tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47121335711537872392024-03-27T02:36:31.424-04:00Jenny's London & Southwestern Ontario History, Architecture & Genealogy in the Forest City and Beyond
Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4712133571153787239.post-88234743670327506992024-02-18T20:25:00.006-05:002024-02-20T07:58:20.867-05:00Victoria Park Past and Future<p>Beautiful Victoria Park, downtown London's playground. What a long history it has. What changes it's seen. What events it's witnessed.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_eu_QmjZMz6CA8fXXA1kbl03BlMtHFJxhyphenhyphenANAaqO27VV0IkG9cuCLBnaznULzWBar0-XcorpllXddJ9hi4q32XqywBEWNfxLWTrYSIcZPFHjUf9BlPYV5Zk4OefrolRIJOwTT3xLqBDps6EE5DfTTLjmiRC0_0Zb9EAAVZK4zsEeTCyvqBFSvmBKTSi8/s1451/VP.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="904" data-original-width="1451" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_eu_QmjZMz6CA8fXXA1kbl03BlMtHFJxhyphenhyphenANAaqO27VV0IkG9cuCLBnaznULzWBar0-XcorpllXddJ9hi4q32XqywBEWNfxLWTrYSIcZPFHjUf9BlPYV5Zk4OefrolRIJOwTT3xLqBDps6EE5DfTTLjmiRC0_0Zb9EAAVZK4zsEeTCyvqBFSvmBKTSi8/w640-h398/VP.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Card printed by Raphael Tuck & Sons, nd.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>It started, of course, as London's Military Reserve. But when the British regimental occupation officially ended in 1869, the young city was left with a hole in its centre. Instead of filling it, the City Hall of the day sensibly left it as a playground. Governor General The Earl of Dufferin christened it Victoria Park while visiting in August 1874. </p><p>In 1878, a landscape gardener from the U.S. named Miller* published his proposed layout of the park. Probably soon afterward, formal landscaping began. In 1879, one of the early park's loveliest features was added: a three-tiered, 17-ft. high fountain created by Paul Peel's father, John R. Peel. Its top featured a statue of Cupid.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibyEE6ebQyBBXb3qOaX_dirKr2lcWL2dEwAcsh39XPUibspvgomukVHMfeoSseGdSgI-vI0F4V1VeLheLBaeCF1zWq9y6IOg3hXvizwSuSn2eT9a2lRjHbuF0miwCOVDO-Xx2ry5hYvlxq8sq-zsp5nIw9NSMWaUW2yPw9TGACxc0cVvdXyRhy3-RjZfk/s1598/VP_5.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="988" data-original-width="1598" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibyEE6ebQyBBXb3qOaX_dirKr2lcWL2dEwAcsh39XPUibspvgomukVHMfeoSseGdSgI-vI0F4V1VeLheLBaeCF1zWq9y6IOg3hXvizwSuSn2eT9a2lRjHbuF0miwCOVDO-Xx2ry5hYvlxq8sq-zsp5nIw9NSMWaUW2yPw9TGACxc0cVvdXyRhy3-RjZfk/w640-h396/VP_5.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A 1908 postcard (Valentine & Sons) features the Victoria Park fountain on the left. Note horse and buggy driving through at right. The park was open to vehicles until 1951.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>A pity about that fountain. In about 1939, it was replaced by the boring circular piece below:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsyePcIdeOx-Sk7bso7HVX0ml8pj8ch__CRflA-QQvWeZxmkxM0G1_cL5pfsYnT_UMoZo8q3Sjq4_QChpVEn-9fcXI2SCJmrELK7gY1J_2UVCUFwEvMrfRmoEs0cLCfBWufsbiKClBYrlbEXdSLQJ-GESaHH0xek9vkSXwDw6XrbLEevjB5hbmHPz8Ets/s1604/VP_6.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1009" data-original-width="1604" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsyePcIdeOx-Sk7bso7HVX0ml8pj8ch__CRflA-QQvWeZxmkxM0G1_cL5pfsYnT_UMoZo8q3Sjq4_QChpVEn-9fcXI2SCJmrELK7gY1J_2UVCUFwEvMrfRmoEs0cLCfBWufsbiKClBYrlbEXdSLQJ-GESaHH0xek9vkSXwDw6XrbLEevjB5hbmHPz8Ets/w640-h402/VP_6.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Victor Aziz, nd. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>In 1964, the entire fountain was demolished. Pity. </p><p>But there's always been lots of other things to look at in the park. Often they were military. In 1860, through the efforts of Major James Shanly, two Russian guns captured in Crimea arrived in London by the Grand Trunk Railway. Years later, they were installed in Victoria Park where they remain. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLg1hJ4qUbmmACaDkJJoOoGM57wenejYVfmSy6o_LVMu74AL4wVha9MilkVnuD4qkP2n45B6JpXmSOGdRdexq_ZDq4LKFHDAdsyiDoMjC1B6V97W9zQWWHiaN5cwEphNPDZnB-AY-5qTQlOwvy2vudRpxmSlNNFKESAgYaGmmHCXDobAADH-YZNQ84A1Y/s1592/VP1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1026" data-original-width="1592" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLg1hJ4qUbmmACaDkJJoOoGM57wenejYVfmSy6o_LVMu74AL4wVha9MilkVnuD4qkP2n45B6JpXmSOGdRdexq_ZDq4LKFHDAdsyiDoMjC1B6V97W9zQWWHiaN5cwEphNPDZnB-AY-5qTQlOwvy2vudRpxmSlNNFKESAgYaGmmHCXDobAADH-YZNQ84A1Y/w640-h412/VP1.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Valentine & Sons postcard ca. 1917.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Other military reminders are the Boer War Memorial, added in 1908, and the Cenotaph in 1934. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMZQW2xjnF88gOqDdhwT0y0mVTIM8T0NoHyTRYBEvZY9bJS3944Get6eq4pewbjXgljh7EsfKGHn5hYm2axt7EIBYK7akWvSYRo-i28yLlF90284_RWtDg0x5EmQa4EZIp0O1YSYqyCf9IAHUDYchrLQ2KLBXjovurHyYDQXHjYFJciNHJGs-BF4h4ZXU/s1579/VP_4.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="983" data-original-width="1579" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMZQW2xjnF88gOqDdhwT0y0mVTIM8T0NoHyTRYBEvZY9bJS3944Get6eq4pewbjXgljh7EsfKGHn5hYm2axt7EIBYK7akWvSYRo-i28yLlF90284_RWtDg0x5EmQa4EZIp0O1YSYqyCf9IAHUDYchrLQ2KLBXjovurHyYDQXHjYFJciNHJGs-BF4h4ZXU/w640-h398/VP_4.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cenotaph. Victor Aziz, London, nd.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><div>The First Hussars' tank, Holy Roller, one of many that landed on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, was added in 1956 on the 100th anniversary of the unit. It was recently refurbished.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfiK-Fm4NiubCZsilJ2eU6HT54E6FPktJ02KfbpDhSyhJ_kKpDTLqHMWtDGnl_V-LRdUEu4zUl5lzRKhtpxIbXcYQVfdY4fKN5bNhvv9dGsb9TaI58KgGY7xLA5EkGYn3XY5ddwwV04plYB5xmLe0xpUC6-zOxSYb08JPkmr8gTvqixCukEdLwbBmB6jU/s3695/18feb%20034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1606" data-original-width="3695" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfiK-Fm4NiubCZsilJ2eU6HT54E6FPktJ02KfbpDhSyhJ_kKpDTLqHMWtDGnl_V-LRdUEu4zUl5lzRKhtpxIbXcYQVfdY4fKN5bNhvv9dGsb9TaI58KgGY7xLA5EkGYn3XY5ddwwV04plYB5xmLe0xpUC6-zOxSYb08JPkmr8gTvqixCukEdLwbBmB6jU/w640-h278/18feb%20034.