Downtown Kingston, 1880

We never tire of general views of Kingston here at Queen’s Archives. This lovely albumen print (which is a print make with egg white as a binding ingredient) likely taken by Henderson around 1880, give or take a few years, is wonderful for its crisp, clear and far-reaching view. Taken from atop City Hall (a popular perch for photographers) one can see St. George’s Cathedral, St. Mary’s Cathedral, Hotel Dieu, and all the way over to the Frontenac County Court House. The fields that appear just past Division Street are a reminder of how concentrated the city used to be. It is also interesting to see photographs which don’t contain buildings which we now consider part of the heritage landscape of Kingston, such as the former Whig Standard Building which currently forms part of Market Square.