Serendipity: Undercover Newspapers

I love old newspapers. And I was pleasantly surprised this week to find out that the linoleum flooring that I was tearing up had a layer of old papers underneath. 

The Canadian papers were from 1971, and they provided a pleasant break from renovations (for of course I had to stop and read them). 

Newspapers are a goldmine for historians. In this case, these papers provided glimpses of Canadian life half a century ago. Here are some images - there is something for everyone!

Check out the prices of houses, clothing, and cars.

The Queen certainly looked younger - and her recently deceased husband was in his prime.

Bobby Orr was at the height of his illustrious career. And sports commentary used expressions that we today would find offensive.

Stratford productions were in bloom.

Political commentary reflects some of the pressing issues of the early 1970s.

The religion page was quite detailed, and provides a sense of some of the issues of the day such as the "Jesus Freaks" movement and Apartheid in South Africa.

And finally, "experts agreed" that Schnieders made the best hot dogs.