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Portions of the park were used for sporting events, even before it was a park. An 1867 baseball game took place between members of the Forest City Base Ball Club on the Cricket Square, the southern portion of what's now the park. The afternoon game was played in the presence of a large number of spectators. </div><p>But there was a reason it was called the Cricket Square; it was often used for that game. On September 8-9, 1872, several thousand people, many arriving by train, attended a match between the Gentlemen Eleven Cricketeers of England and 22 selected Ontario players. While the day was proclaimed a holiday so working people could see the match, a 12-ft. fence was built around the field to prevent people seeing it for free. Meanies. </p><p>The park was used for all kinds of outdoor events besides sports. In 1882, 7,000 people came out to see a demonstration of electric lights hanging from poles. That crowd would be amazed by the Holiday Season light display held every year since 1958. </p><p>And what a convenient place to meet celebrities! More than 5,000 people came out to honour Londoner George "Mooney" Gibson, catcher of the 1909 world champion Pittsburgh baseball team, when he came home that October. </p><p>Not to mention Royalty. The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII, was greeted in the park by 20,000 Londoners when he visited in October 1919. His niece, Queen Elizabeth II, was greeted by another large crowd when she visited us on June 28, 1973. </p><p>In recent years the park has hosted various festivals and concerts. Home County was first held in the park in 1974, Rib Fest in 1987, and Sunfest in 1995. Everyone from the Royal Canadian Big Band Festival to April Wine have played the bandstand. </p><p><b>The Architecture</b></p><p>The park being a central part of the city, it was surrounded by magnificent buildings. One was London Life, now Canada Life, built in the Beaux-Arts style on the south side in 1928. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSMkhpNBXpFRnhMKRsvRdYOnZ0XWptWJl-VrMHuj9_Wqk2hoveqOAf3OxM9JVlQ9dzj_sa63zIHqZj36GNB2Sxkfr-i-_D28ougSVPtHQA1NDa3wY9A88Q_wANY1cvgkQSTytGfeAW-7J2FhFPih1FVCTQhgUajbqlnXzDx-e0WRh4lLZEDkGPcOAuHvU/s1577/LL%20postcard.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="963" data-original-width="1577" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSMkhpNBXpFRnhMKRsvRdYOnZ0XWptWJl-VrMHuj9_Wqk2hoveqOAf3OxM9JVlQ9dzj_sa63zIHqZj36GNB2Sxkfr-i-_D28ougSVPtHQA1NDa3wY9A88Q_wANY1cvgkQSTytGfeAW-7J2FhFPih1FVCTQhgUajbqlnXzDx-e0WRh4lLZEDkGPcOAuHvU/w640-h390/LL%20postcard.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Post Card Greeting Co. Ltd., Toronto, ca. 1932.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Many grand homes surrounded the park on the north and east sides, since wealthy people liked to be in the heart of things. Mooney Gibson had a nice place at 252 Central on the north side. The west side was - and still is - dominated by St. Peter's. </p><p>In later years, homes on the east side were demolished to build our 1971 City Hall and <a href="https://jennifergrainger.blogspot.com/search?q=rectangle&max-results=20&by-date=true" target="_blank">London's failed attempt at a civic square</a> to the north. Centennial Hall, a pathetic mid-century stab at combining a concert hall with an event space, is just to the north of <i>that</i>. George Mooney's home on the north side was torn down by Farhi Holdings Corp. in about 2004, despite its importance as part of the heritage streetscape on the north side. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-8JEN2zlUB8QvB_nHnIm7fSbQG30dVck0033L72F6rdFWWCVog1cOf5rapROu-FkCm7e9UTd_IsnHEKI5cOxMCv3nUtZCHso6CA-e5wM06G0ywNh3pG8P2ElDYci7DThGy-EIKlNmnTr400MheoVXFRpsO5IiGEW4vq7xwjEzXJHwcZTvB9Ze1R2lZX8/s4160/18feb%20038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1499" data-original-width="4160" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-8JEN2zlUB8QvB_nHnIm7fSbQG30dVck0033L72F6rdFWWCVog1cOf5rapROu-FkCm7e9UTd_IsnHEKI5cOxMCv3nUtZCHso6CA-e5wM06G0ywNh3pG8P2ElDYci7DThGy-EIKlNmnTr400MheoVXFRpsO5IiGEW4vq7xwjEzXJHwcZTvB9Ze1R2lZX8/w640-h230/18feb%20038.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Central Avenue, with hole where the Gibson house was located.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>For years now Londoners have debated the future of the park's periphery. <a href="https://jennifergrainger.blogspot.com/2021/11/why-bother.html" target="_blank">Including me.</a> We seem to be split into two armed camps:</p><p>First, there are the people who think development anywhere is better than more suburban sprawl onto farmland. It will be wonderful to have people living downtown. The park will be frequented more because there will be lots of people living nearby. And we need housing badly.</p><p>Second, there are the people who think the look of the park will be spoiled. Tall buildings will block the sun. Developers, today's meanies, don't care if Londoners live in a concrete jungle. City Hall does whatever the developers want. </p><p>It occurs to me that both sides may be right. We do need housing downtown but the surface parking lots are the best place to build. <a href="https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/josh-morgan-flexes-strong-mayor-muscle-to-jumpstart-high-density-housing" target="_blank">Even the city knows this now.</a> Victoria Park could have been left alone, its remaining heritage left untouched. </p><p>But for better or worse, the Victoria Park Secondary Plan is now in effect. Another chapter in Victoria Park's history is about to begin. When future generations of Londoners visit their downtown park, will they thank us? Or blame us? </p><p>Building heights allowed under the revised January 2024 version of the Victoria Park Secondary Plan: </p><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #191919; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px;"><li style="box-sizing: inherit;">Minimum of three storeys, maximum of 35 storeys south of Dufferin Avenue.</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit;">Minimum of two storeys, maximum of 30 storeys on the city hall property and west side of park near Kent Street.</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit;">Maximum of 25 storeys on select parcels to the east and west sides of the park.</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit;">Minimum of two storeys, maximum of 16 storeys on the park’s northwest corner, at Richmond Street and Central Avenue.</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit;">Maximum of 17 storeys at the northeast corner of Wolfe and Wellington streets.</li></ul><div><span style="color: #191919; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #191919; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><br /></span></div><div>*Either William or Charles, depending on the source.</div></div>Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.com1London, ON, Canada42.9849233 -81.245276814.674689463821153 -116.4015268 71.295157136178844 -46.0890268tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4712133571153787239.post-63421801384049147032024-02-10T21:17:00.004-05:002024-02-18T19:03:37.076-05:00Redevelopment Fit For a Princess<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTM3AYbPXesqEdP8EirhpVnrzdCSgqlF3FT35gJyfz2eykWftJ9taD1Nz1o91BfzHA7RfHL1CP4ch_xp4NpyA4FATnIQx8dvUeTGLkFRPdzvWz-KHR1zSXzTO3J9KXUT1AlhcTrp2nC8CmiDuS00TEHgRWt-iVT5QooCYt9q9UtzlCMBOLqi96EUf6p0A/s3388/Princess.