May 26

Written by: Joe Longo
Monday, May 26, 2008 

Niagara Falls celebrates Queen Victoria in more ways than just a long holiday weekend.

The Image Database on our library website shows a photograph of the Queen Victoria Memorial Fountain formerly at the corner Main Street and Lundy's Lane. See it there at www.nflibrary.ca/nfplindex/show.asp?id=96352

The City’s Centennial book “Images of a Century” has a photo of a house built in 1900 called Victoria Place which became the home of the Niagara Falls Club from 1951 until 1986; the Victoria Avenue Arena in 1925; the Victoria Hall Hotel in 1890; Victoria Motors Ltd. automotive dealership in 1951; and the Victoria Park Railway Station built in 1885.

To view the library's index of “Images of a Century” click www.nflibrary.ca/nfplindex/lhcrdb/advance.asp?lcn=17326041

Our city has Queen Victoria Park with its many attractions and buildings, Victoria Elementary School on Heritage Dr., Victoria Park Towers on Drummond Rd. , the Victoria Inn Bar & Grill on Bridge St. and Victoria Avenue where our library and many others call home.

Our library catalogue notes a variety of novels and films about Queen Victoria and the Victorian age.

Borrow the DVD “Queen Victoria”, the video “Victoria and Albert” and a biography by Walter Arnstein of both the private life and the public role of the teenager who became the octogenarian Queen of the British empire

Many enjoy Victorian mysteries such as “Kept”: by D.J. Taylor, “Remember, Remember “by Sheldon Goldfarb, and “Trumpets Sound No More: A Victoria Detective Story” by Jon Redfern.

Two books starring Sherlock Holmes are “The Italian Secretary” by Caleb Carr and “The Raven League” by Alex Simmons and Bill MaCay.

“Late Victorian Gothic Tales” has a great compilation of horror stories.

Borrow other novels such as “A Flaw in the Blood” by Stephanie Barron, “A Time Like No Other” by Audrey Howard and “The River Knows” by Amanda Quick.

The Sovereign's birthday has been celebrated in Canada since the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901). May 24, Queen Victoria's birthday, was declared a holiday by the Legislature of the Province of Canada in 1845.

After the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, an Act was passed by the Parliament of Canada establishing a legal holiday on May 24 in each year under the name Victoria Day. An amendment to the Statutes of Canada in 1952 established the celebration of Victoria Day on the Monday preceding May 25.