Thursday, October 23, 2014

On the Border


This week we're on the border....the border between Canada and the United States, that is!  We're in Edmundston, New Brunswick.  Edmundston boasts about 16,000 people, over 95% of  whom are francophone.  The city is right across the border from Madawaska, Maine, USA.  You can't get much further north than this in Maine (only a spot called Estcourt Station, ME is further north, by about 6 degrees of latitude).  Edmundston and Madawaska are tightly linked together by the paper industry -- they make paper pulp in a factory in Edmundston and then pipe the liquified pulp slurry through a mile-long high pressure pipeline across the border into Madawaska, where fine grade paper is made from the slurry.  

This postcard from the 50's/60's shows the Belair Restaurant in Edmundston, which apparently hosted folks at its laundromat as well as as in its dining room.   The back of the card boasted that its "Econowash" had 25 washers and 16 dryers, and they served "Food and Chinese Food."


Not letting go of a good location, the Belair is still there today on Google Earth, but it looks like you can only eat there, not do the wash!  I guess times have changed.


5 comments:

Heather said...

love the colours of the machines. pastels, who would have thought that would have ever been available.

VioletSky said...

Sometimes, the descriptions on the back of these motel cards are quite entertaining!!

Postcardy said...

A great card with three interesting views!

Sheila @ A Postcard a Day said...

25 washers! Do the laundry while you dine - an unusual concept. :)

Beth Niquette said...

That is so cool! And that this place can still be found with the same sign is just amazing. lol I really enjoyed this post.