readable ; Rexall Drug store sign (left on side of building) ; another drug store possibly L J M Mee? (bottom left) ; cars parked along the street ;
Victoria Hotel is building on the right ; a sign for Milo's Restaurant (right centre); The Queens Hotel can be seen in the far distance at the end of the block on the right ; Left side of the street is the Canadian Bank of Commerce Building ; cars are parked on both sides of the street ;
Card was mailed in Dunnville Ontario on May 29 1907 to Miss N Peer Niagara Falls ; message reads "why don't you write or come up. Are you at N Falls or where are you? and what are you doing? Hope you are well. E H " ;
Card was mailed in Dunnville Ontario on January 4 1909 to Mrs Susan Peer Niagara Falls ; message reads "Dear mother, am going down to Aunt Hannah's tomorrow so do not expect to get home before Saturday. I phoned Mrs Parker so it is alright to go over and stay a few days. I will be home to go to work on Monday. Trust you got home alright. I did not mind the drive at all. Hope you find them all well at home.Affectionately Angus. Did not see Charlie again. He promised to come down Sunday but did not. I suppose he went home.
Card was mailed in Dunnville Ontario in 1910 to Miss N Peer 108 Park Street Niagara Falls ; message reads Dear Lyn & Mother, How are you getting on! how is little Joney boy. Will go to Wainfleet late next week don't know when I will be down. Drop me a line. Love to all your loving Aunt Nan" ;
Card was mailed in Niagara Falls on June 29th 1911 to Miss Muriel Russell, 117 ? First Avenue, Niagara Falls, Ontario ; message reads arrived home all o.k. about two o'clock, tell Mama we will write soon. Helen Dore ?" ;
Card was mailed in Winona Ontario on November 14th 1910 to G B Pattison Esq. Manufacturer's Life Insurance Company, Toronto ; message reads "Would it be convenient for you if your sister arrived on Thursday and stayed till Friday afternoon Nov 18th? If not, why say so. Family all well and frisky. Yours etc. H Pattison ;
Card was mailed in Hamilton Ontario on March 14 th 1910 to Mr T G H Pattison Winona, Ontario ; it is a change of business address card from a dentist ; it reads "Removal notice. F Hansel Dentist. has moved to a more modern office in the Federal Life Building corner of Main and James Streets, one block west and one block south of his former office. Take elevator to Room 40" ;
Card was mailed in Winona Ont on November 24th 1910 to G B Pattison Esq, c/o Manufacturer's Life Insurance Company Toronto ; message reads "Unavoidably detained so neither Vi nor I went down. Hope you'll not be disappointed. Shall we see you on Saturday? Don't know whether Dad got the tickets or not. Will not be over for at least 3 weeks. Got a supply job for that time. M E Pattison" ;
Card was addressed to G B Pattison Esq, 269 Jarvis Street Toronto but shows no sign of ever being mailed ; message reads "Nevermind about the rubber tubing, G's brother woke up and sent some. H E P" ;
Boating and swimming at Grimsby Beach on the edge of Lake Ontario ; Crest of the British Empire reading "On whose Dominion the sun never sets" top left ;
Various people enjoying the park, woman with child and pram foreground center, person in invalid chair [wheelchair] in background next to large fountain, horses and buggies lined up at park entrance possibly a hackney stand (left) ;
This school for boys was founded in 1896 and ceased operations in June 1933 ; the buildings, including historic Lake Lodge, stood empty until 1941 when they were demolished ;
The library also owns a black and white postcard which has the original instructions to the printer on the reverse as well as instructions for colourization. It reads "Please note that we want the names to be separated this way so that the names will appear above the buildings to which they belong. Color scheme: Both buildings are a dark red brick with slate roof" ;