On This Day in Canadian History: August 31

History is made every day – let’s have a snapshot at just what was taking place in Canada on August 31st.

It is difficult to envision life in other times, let alone over hundreds of years. What must it have been like for visitors? Did they make themselves at home? Did they give up on this new land? It seems that those strong souls made the best of it, writing home, getting on with the business of taking over territories, building structures and putting out the news – then going to the cinema in air-conditioned comfort. The 31st of August was a busy day in every century in Canada.

First Recorded Letter

Whether there was an official postal system or not did not matter to explorer John Rut from England. In his mission to find a passage to Asia, he entered the waters of North America along the Labrador coast. He dispatched a letter to King Henry the Eighth from St. John’s, Newfoundland on August 31, 1527, said On This Day, informing his boss that there were 14 French and Portuguese fishing vessels in the harbour. It sounds like the new world was already hectic.

Governor of Nova Scotia, General Sir John Sherbrooke gathered his forces on August 31, 1814, during the War of 1812, and attacked the American fort at Castine, Maine. Given that the General brought along four regiments totalling 1800 troops with him, the mission was a success. Ten days later, he captured Fort Machias, Maine, bringing the small state under British control.

The Bill for Canal-Building

Built under the sharp eye of one top British engineer, Lieutenant Colonel John By, the Rideau Canal was, and still is, a magnificent accomplishment. But paying for such a great feat was nearly as painful as the construction. Lt. Col. By submitted his final bill for the canal on August 31, 1832, coming in at a total of £777,146. Instead of being applauded for completing the difficult job, he was taken to task for being over the allotted budget – 55 % over – said Rideau Info.

Chapel in a Day

On August 31, 1843, two thousand people gathered in Halifax, Nova Scotia to build Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel, noted St. Mary’s Basilica in that province. In one day, the classic clapboard church was raised, with seating for 70 people. Still standing, it featured elegant stained glass windows made in 1661 and enduring wood carvings dating to 1550.

Calgary Herald

The Calgary Herald made its own news in the late 1800s. Printing the first issue of the Calgary Herald Mining and Ranch Advocate and General Advertiser on August 31, 1883, the newspaper was put out on a hand press. It was the first printing press to reach Alberta by rail. Just as fascinating, the newspaper was printed in a wooden-floored tent and the business employed one newsboy.

Ouimetoscope Cinema

View of the Ouimetoscope movie theatre building, La Presse advertisement, December 6, 1908. Wikimedia Commons.

Doing it in style, L.E. Ouimet completed the world’s largest cinema in Montreal, Quebec on August 31, 1907. The air-conditioned, 3-storey building at 624 Catherine Street East had seating for 1,200 cinema-goers. Ouimet’s theatre “was the first to challenge the stage and offer movies in first class surroundings and comfort, at prices which enabled the average person to attend,” said Cinema Treasures. The cinema is now gone, with a small plaque its only claim to historic fame.

Source:

Pound, Richard W., Fitzhenry and Whiteside Book of Canadian Facts and Figures, Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Markham 2005

This article first appeared on Suite101.com on August 31, 2008. Copyright Susanna McLeod