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1840" data-original-width="3388" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTM3AYbPXesqEdP8EirhpVnrzdCSgqlF3FT35gJyfz2eykWftJ9taD1Nz1o91BfzHA7RfHL1CP4ch_xp4NpyA4FATnIQx8dvUeTGLkFRPdzvWz-KHR1zSXzTO3J9KXUT1AlhcTrp2nC8CmiDuS00TEHgRWt-iVT5QooCYt9q9UtzlCMBOLqi96EUf6p0A/w640-h348/Princess.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p>Domus Developments would like to renovate 300 and 306 Princess Avenue, above, into nine-unit apartment buildings. Each old home would be divided into six one-bedroom apartments while proposed rear additions would contain three more two-bedroom units. Since rezoning would be necessary for the rear units to be built, the proposal will go before London City Council's Planning Department in March. </p><p>Being part of the West Woodfield Heritage Conservation District, these houses are designated under part of the Ontario Heritage Act. A heritage alteration permit will be necessary before a building permit is issued. From <a href="https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/infill-project-pitched-to-turn-two-heritage-homes-into-apartment-buildings" target="_blank">this article</a>, it sounds like city staff are supportive and the project will likely go ahead.</p><p>300, on the left, is a stately Queen Anne with Romanesque stone arches over the doors and windows and a wonderful central tower that's reminiscent of Italianate. In other words, its style is eclectic. It was built ca. 1893 for James R. Shuttleworth, a prominent fruit wholesale merchant. Shuttleworth was president of the Children's Aid Society of London in the 1890s. </p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDA7zDL4lN3H-6k-pCtvOEtjZwjKDxYpVANGCeq6hzFdRZQMp9wLrLu4jFuKMnA1uCF0iQmckWt-1ZnzxzTsGW-Ll3Mmhi5pTvpGoDreHKV5YaC5TUPqpVaTTmEa9z7kXZvhpHanhHGVaK-rRz1Z3SVVP-BHk9hS8W_vj1BHM9oEdAkE5ETajPP3dn_XE/s3442/Tune%20001.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3442" data-original-width="1693" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDA7zDL4lN3H-6k-pCtvOEtjZwjKDxYpVANGCeq6hzFdRZQMp9wLrLu4jFuKMnA1uCF0iQmckWt-1ZnzxzTsGW-Ll3Mmhi5pTvpGoDreHKV5YaC5TUPqpVaTTmEa9z7kXZvhpHanhHGVaK-rRz1Z3SVVP-BHk9hS8W_vj1BHM9oEdAkE5ETajPP3dn_XE/w196-h400/Tune%20001.jpg" width="196" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Bottle from J. Tune & Son </td></tr></tbody></table>306 is less spectacular but has decorative wood trim and a lovely wrap-around porch. It was built in 1906 for Charles Henry Tune of J. Tune & Sons Soda Water Works, a London company established about 1882 on Clarence St. north of York. A couple of years later the company moved to the south side of York between Richmond and Talbot. It employed about eight hands and shipped soda water as far west as Windsor and as far east as the Ingersoll and Woodstock area. The J. in the company title was Charles' father, James. Eventually the Tunes became London Soda Water Works. At left is a bottle from my personal collection, dating to the J. Tune & Son days. <p></p><p>As someone who used to live nearby, I've long been concerned about the deteriorating state of these architectural and historic gems. According to the linked article, Domus President Michael Mescia loves these buildings and wants to preserve them as they are. I'm glad to hear that.</p><p>I'm a little concerned, though, when I look at the artist renderings. Scroll down through the article and have a look. I know they're only drawings but I think I'm seeing replacement single-pane windows which wouldn't have existed at the time the homes were built. And 300 looks like a new grey excrescence will supplant the current second-storey woodwork. What will the end result look like?</p><p>I admit I have a bee in my bonnet about windows. So many otherwise wonderful heritage renovations have replacement windows that look entirely inappropriate. I know it's difficult to add modern innovations while maintaining historic charm. And those moving into the future apartments will demand "mod cons." But there are so many older buildings in London with startlingly unsuitable windows. I find myself groaning inwardly as I stroll the city streets. </p><p>So I'm happy to learn about this project but not without reservations. I hope the end result will look like something the Shuttleworths and Tunes would approve of. Or at least recognize. </p><p><br /></p>Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.com1London, ON, Canada42.9849233 -81.245276814.674689463821153 -116.4015268 71.295157136178844 -46.0890268tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4712133571153787239.post-6145747631124069162023-12-11T12:41:00.006-05:002024-01-01T16:01:19.874-05:00Day Trips: St. Marys<div class="separator"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFE7aC-1jWIP069pSCG3FBL_SgLzmxzKUwWbVqZPygA8kKPg_JE7-c-J40FswC6yoDb0wpDwOV7Coq7MYIDDbV_HFNxZRycpyyB5JiNojXvTCh059gJSqS4W21mwY7fdpyWMPZoGfmLNbAEmpULl-w3VnbdkEtSiYyLcBM7lDTxIkHCM-yzEHyOKh0w8/s1551/St.%20Marys%20Tower%202022.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1551" data-original-width="607" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFE7aC-1jWIP069pSCG3FBL_SgLzmxzKUwWbVqZPygA8kKPg_JE7-c-J40FswC6yoDb0wpDwOV7Coq7MYIDDbV_HFNxZRycpyyB5JiNojXvTCh059gJSqS4W21mwY7fdpyWMPZoGfmLNbAEmpULl-w3VnbdkEtSiYyLcBM7lDTxIkHCM-yzEHyOKh0w8/s320/St.%20Marys%20Tower%202022.jpg" width="125" /></a></div>When I feel like escaping the city and seeing an attractive small town - which I often do - I generally look no farther than St. Marys, a gem slightly over 40 km northeast of London. There are many reasons why: I can be there in about 40 minutes; I can enjoy small town atmosphere; and - best of all - I can admire architecture in a place that looks like the Ontario of yesteryear. <p></p><p>First, the name. Why St. Marys? Many sources have suggested that, when Thomas Mercer Jones, commissioner of the Canada Company, visited the town in 1845 with his wife, Mrs. Jones was asked to come up with a name. The story goes that she chose to name the community Mary after herself. A more likely explanation is that local land surveyor John McDonald named the town after his wife, also a Mary, but humbler and lesser known.* So the name comes from an act of chivalry, not ego. </p><p>But the official nickname is "Stonetown." The stone in question is limestone, which exists in abundance in the area and from which much of the early town was built. St. Marys Cement capitalized on this resource and became one of the major producers of cement in Ontario.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XV4brRudu-jX-RnElAgGW-P-sUsxSrfcDdkh59NZBm-G30YaIy06RKeg61OEVivdV-_WXo4RfzBWbACy3XiIGarK9dUnReLBevbCJLDD7nW1hrTMDmuTesc3fq3PVzHAm6rA_GMBozbu2dcgtYUwuvF_EIcDMRnwWmOTYgFmW32Z4G93w7Ch8yOF6bU/s991/St.%20Marys%20Cement.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="610" data-original-width="991" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XV4brRudu-jX-RnElAgGW-P-sUsxSrfcDdkh59NZBm-G30YaIy06RKeg61OEVivdV-_WXo4RfzBWbACy3XiIGarK9dUnReLBevbCJLDD7nW1hrTMDmuTesc3fq3PVzHAm6rA_GMBozbu2dcgtYUwuvF_EIcDMRnwWmOTYgFmW32Z4G93w7Ch8yOF6bU/w640-h394/St.