University of Saskatchewan Archives — Historic online images of postcards and people at work

Genealogists whose ancestors lived in Saskatchewan — and others — will want to take a look at the University of Saskatchewan Archives & Special Collections’ digital projects, particularly the 20th-century images and descriptive text about labour and postcards.

If there are any photos or postcards from the 1800s, there are not many.

Labour
The At Work: Historical Images of Labour in Saskatchewan is a digital exhibition presenting and exploring images of labour in 20th century Saskatchewan. The exhibition was produced by the University of Saskatchewan Archives in partnership with archives throughout the province.

Anyone thinking this collection will be filled solely with images of farmers growing wheat will be mistaken. There are more than two dozen labour themes that include agriculture, mining, transportation, and retail.

In the description about the forest industry, we learn that “much of the initial work in the province’s timber industry occurred during the winter months when it was easier to transport logs over snow and ice and when there were more men available, especially farm workers, seeking paid employment.”

Postcards
Wish You Were Here: Saskatchewan Postcard Collections highlights more than 4,500 postcards. Images on the postcards include views of Saskatchewan, places across Canada, and even some taken in England, France, and Germany.

A search of United States produces a collection of photos of American medalists at the Berlin 1936 Olympics, but no other images from the US.

Central Avenue, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, 1920-1929, Photogelatine Engraving Co. Ltd. (Ottawa, Ontario), No. 33817. Source: Prince Albert Historical Society, University of Saskatchewan Archives & Special Collections, Saskatoon.

Many of the postcards are copyright free and could be used to illustrate a family history. To know if the image is no longer protected by copyright, look for the line, Copyright: Public domain, in the postcard description. If public domain is not indicated, then the image is still protected by copyright and permission must be acquired before using it. Look at the Copyright tab to learn more. When publishing a book, it is always wise to ask permission to reproduce an image.

Thanks to John A. for sharing on Facebook.

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