Contact the Geospatial Centre
Dana Porter Library, Room 328
University of Waterloo Library
Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1
Email: librarygeo@uwaterloo.ca
The Geospatial Centre team has been geocoding historical city directories of Kitchener, and have highlighted some fun facts discovered. We have created an online scavenger hunt for you to work through. Using Google Maps Streetview, we’d like you to virtually visit locations and unearth the following quests:
1. Find the Walper Hotel. What establishment is on the main floor (corner of Queen and King)?
Answer:
Did you know:
2. In the early 1900s, the Berlin Shirt & Collar Company used to manufacture shirts at the current location of 61 King Street E. What establishment is there now?
Answer (hint: modern version of this store):
Did you know:
3. Dietrich's Bakery has a long history in Kitchener. For decades it had sold its rich butter-nut bread. Once located where currently The Record is (43.4487, -80.48652), it was sold to another bakery in the 40s, and to this day makes the area around 560 Victoria Street N smell delicious. Which bakery is it?
Answer:
4. In 1929, the Warwick Café (37-39 King St W) offered Dinner for 40c. With apartments above the store front, the first floor remains currently vacant. What restaurant is to the right of this building (45 King St W)?
Answer:
Did you know:
5. Speaking of 45 King St W and historical Streetview imagery, what was the name of the restaurant that was there in 2009?
Answer:
Did you know: 45 King St W was the home of a hardware store for over 70 years!
6. So many historical buildings have been demolished, making space for modern homes, high rises, and transportation networks. If you’ve taken the ION train down King Street, you may have noticed some buildings are not there anymore. 904 King St W is home of a GRT transformer station. What is the name of the establishment that resided there between 2009 and 2014?
Answer:
Did you know:
7. You may have passed this intriguing looking "castle" many times and wondered, what’s with that? Despite its historical name, 1508 King St E has been a restaurant for several decades. According to Google Streetview imagery, what restaurant is there now?
Answer:
8. Pearl Laundry Company is a well known name in Kitchener. Even after a fire broke out in 2013, the building to this day looks immaculate. After decades of laundering out of 90 Queen St S, Pearl Laundry was purchased by another company that has several locations in the Region of Waterloo. Which company purchased Pearl Laundry? (Jonathan Walford wrote a blog about this history of this company).
Answer:
9. Since 1903, 51 Breithaupt St housed the Merchants Rubber Factory. Which large company occupies the building now?
Answer:
Did you know:
10. In 1935, The Ontario Ocean Grill served fish and chips, and eggs and chips for 15c. Located on Ontario street, it is now home to The Two Goblets. Before 1923, Ontario Street used to be called something else. What was it?
Answer:
Solve the phrase puzzle using your answers from the 10 questions above.
We hope that you enjoyed learning a bit about the history of Kitchener while utilizing some of the great research tools in Google Maps. All facts we shared with you was using the Vernon City Directories, a resource that the Kitchener Public Library, Waterloo Historical Society and Rych Mills have digitized and made available to us for geospatial processing. We are currently working on creating a web map that will offer 100 years of business and residential information in order to connect people and their places. Stay tuned!
What more fun? Try out our Globe Trotting hunt!
Dana Porter Library, Room 328
University of Waterloo Library
Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1
Email: librarygeo@uwaterloo.ca
The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.