%20Marys%20Cement.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the road into town, St. Marys Cement looks like some kind of weird, futuristic city. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Not surprisingly, mining all that limestone left big holes in the ground. "The Quarries," as they're known, are two former limestone quarries on the south edge of town. The area became a popular swimming spot for the locals after it filled with water in the 1930s. In 1945, the town bought the quarries and much surrounding land, and the area is now Canada's largest outdoor freshwater pool.** This awesome hole looks very inviting on a hot day.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh13A4dFDEYnAd5FLQiS6RmGOW947amEDF20nDD76r8pYW8QBZY_kO-xXMIV6tS_c2erMEzwXYKfr1WffJ6gYtezpyufCBghqa-ezx_ZLAeqj5QhcSFNRVTFZ07rsqf0KJC5KYlsB3pwr4uXO4LMaPSP0S9v3Sb_KJWU3JE-RHG8qceksJaIOuO9XEZmIU/s3219/St.%20Marys%205.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2501" data-original-width="3219" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh13A4dFDEYnAd5FLQiS6RmGOW947amEDF20nDD76r8pYW8QBZY_kO-xXMIV6tS_c2erMEzwXYKfr1WffJ6gYtezpyufCBghqa-ezx_ZLAeqj5QhcSFNRVTFZ07rsqf0KJC5KYlsB3pwr4uXO4LMaPSP0S9v3Sb_KJWU3JE-RHG8qceksJaIOuO9XEZmIU/w640-h498/St.%20Marys%205.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One end of Canada's largest outdoor pool. </td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><u><span style="font-size: medium;">Limestone</span></u></p><p>But the most interesting aspect of the limestone deposits from an architecture enthusiast's point of view is the number of limestone buildings throughout town. The most impressive is likely the Opera House on Water Street, designed by architect Silas Weekes in 1879-1880. Built by the Oddfellows who met on the third floor, the building had an 800-seat theatre on its second floor and stores at street level. For decades the theatre hosted travelling theatre troupes, musicians and campaigning politicians until the Oddfellows sold it in 1904. </p><p>The building is mock-Medieval at its best, complete with bartizans, lancet and quatrefoil windows, and crenelations along the top. When first built, there was a large central gable at top matching the two below, but it didn't survive the building's 20th-century stint as a flour mill. No matter. The building has survived almost intact and, thanks to the Lions Club, was rescued and turned into stores and condos in the 1980s.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVRkDq0afLu5cdyWfPdd5ydXqXiPmnP2m14o-LaUgJC5nxrCX_pHPvQeM42xpv8NDUIjeDRrKpSAvO4IzY0TQfixE-D2lJA5UgwUU-lBdq3yhEUsyzqcJ64yEOK8cNTYnL_wWfJ7Hhl-BChtqk-k6Y-T0IP7tNrhiVPFiLTRijmVo-84vUZB6MvgJQ9p8/s4160/St.%20Marys%202022%2027.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVRkDq0afLu5cdyWfPdd5ydXqXiPmnP2m14o-LaUgJC5nxrCX_pHPvQeM42xpv8NDUIjeDRrKpSAvO4IzY0TQfixE-D2lJA5UgwUU-lBdq3yhEUsyzqcJ64yEOK8cNTYnL_wWfJ7Hhl-BChtqk-k6Y-T0IP7tNrhiVPFiLTRijmVo-84vUZB6MvgJQ9p8/w640-h480/St.%20Marys%202022%2027.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oddfellows Opera House, 12 Water Street.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The Opera House is so ornate it might be mistaken for a town hall. But no, that's over on Queen Street East. It's a real beauty too, with stepped gables, towers, turrets, sandstone-trimmed round arches and sandstone and limestone chequerboard trim. Note the twisted belfry, apparently inspired by <a href="https://www.santacroceopera.it/en/" target="_blank">Santa Croce, Florence</a>. Architect George Gouinlock completed this treasure in 1891 and went on to design the Canadian National Exhibition buildings in Toronto. Note that this is still St. Marys Town Hall. <br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0N4zeJf1NnaVQl-XTkeLWRmVuHGlDUB5wCya6b1Ah4_NatQ5_MZ5hoXxurlZp92WLjcXXY_SPrroYvFT24fdal2mgQAbZOJJx4G-Pc1b22HXh7VohJ8wnS3BxOanJ0j1YTHfFovDgxDtuyORkv7t13CxD9fHml1Eo5BAr3WcK5lzwLgb1FRSLtTq7J1w/s2745/St.%20Marys%2021%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2745" data-original-width="1786" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0N4zeJf1NnaVQl-XTkeLWRmVuHGlDUB5wCya6b1Ah4_NatQ5_MZ5hoXxurlZp92WLjcXXY_SPrroYvFT24fdal2mgQAbZOJJx4G-Pc1b22HXh7VohJ8wnS3BxOanJ0j1YTHfFovDgxDtuyORkv7t13CxD9fHml1Eo5BAr3WcK5lzwLgb1FRSLtTq7J1w/w416-h640/St.%20Marys%2021%20(2).jpg" width="416" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">175 Queens St. E., a very romantic Town Hall.</td></tr></tbody></table><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first truly magnificent home in town was built by George Tracy in 1854. His builder was the Scottish-born stone mason Robert Barbour who came to work on the Tracy mansion but stayed for the rest of his life. Many of the other buildings in town - both grand and humble - were his work. This has been the <a href="https://www.townofstmarys.com/en/recreation-and-culture/Museum-and-Archives.aspx" target="_blank">St. Marys Museum & Archives</a> since 1959 and my family has discovered much about our own St. Marys roots here over the years, thanks to helpful staff. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpAIWxRFQ7p5LTUAkCs5Ta8rWCom3waqDVhtBglphLd3j4W_7jvc2y8lywkSo5iR-DUn_PS7fl71CeUBorpRImgt7AJ9uY3i6b-_74dJ89nO2HDjs0zexGv08TzwXVdq4ccrX9LgCTsVAUUG2f1iL7m4tHSswu5BrDmn3tKJbvP5MGMwQlA0RzLk00Gw/s2426/St.%20Marys%2041.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1540" data-original-width="2426" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpAIWxRFQ7p5LTUAkCs5Ta8rWCom3waqDVhtBglphLd3j4W_7jvc2y8lywkSo5iR-DUn_PS7fl71CeUBorpRImgt7AJ9uY3i6b-_74dJ89nO2HDjs0zexGv08TzwXVdq4ccrX9LgCTsVAUUG2f1iL7m4tHSswu5BrDmn3tKJbvP5MGMwQlA0RzLk00Gw/w640-h406/St.%20Marys%2041.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">177 Church Street South, St. Marys Museum and Archives, hidden behind summer foliage.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Many of the town's limestone buildings are commercial. The gabled house at the end in the picture below was built for a miller and businessman named William Veal Hutton in 1858. He also owned the four-store commercial building that adjoins his house. These buildings are changed since they've been built to some extent; the building on the corner, for example, didn't always have a mansard roof.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqOMemRysx5Qufrdw4ESZQXTuJneZdxVLfjBwYzGDPX4MYoSu2Kbt8sTCqUER2jIdLL4ABfBUut6p4g5uikxCj8ho2k7pw-CgWcZ8VwicBiDAMyAdvxHZzkPY6Tr8gJ-ZFAG3SLAKrQrgHKdGD-lduqWECMSmzZkT4G2F3LE5XQhqacYACpyIDHb-v6ik/s4160/St.%20Marys%2015.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2055" data-original-width="4160" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqOMemRysx5Qufrdw4ESZQXTuJneZdxVLfjBwYzGDPX4MYoSu2Kbt8sTCqUER2jIdLL4ABfBUut6p4g5uikxCj8ho2k7pw-CgWcZ8VwicBiDAMyAdvxHZzkPY6Tr8gJ-ZFAG3SLAKrQrgHKdGD-lduqWECMSmzZkT4G2F3LE5XQhqacYACpyIDHb-v6ik/w640-h316/St.%20Marys%2015.