Official Launch of William Pieroway’s “Streetcars of St. John’s”

September 17, 2019

Please join us for the launch of Streetcars of St. John’s by Kenneth Pieroway on Tuesday, September 17 from 7-9pm at Chapters St. John’s!

A photographic “then and now” celebration of the former St. John’s Street Railway.

For the first half of the twentieth century, the most easterly city in North America had a public transportation system that was on par with those found in Toronto, Chicago, Boston, and San Francisco. From 1900 to 1948, the streetcars of the Reid Newfoundland Company and, later, Newfoundland Light and Power, travelled along narrow-gauge rails on some of the oldest streets to be found anywhere. From the famous cobblestones of Water Street to Duckworth Street, Military Road and Queens Road, and powered by electricity from nearby Petty Harbour, residents could avail of the most modern form of inner-city transport of the day.

The reader will take a trip back in time to the St. John’s of not quite so long ago when the roads were shared with automobiles, horse and buggies, and the famous trolley cars. From the crossroads in the west end to the shops of Water Street, the steps of the Newfoundland Hotel and the ice cream parlours of Rawlins Cross, this visual journey around the city is simply breathtaking and bound to rekindle memories for many readers. For the younger generations, it will be an opportunity to see how life used to be and how St. John’s looked in their parents’ and grandparents’ day.

The black and white photographs are contrasted with modern-day colour retakes by the author of the same scenes as they now exist. When compared side by side, it is fascinating to see just how much St. John’s has changed in the past hundred years and yet, in so many ways, remained the same.

The book will be available for purchase, Ken will sign copies and perform a reading. There will be light refreshments. For more information, please contact Flanker Press at 709 739 4477 ext. 24.

RSVP to the Facebook Event!

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