Postcard Memories is a weekly series of historic postcard views and photos submitted by Marcel Rousseau.
Some were previously published by the Orillia Museum of Art and History and in the book Postcard Memories Orillia.
This is a scarce multi-view postcard from around 1920 showing the three large elementary schools that served Orillia’s young people since before the turn of the 19th century.
The West Ward School was located on the southwest corner of Mississaga and Dunlop Streets. Built in 1897, it burned to the ground in 1968.
Central School, on Coldwater Road, was built in 1882 byThomas Kennedy, considered by many to be the leading architect in Simcoe County.
Kennedy also designed the commercial block at the southwest corner of Peter and Mississaga streets. Central School closed in 1985.
The South Ward School, on the north side of King Street, between Peter and Front Streets, was built before 1897 and closed about 1970.
The Central School and South Ward School buildings are still standing today.