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">83-91 Queen Street East and 6 Water Street North.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />There are many limestone cottages in town built for folks humbler than the Tracy family. Below is one of the last homes built by Robert Barbour, ca. 1865-66. The little windows in the gable are an unusual touch. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidDmd9r3gC9T01W8YqnMTmFTPv6btSWkpcd-LnicqcZLdgIX7bnqYhRQNHKbdN_io9azddft9e2F1tKxVR3hyWspKDE8oIQ_6oVyxclcRQL4yrGBcQZgfpeCUtEIqJGqxAbyLoqqjbyzqv_v4vx7EttYOkUwZkT-w0-F42BkhcUCAOYMorwNK-g52MlsA/s2021/St.%20Marys%2076.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="2021" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidDmd9r3gC9T01W8YqnMTmFTPv6btSWkpcd-LnicqcZLdgIX7bnqYhRQNHKbdN_io9azddft9e2F1tKxVR3hyWspKDE8oIQ_6oVyxclcRQL4yrGBcQZgfpeCUtEIqJGqxAbyLoqqjbyzqv_v4vx7EttYOkUwZkT-w0-F42BkhcUCAOYMorwNK-g52MlsA/w640-h310/St.%20Marys%2076.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">216 Thomas Street.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Another simple building, except for the elliptical fanlight over the door.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilK6xpGqXKBFMrNZ16-fAPn3AFfR434NdRW3avLR2JOGQNyVHTAWkwYVj8N2PPc8EP0vinRb2rUIoNmJEUwTh1P5svWJGFguH9gFM2TbBEPRScZhYKO4BCTC6FTeeh915-HCrSKHmblNkk3deq83-DqTyrW1eL9Nu_pEJYYjt4BpMasP5W25fETEKYBbU/s2370/St.%20Marys%2075.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2370" height="533" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilK6xpGqXKBFMrNZ16-fAPn3AFfR434NdRW3avLR2JOGQNyVHTAWkwYVj8N2PPc8EP0vinRb2rUIoNmJEUwTh1P5svWJGFguH9gFM2TbBEPRScZhYKO4BCTC6FTeeh915-HCrSKHmblNkk3deq83-DqTyrW1eL9Nu_pEJYYjt4BpMasP5W25fETEKYBbU/w640-h533/St.%20Marys%2075.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">52 Ontario Street South ca. 1858</td></tr></tbody></table><br />An adorable but primitive home built about 1850 for Gilbert McIntosh, owner of a nearby woollen mill. A rear addition dates to the 1860s. Surrounding wall is a nice touch.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOhtlK_eT0Yd2lAJ11QS4ue3Kvpcm36LB13sSurCT8LjSAajBoeDHXHDkfqNCRtoIMkkFCe8NRAFsoE2YWDBlNSEkyr3mwyq326f_NcY1AN9RDBF7xIpvRbLggFt2neyF-3Atwf3ljBnZULRzohVijiaJHlWbPfRsywmXwYsoaYyDrNLq07XzC1XERTw/s2474/St.%20Marys%2083.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1426" data-original-width="2474" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOhtlK_eT0Yd2lAJ11QS4ue3Kvpcm36LB13sSurCT8LjSAajBoeDHXHDkfqNCRtoIMkkFCe8NRAFsoE2YWDBlNSEkyr3mwyq326f_NcY1AN9RDBF7xIpvRbLggFt2neyF-3Atwf3ljBnZULRzohVijiaJHlWbPfRsywmXwYsoaYyDrNLq07XzC1XERTw/w640-h368/St.%20Marys%2083.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Maria Street, west of Water Street South.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Looking for someplace to stay while in town? Well, there's <a href="https://westoverinn.com/" target="_blank">Westover Inn</a> if you feel like splurging. Built in the 1860s for the Hutton family, Westover Park, as it was then called, was surrounded by extensive gardens. The gardeners were William and Joseph Hutton, brothers of the aforementioned William Veal Hutton who retired here at an early age.</div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6TjZ6Sv4LqZmNeSvjyWUOoL5uukrJpL5lRClMvfTToop-4G7TzTqNK3y7pQd2w7t58omRZy09sgSvpkua2SR3ex5p-QooFHHnqhpZwT75IRaowyvdS6NPhD6x9tONSPASzjus9pHZuHgQXHzDkipyeg5nyWTyBdwVke17MGMeWOUUur1_yGHPQ0ySH8/s1201/St.%20Marys%2079.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="1201" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6TjZ6Sv4LqZmNeSvjyWUOoL5uukrJpL5lRClMvfTToop-4G7TzTqNK3y7pQd2w7t58omRZy09sgSvpkua2SR3ex5p-QooFHHnqhpZwT75IRaowyvdS6NPhD6x9tONSPASzjus9pHZuHgQXHzDkipyeg5nyWTyBdwVke17MGMeWOUUur1_yGHPQ0ySH8/w640-h334/St.%20Marys%2079.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">300 Thomas Street, side view.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Of more interest than the solid but stodgy-looking manor is the nearby carriage house, designed in 1911. It's an elaborate combination of stone, planks, shingles and stained glass grander than most people's homes at that time. And possibly now.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ox-rAaFKyZrJUxYhAquKGz6JLCywPuKSJ0nNgXHVGx35sKF7aTvJMljMFsFQBitxHKOPkgThrqZrUBjrzEessbyFCYF4eZRqWwtQbsz0lmfN1XMIljWIq-85WIK8V2hrAficpE7Q80oDJu6Z2ZrAXFpsumMzQInzLjY1_GIRzncdJKIpp680n82Whh4/s1367/St.%20Marys%2078.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1218" data-original-width="1367" height="570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ox-rAaFKyZrJUxYhAquKGz6JLCywPuKSJ0nNgXHVGx35sKF7aTvJMljMFsFQBitxHKOPkgThrqZrUBjrzEessbyFCYF4eZRqWwtQbsz0lmfN1XMIljWIq-85WIK8V2hrAficpE7Q80oDJu6Z2ZrAXFpsumMzQInzLjY1_GIRzncdJKIpp680n82Whh4/w640-h570/St.%20Marys%2078.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not your average carriage house.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Early in the new 20th century, philanthropist Andrew Carnegie pledged $10,000 to build St. Marys a library, one of a growing list he'd built in Ontario. You'd think the town would jump at the chance to get a rich guy's money but not everyone was thrilled. Carnegie had a reputation for running sweatshops and squashing strikes so that socially-conscious townsfolk preferred to find funds elsewhere. But when put to a vote in a municipal election, Carnegie's offer squeaked through, so most residents must have wanted a library enough to hold their noses. While designed in the favoured Carnegie classical plan, the library was completed in the usual local limestone. Of course.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwDn2ULCBJgXsU-RfyeBfj6SMGmy_H5l3vTWWZN9g-XEVhPWTkXE0-GrZ9dlaqe37aTBxz47AM19cTGOJqm12iB40xr3iNTl-u4UYmaFw0J9P4YdC1IHANKV9efPhXDCTaMq76tt7G1T0LBHlULlZwei4jFwGCdhc6VE9G7ZiM83-TQvsdgRnMOT34A0s/s4160/St.%20Marys%202022%2018.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwDn2ULCBJgXsU-RfyeBfj6SMGmy_H5l3vTWWZN9g-XEVhPWTkXE0-GrZ9dlaqe37aTBxz47AM19cTGOJqm12iB40xr3iNTl-u4UYmaFw0J9P4YdC1IHANKV9efPhXDCTaMq76tt7G1T0LBHlULlZwei4jFwGCdhc6VE9G7ZiM83-TQvsdgRnMOT34A0s/w640-h480/St.%20Marys%202022%2018.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">15 Church Street North, complete with pediment and columns in classical style, ca. 1904-5.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>The library, by the way, has a lovely Rotary Reading Garden attached, featuring this game table. The Rotary Club of St. Marys built the garden in 2000 to commemorate their own 80th anniversary as well as the 100th anniversary of St. Marys Public Library. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5aUbIzIBKDNKvL1mz2vTbRz5WeB_QAB7CqxZ_qYU9_-HUH_Ednie3qygxWeX1fJ8Sch6Fv5JoR6notWYKDeOnvMOh0vKYOwBvAvkE_b9WVr16I2qdd-PRXBHUd5GuIC9EC2P2QWKtzRt5EmETo6Kk6vyBXGmMa8A3fedM7ocw4pH6FSqiO00U4iskzYo/s4160/St.%20Marys%202022%2011.