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Dairy King

To be honest, I don't know when this picture was taken. I've tried to search the location but without success. View full size.

To be honest, I don't know when this picture was taken. I've tried to search the location but without success. View full size.

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License plates

According to someone I contacted who is a license plate collector and expert... http://www.yomplates.ca/

"This is a bit tough, but I think I can narrow it down to a couple of years. From what I can see, these would definitely be 1956 or later. Reason being Ontario switched plate size in 1955 to conform to North American standards. Before 1955, plates were substantially larger than in the picture, and with a different lettering sequence.

Also, Ontario alternated dark plates in odd years, and white plates in even years. So that rules out 1955 since it was dark blue. It also rules out 1957, 59, 61, 63 and so on. Another tip is that Ontario used black/black letters and white background in 1956, 58, 60, 62 and 64. In 1966, the plates changed to light blue letters, and the ones in the picture look dark blue or black. Further, in 1962 a black border was added around the plate. I zoomed in on the picture and these don't seem to have a border. So, now we're down to either 1956, 58 or 60.

That's really all I can narrow it down to! Nice photo though. Was this taken in Pembroke or Renfrew? I seem to remember these Dairy Kings as a kid."

So, we are looking at either 1958 or 1960....

I am interested in why he thought Renfrew or Pembroke. Not far from me... more or less.

Ontario 1962-1966

The Canadian Tire sign indicates that the photo was taken in Eastern Canada - east of the Manitoba-Ontario border because the company didn't expand west of the border until 1966.

The X suffix on the station wagon is unique to Ontario - Quebec used an X prefix for dealer plates. Knowing that this is an Ontario plate restricts the date. Ontario plates were a dark blue with white letters from 1955-1961, and a slightly lighter blue with white letters from 1967-1972. Between 1962 and 1966 they were white with navy blue or black letters. Seeming to confirm this date is what looks to be a car with fins mostly hidden by the Mercury Monarch.

Looks like Ontario, 1958 or 1960 or 1962

Ontario license plates for station wagons all ended with X back then. I wonder if other states or provinces did the same?

Back in the days before stick-on renewal tags, Ontario passenger vehicle plates were white with dark blue lettering in even-numbered years. The alternating years were dark blue plates with white letters.

The red triangle Crappy Tire sign (hey, that's we actually call the store, and no longer derisively!) is still in use today.

Swift Current Library

I sent a query to the Swift Current Library to see if they can identify the Dairy King. There are several other Dairy Kings in existence in Alberta and Manitoba but none appear to be the same building. Of course, this could be a building that has long been torn down.

The Swift Current location, however, is right on the Trans Canada which agrees with the "Stop and Eat" sign as well as the angle of the parking area, and the building is the right shape and age.

Swiftcurrent, Saskatchewan, perchance?

That is definitely a Canadian Tire store next door.

I was going for somewhere in the Prairies (can't see those license plates well enough). However, there is a Dairy King in Swiftcurrent that looks like it could be the same restaurant with a few modifications over the decades (the original building was probably a house, judging from the roof).


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Dairy King cars and location

The black hardtop at the left is a 1955 or 1956 Mercury Monarch, at the time a line marketed just in Canada. Then we have a 1957 Pontiac and a 1958 Chevrolet wagon. Haven't been able to nail down whether those are US or Canadian versions. Maybe a license plate expert will pop in.

1958?

Judging by the cars and fashions, I suspect that '58 was the year in question.

Canadian Tire Store

It must be in Canada somewhere. That upside down triangle sign is a Canadian Tire Store sign from the late 1950's

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