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5aUbIzIBKDNKvL1mz2vTbRz5WeB_QAB7CqxZ_qYU9_-HUH_Ednie3qygxWeX1fJ8Sch6Fv5JoR6notWYKDeOnvMOh0vKYOwBvAvkE_b9WVr16I2qdd-PRXBHUd5GuIC9EC2P2QWKtzRt5EmETo6Kk6vyBXGmMa8A3fedM7ocw4pH6FSqiO00U4iskzYo/w640-h480/St.%20Marys%202022%2011.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiK2MiFOOAw9jGMz64oUTIerXqRegNvmuFE9qpi8gisJe32XjiwsXiVb8q3oLr4Zxt0A2mdI0gNvAes33W6L5ZYqv29Yvhu5TUBu2Xlvv3UFlitLtcd3lMyd2zefpgRTXu6bfAO07IGBIxma_VfyXAXGmHC9TcFVYSp2bNp2puEuV2-wsGmQex_RcBwMg/s4160/St.%20Marys%202022%2013.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiK2MiFOOAw9jGMz64oUTIerXqRegNvmuFE9qpi8gisJe32XjiwsXiVb8q3oLr4Zxt0A2mdI0gNvAes33W6L5ZYqv29Yvhu5TUBu2Xlvv3UFlitLtcd3lMyd2zefpgRTXu6bfAO07IGBIxma_VfyXAXGmHC9TcFVYSp2bNp2puEuV2-wsGmQex_RcBwMg/w640-h480/St.%20Marys%202022%2013.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rotary Reading Garden monument is a pile of books. Of course. </td></tr></tbody></table><p><u><span style="font-size: medium;">Town of Churches</span></u></p><p>OK, so you're not churchy. That's fine, but St. Marys has some of the loveliest church buildings anywhere so indulge me while I show them off.</p><p>Below is St. James Anglican Church, consecrated in 1859, although the tower wasn't added until 1886. More Gothic Revival here, with crenelations and turrets. First rector was Archibald Lampman, father of the famous Canadian poet.*** </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQ-lJG8Paxd_nP5DY9UIv94PdoJtO226EkOT2Iis8hu6wjNIQEZxMmwc9RW0-yCR12RR68AuT8F0geC97C5Bhs0IBYZLGnwCxwgeDMgfrW0YtghDXAOSDpPFVZHMSCr9u_5KoXnoaQlOZV4l6WUmLQMc5C7V6_dsJ3n-DFxjLtZ-qzw65yDXYwi0t7DE/s3581/St.%20Marys%2036.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2138" data-original-width="3581" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQ-lJG8Paxd_nP5DY9UIv94PdoJtO226EkOT2Iis8hu6wjNIQEZxMmwc9RW0-yCR12RR68AuT8F0geC97C5Bhs0IBYZLGnwCxwgeDMgfrW0YtghDXAOSDpPFVZHMSCr9u_5KoXnoaQlOZV4l6WUmLQMc5C7V6_dsJ3n-DFxjLtZ-qzw65yDXYwi0t7DE/w640-h382/St.%20Marys%2036.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">65 Church Street South.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>St. Marys United, formerly Methodist, Church built in 1879.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWj_YRA1JBeXsypkyN9sqpoljRS4JZlLfdbLoyrslW3K7M1S9OvXcEXtg3NoyLQqVqgr5R2zJaFL5LWnSe3PDaT0sN1yqMLd0XwaMNt7p0-vzoRdjepHSryx0VkSu6vfJHEevhDhkwqQCSEjBGN4aAvxxh60WtsL8iDq_4Iu20RETx7QEltEqrNKVlGF8/s2938/St.%20Marys%2039.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1872" data-original-width="2938" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWj_YRA1JBeXsypkyN9sqpoljRS4JZlLfdbLoyrslW3K7M1S9OvXcEXtg3NoyLQqVqgr5R2zJaFL5LWnSe3PDaT0sN1yqMLd0XwaMNt7p0-vzoRdjepHSryx0VkSu6vfJHEevhDhkwqQCSEjBGN4aAvxxh60WtsL8iDq_4Iu20RETx7QEltEqrNKVlGF8/w640-h408/St.%20Marys%2039.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">85 Church Street South.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />St. Marys Presbyterian Church built 1879-80 in the Gothic Revival style. Note tin-topped steeple. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVSD6jPZ2nsdyzGfzK3QF6rJw-t9Qh5Ua_sixocE6nsE1H3SpsjZVvQ2IPH5mukuSaZHo529iOtBk3YW6B5C7p9nxdRS6pOIYVMA8mu02_fUHe7CdDee9NGXKuGyOmfYB95FqoZoJrBoFfY4Dl7M_tjA9L-IORxVXXXFJuxZchDpkUff2zAV9RG3Ej0wE/s3174/St.%20Marys%2063.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3174" data-original-width="3120" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVSD6jPZ2nsdyzGfzK3QF6rJw-t9Qh5Ua_sixocE6nsE1H3SpsjZVvQ2IPH5mukuSaZHo529iOtBk3YW6B5C7p9nxdRS6pOIYVMA8mu02_fUHe7CdDee9NGXKuGyOmfYB95FqoZoJrBoFfY4Dl7M_tjA9L-IORxVXXXFJuxZchDpkUff2zAV9RG3Ej0wE/w630-h640/St.%20Marys%2063.jpg" width="630" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">147 Widder Street East. (No, not all the churches are on Church Street.)</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church was constructed using the local limestone in 1892-93 on a magnificent hilltop site. Lovely tall trees on the property make it tricky to photograph until the leaves start falling in autumn. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3GUXmC6KenCiyhTiAu0nO4GSIzwUesP2HnhfK7hECNh-Bn8xnjXoWl-pQB1k4QG632RFf2FpSXZ07ykVf4DEi_1mACdMwFUgCyJEBxc4H0S-7DyPjJ5C98PrkKu5zZ_2a9j-k1iAuQ0OqCENW8OCCBfFs9K97fcndW0qgJp9bZCLBHgcuH2U4GW7xhE/s3400/IMG_20231113_114314660_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3400" data-original-width="2690" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3GUXmC6KenCiyhTiAu0nO4GSIzwUesP2HnhfK7hECNh-Bn8xnjXoWl-pQB1k4QG632RFf2FpSXZ07ykVf4DEi_1mACdMwFUgCyJEBxc4H0S-7DyPjJ5C98PrkKu5zZ_2a9j-k1iAuQ0OqCENW8OCCBfFs9K97fcndW0qgJp9bZCLBHgcuH2U4GW7xhE/w506-h640/IMG_20231113_114314660_HDR.jpg" width="506" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corner of Peel and Widder streets. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>A small Baptist congregation built First Baptist Church on Church Street in 1902. Tinier than the other church buildings in town, it's nevertheless attractive. While the front is on a level with Church Street, the basement is above ground and can be seen from the Jones Street hill. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO8Tl8iSB5M57CK6KgV8gUVyN2TVtpjkuLmYX7vT8kO2aqAhib6O0zqifTJbSQsH55DEo3CP3BjmY-Biaj3S-KAy0CbXzhuQuiUMt77bha2SVejqLaZ_4suACFPkKOidbkbOAZpKQkE1FrPQbtENG9WqTHdQuacYQfk7GTYEeKfMbiuJB1O2xzb9nydUQ/s2028/St.%20Marys%2032.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1824" data-original-width="2028" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO8Tl8iSB5M57CK6KgV8gUVyN2TVtpjkuLmYX7vT8kO2aqAhib6O0zqifTJbSQsH55DEo3CP3BjmY-Biaj3S-KAy0CbXzhuQuiUMt77bha2SVejqLaZ_4suACFPkKOidbkbOAZpKQkE1FrPQbtENG9WqTHdQuacYQfk7GTYEeKfMbiuJB1O2xzb9nydUQ/w400-h360/St.%20Marys%2032.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">34 Church Street South.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: left;">A 1900s postcard shows Knox Church, which once stood on Church Street opposite St. James Anglican. The building was abandoned in the 1950s when the Presbyterian congregations merged. The building was demolished in 1969 and the site is now apartments. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3c-SQFuMtekKeZwnf4qLt2E6Fx2fwPw8Bk6l4qfGFnlSKO1jfGP-d77MQtxjn6pyt49UHl8F7JI84CMG4pZl85283ZOLhxjuMYLgD2yZKHcZDgxnoWYfWXmceywO0KHoOaDBSWC4NgWFRRtBhpD5q6OAcMbsXjJvMceavroBuWXNhM4NKx00ZaIkLp_U/s1578/New%20scans.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="1578" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3c-SQFuMtekKeZwnf4qLt2E6Fx2fwPw8Bk6l4qfGFnlSKO1jfGP-d77MQtxjn6pyt49UHl8F7JI84CMG4pZl85283ZOLhxjuMYLgD2yZKHcZDgxnoWYfWXmceywO0KHoOaDBSWC4NgWFRRtBhpD5q6OAcMbsXjJvMceavroBuWXNhM4NKx00ZaIkLp_U/w640-h400/New%20scans.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Author's collection)</td></tr></tbody></table><p><u><span style="font-size: medium;">Fabulous Homes</span></u></p><p>St. Marys has some of the loveliest and best-preserved homes in Southwestern Ontario. Take this Italianate-Second Empire style residence built by local businessman George Carter for his daughter Charlotte and her husband Henry Lincoln Price as a wedding gift. <a href="https://lfpress.com/entertainment/local-arts/a-stately-southwestern-ontario-home-becomes-a-weekend-art-gallery" target="_blank">The latest owners</a> are committed to preserving the home and gardens so it remains one of the town's showpieces for years to come.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16WoMUYKPoqqEMavqlB3oEBTBZM9lcRAWQzunqsR06-mrPdQXG8QtFE7lP3EUmWO_gGd4NqvAeO9HlarlHORHhf6nprt89lyCKBnyjpG0k4uunqIiOvRgEOAcD_8pBcHrdnWs6dXfjukMI9azX39T550vdYhqGuDjWwwrb_-0t5gG4ejZc8aWCAIQL5Y/s3246/St.%20Marys%2044.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1962" data-original-width="3246" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16WoMUYKPoqqEMavqlB3oEBTBZM9lcRAWQzunqsR06-mrPdQXG8QtFE7lP3EUmWO_gGd4NqvAeO9HlarlHORHhf6nprt89lyCKBnyjpG0k4uunqIiOvRgEOAcD_8pBcHrdnWs6dXfjukMI9azX39T550vdYhqGuDjWwwrb_-0t5gG4ejZc8aWCAIQL5Y/w640-h386/St.%20Marys%2044.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">236 Jones Street East.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I love the little place below too. Built ca. 1880, this home's gabled front faces Wellington Street while its veranda faces the garden. Some woodworker had a great time here, adding bargeboard, turned posts, brackets, and all kinds of lesser ornamentation. The white and green paint job is dramatic and, as is often the case in St. Marys, the home has a lovely garden setting. For an older picture and a bit of history, see <a href="http://thedustyvictorian.blogspot.com/2017/08/handyman-special-for-sale-146.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjstTjIhwmsty1WUEfv4rqnAHPs-dWL5FuV6KSVaQfZD-T7Am_0HYcmCcL-nQGPd-j6VKmI7xz7F-hyXNJMIp9VNHkvQa3eplntq3BeZ2sbO0gCZS10Vba1VzQ81Rv6FstKYnq0v04A_HJv6OvJ71cX9LYSFCUvNZf0YaCakzOxADJHW19mLeg0xT_6LuM/s4160/St.%20Marys%2062.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjstTjIhwmsty1WUEfv4rqnAHPs-dWL5FuV6KSVaQfZD-T7Am_0HYcmCcL-nQGPd-j6VKmI7xz7F-hyXNJMIp9VNHkvQa3eplntq3BeZ2sbO0gCZS10Vba1VzQ81Rv6FstKYnq0v04A_HJv6OvJ71cX9LYSFCUvNZf0YaCakzOxADJHW19mLeg0xT_6LuM/w640-h480/St.%20Marys%2062.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">146 Wellington Street North.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>This plain, simple cottage built ca. 1870 possesses an admirable view of the Thames just across Robinson Street. Designated by the town of St. Marys in 1987 (see plaque next to door), it's also on Canada's <a href="https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=14421" target="_blank">Register of Historic Places</a>. Around the corner is its rubblestone carriage house, now renovated into a separate residence. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0znoP3P2z9DpsRIAarPbGEzJduLJ3RvtK095woDySyrvozWYFnpXSQmRNEHgQ-Wya4e7E-L4Q1dSN9-NAQtvr_8uNjvZ6CQeuRzFKztxo63sa9cGO4403RmnMCxBImmT2HLGw5_x3ASk0k23WTLfyRPFfKkjhdoCDgWqIUN4d41QN_SWYRyOLbXfIm_4/s3690/St.%20Marys%2071.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2159" data-original-width="3690" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0znoP3P2z9DpsRIAarPbGEzJduLJ3RvtK095woDySyrvozWYFnpXSQmRNEHgQ-Wya4e7E-L4Q1dSN9-NAQtvr_8uNjvZ6CQeuRzFKztxo63sa9cGO4403RmnMCxBImmT2HLGw5_x3ASk0k23WTLfyRPFfKkjhdoCDgWqIUN4d41QN_SWYRyOLbXfIm_4/w640-h374/St.%20Marys%2071.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">108 Robinson Street.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><u><span style="font-size: medium;">Details</span></u></div><div><br /></div><div>Not every house is spectacular or worthy of designation but many less imposing residences do have nice touches here and there. Note the colourfully-painted trim on the ca. 1900 frame home below.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-nDMlGgovvQBUu7l1HhcmrtBr-YUWDXhj9JzRDBQgTUBdtP4UNhfr2vvccdNYyG9mruuIb2WH79YHemu8nbJsrzTd3oZCbxBPhQFVgfjIA91VLt0ny-_3BzzV89uO9plY2Mz3EoYOrdoI3Hpse76-ZU5W3ZYl8NSQMhzCBjObe5p-Sp-dZ1oRyE3MFZs/s1504/St.%20Marys%2085.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1338" data-original-width="1504" height="570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-nDMlGgovvQBUu7l1HhcmrtBr-YUWDXhj9JzRDBQgTUBdtP4UNhfr2vvccdNYyG9mruuIb2WH79YHemu8nbJsrzTd3oZCbxBPhQFVgfjIA91VLt0ny-_3BzzV89uO9plY2Mz3EoYOrdoI3Hpse76-ZU5W3ZYl8NSQMhzCBjObe5p-Sp-dZ1oRyE3MFZs/w640-h570/St.%20Marys%2085.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">253 Water Street South.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />A yellow brick house on Wellington Street has a sunburst of spindles over the door and nice stone trim on the nearby window.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAyWGI6GSvd-4sNh_1FFLdMtSAY05srQ7UcjgvGNQ06iYBMORTMRnhXbNjMmMN4Az8DVlbKhXdFUVyp715qrBXfSjNAbPLxEWVDdt9BBx7NzbFpvdV57K3WBx21n0_qso8bYZHDqebRWY_DiRq8RIBgmPVsZ6MWJJUQMpDP6J652cvEhqdDkuUmKiTz-I/s1475/St.%20Marys%2081.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1381" data-original-width="1475" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAyWGI6GSvd-4sNh_1FFLdMtSAY05srQ7UcjgvGNQ06iYBMORTMRnhXbNjMmMN4Az8DVlbKhXdFUVyp715qrBXfSjNAbPLxEWVDdt9BBx7NzbFpvdV57K3WBx21n0_qso8bYZHDqebRWY_DiRq8RIBgmPVsZ6MWJJUQMpDP6J652cvEhqdDkuUmKiTz-I/w640-h600/St.%20Marys%2081.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">164 Wellington Street South.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />An unassuming house with an ornate gable. When bargeboard was no longer the rage, later builders continued to add a little bit without going nuts. In this ca. 1900s home there are circles, diamonds and triangles. How many triangles can <i>you </i>find? <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9PgAS1kDLfMCucv5EHayCwixxp6dA9J3nR-0R34X-FrpKf4zVZg9239i-qpGrxZrUZNl5kJ9M-WFXB_SpypH1cNZITeae4QZITj8B4knJt6NVNhWSAT9JzMSUfP7MkQaZpWIvplFxfeVyCqfLoUQ4ogZ68Nv1vNWtmug8sqMHLZT_y6WxAobrABz4no/s3218/St.%20Marys%2059.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1483" data-original-width="3218" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9PgAS1kDLfMCucv5EHayCwixxp6dA9J3nR-0R34X-FrpKf4zVZg9239i-qpGrxZrUZNl5kJ9M-WFXB_SpypH1cNZITeae4QZITj8B4knJt6NVNhWSAT9JzMSUfP7MkQaZpWIvplFxfeVyCqfLoUQ4ogZ68Nv1vNWtmug8sqMHLZT_y6WxAobrABz4no/w640-h294/St.%20Marys%2059.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">106 Water Street North.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Red brick building with stone window arch. Former home now an office. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-jjXGk_LM4QNF-WNkrGBbKc5pkqGpwoerlca2zo2CxfbVm_fFItHuYr_vZDFgsI7YdEFMI5gvETdfoQAP8WHNLCYQOKftWYLGDwLsN2bWphEmfozijgYVWR4geHyqTrTcuJTEtELF3y08qHrJ6oEqmU0nQqW6lxuTaF7M2R9vem9U_SA2hc-97whyIWc/s1290/St.%20Marys%202022%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1290" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-jjXGk_LM4QNF-WNkrGBbKc5pkqGpwoerlca2zo2CxfbVm_fFItHuYr_vZDFgsI7YdEFMI5gvETdfoQAP8WHNLCYQOKftWYLGDwLsN2bWphEmfozijgYVWR4geHyqTrTcuJTEtELF3y08qHrJ6oEqmU0nQqW6lxuTaF7M2R9vem9U_SA2hc-97whyIWc/w640-h634/St.%20Marys%202022%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">48 Wellington Street South.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While this window looks like it might be on a church, it's actually on a home.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQH34qhva9Ik0YuqP5XdmblRz0seC48h0KLFaC4Ra-xpgepqrDt2yyE7WeQws1G6gBHI03tLvTMoNm0eLj5Waz1rUPMWu4Pbfckx-yahoTvWmHP-oF_dPP8I0xaEe3L_ILtK_sLGDFkSE-XJ7TkaI52uUiarmIK1RPfv-W5vV_oPTpTdQNHB7H3DuOGA4/s1571/St.%20Marys%2038.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1571" data-original-width="785" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQH34qhva9Ik0YuqP5XdmblRz0seC48h0KLFaC4Ra-xpgepqrDt2yyE7WeQws1G6gBHI03tLvTMoNm0eLj5Waz1rUPMWu4Pbfckx-yahoTvWmHP-oF_dPP8I0xaEe3L_ILtK_sLGDFkSE-XJ7TkaI52uUiarmIK1RPfv-W5vV_oPTpTdQNHB7H3DuOGA4/w320-h640/St.%20Marys%2038.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">84 Church Street South.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><u><span style="font-size: medium;">Town of Hills</span></u></div><div><br /></div><div>When I say <i>hills </i>I know that anyone from a mountainous part of the world won't be impressed. But in flat Southwestern Ontario, St. Marys comes across as truly hilly. Builders were up to the challenge, though.</div><div><br /></div><div>This limestone 1850s store is built on a hill rising from the street, with the shopfront at the lower level level and the shopkeeper's residence on the second floor above. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwaS2XUu8p2CiIlcnWyWCw5XPwNU9ZB_w1UgUzFkQ6qTJA_M2vJ97RVeKCXP1kmWLBg7gb-t4sTFJfbhNKYo4ZEDNJovoYO4u2BhjamvJbkJG1mEVgJEHOAtE0-s9-3TqYz8gzSileDY0TZHhiOwgch5IWRGPF53s0bMKY9jLKihjJsRx4eSD7-jKPfg/s3120/St.%20Marys%2052.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3109" data-original-width="3120" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwaS2XUu8p2CiIlcnWyWCw5XPwNU9ZB_w1UgUzFkQ6qTJA_M2vJ97RVeKCXP1kmWLBg7gb-t4sTFJfbhNKYo4ZEDNJovoYO4u2BhjamvJbkJG1mEVgJEHOAtE0-s9-3TqYz8gzSileDY0TZHhiOwgch5IWRGPF53s0bMKY9jLKihjJsRx4eSD7-jKPfg/w640-h638/St.%20Marys%2052.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">234 Queen Street East.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />This home is built on a hill sloping <i>downwards </i>from the street.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDALeUBc8zrrHEdhfImd6cCMfEX_agQuhFQ3QnW9BT0iqUnbMAaW8gvsigQs3Sw9aoJt4YsJD_9qx3eHOgf7FrtyDE4Zxb8Tc1nxahF3n5yg9C8YzcwOyd62PwIs1HWQVxzLthNduQQBDggyR3bB31LgktFCqsYNRweVuPk16tGxLRoeAAvs4vyAl0lv8/s2874/St.%20Marys%2058.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2224" data-original-width="2874" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDALeUBc8zrrHEdhfImd6cCMfEX_agQuhFQ3QnW9BT0iqUnbMAaW8gvsigQs3Sw9aoJt4YsJD_9qx3eHOgf7FrtyDE4Zxb8Tc1nxahF3n5yg9C8YzcwOyd62PwIs1HWQVxzLthNduQQBDggyR3bB31LgktFCqsYNRweVuPk16tGxLRoeAAvs4vyAl0lv8/w640-h496/St.%20Marys%2058.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">100 Water Street North.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Of course some homes were built entirely on top of a hill, creating an ostentatious look. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWHlrBoEtmwyhmXvK6PvZ4UShpZXTrKs2d9tEjwEyG6xqmu3rdtzUlET7SY_uWlhWSmtZvmdtuHmipLp7hFXMqfbh419GIBm825VHtDQEnW85QZEBf67s3kdDG3Zk1Rh7cr8gnQXBDGZlkOGdxOXmZ1ls-TJRwMMBDMW8bRMT9T-MkG9k7lxlw3uoAsg/s2065/St.%20Marys%2064.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2065" data-original-width="1571" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWHlrBoEtmwyhmXvK6PvZ4UShpZXTrKs2d9tEjwEyG6xqmu3rdtzUlET7SY_uWlhWSmtZvmdtuHmipLp7hFXMqfbh419GIBm825VHtDQEnW85QZEBf67s3kdDG3Zk1Rh7cr8gnQXBDGZlkOGdxOXmZ1ls-TJRwMMBDMW8bRMT9T-MkG9k7lxlw3uoAsg/w486-h640/St.%20Marys%2064.jpg" width="486" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">183 Widder Street East.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><u><span style="font-size: large;">Other Cool Stuff</span></u></div><div><br /></div><div><u><span style="font-size: medium;">Historical Signage</span></u></div><div><br /></div><div>Rather than regarding history as something better forgotten, St. Marys embraces its past and highlights it. Photos and signs like the ones below on Queen Street East help visitors and townsfolk imagine days gone by. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrIBD8sbddq-YQRV_Upl1BrNH2mZ1-xulvKuG55h49KKjJLymbsb1oFs60D8QcjY3xRzIvkRRYoYLiqvmx9RKqU_Pde9A9Hij7-6CrthvTDWxeC7SzTci2JLepgK7P8qCbkehi0MP5MHTzd9miPhO-tWOwHiWtRdOAinBWuWlajyCa8yxJQzmFvNzSHFI/s4160/St.%20Marys%2018.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="2977" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrIBD8sbddq-YQRV_Upl1BrNH2mZ1-xulvKuG55h49KKjJLymbsb1oFs60D8QcjY3xRzIvkRRYoYLiqvmx9RKqU_Pde9A9Hij7-6CrthvTDWxeC7SzTci2JLepgK7P8qCbkehi0MP5MHTzd9miPhO-tWOwHiWtRdOAinBWuWlajyCa8yxJQzmFvNzSHFI/w458-h640/St.%20Marys%2018.jpg" width="458" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQQp_cCTRxjXy3Sb72F9OP49vaGsc7GofdF5t919VvBHeksa9BakUF2HSxgGgs-aBPWoSA_hzY6DmICRYTyTLvvTqjLbrSLR0hkY6FRBNR080qLprCGDzQr8RNY67k6QyJOnUnJc44kGORnvvIXhaexhAMKc7UxpvQD1E-fjQeWKYvw8Lsq4nnSmhCSg/s4091/St.%20Marys%2019.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2573" data-original-width="4091" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQQp_cCTRxjXy3Sb72F9OP49vaGsc7GofdF5t919VvBHeksa9BakUF2HSxgGgs-aBPWoSA_hzY6DmICRYTyTLvvTqjLbrSLR0hkY6FRBNR080qLprCGDzQr8RNY67k6QyJOnUnJc44kGORnvvIXhaexhAMKc7UxpvQD1E-fjQeWKYvw8Lsq4nnSmhCSg/w640-h402/St.%20Marys%2019.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf7_hXnUhSjBnwfYajmzLsubHJB2O5TU_NczIy8VM_w3ZXSqz5_Kf_uDsEZEJ8LnML2RLEd2c-oL4zm7Mk7u3mIrBSHgmwBFNoKRgpSHstEt3CcsqG4DFe_xJA0Q45haK_yveEv5H0ut3xHT0BM8p1ylc_GwIiprkIL0sLCRBV6Gw_qXdbGP09s0FcHz0/s4160/St.%20Marys%2024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf7_hXnUhSjBnwfYajmzLsubHJB2O5TU_NczIy8VM_w3ZXSqz5_Kf_uDsEZEJ8LnML2RLEd2c-oL4zm7Mk7u3mIrBSHgmwBFNoKRgpSHstEt3CcsqG4DFe_xJA0Q45haK_yveEv5H0ut3xHT0BM8p1ylc_GwIiprkIL0sLCRBV6Gw_qXdbGP09s0FcHz0/w640-h480/St.%20Marys%2024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>Speaking of Queen Street, it has actual thriving businesses, something not all small towns can boast of these days. It may help that St. Marys hasn't much in the way of suburban shopping plazas to draw away customers. It also helps that there aren't many larger communities nearby to lure people away (Stratford is about a 20 minute drive). But it might also be that Queen Street East appears well looked after, safe and inviting. That patio is a nice place to stop for a cold drink on a hot summer day. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyZBaw_oBq60FOm9tX-KyViQ-JjPRgroamvZYMC9Y3rfA-mNY7a08zmletsJvhNXkHGjkeeP-cOABNbtU5dXYoq5HMJJaJemm2q0pttgIjiHZ1GiR8R84oyhQGqseEJy12hJSU1CVSvYm01ARQ1Ly4Hf6dsTdm-l69mdSOofiHNOeMBiZZ7FDQ-GZGyDc/s4160/St.%20Marys%2055.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2191" data-original-width="4160" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyZBaw_oBq60FOm9tX-KyViQ-JjPRgroamvZYMC9Y3rfA-mNY7a08zmletsJvhNXkHGjkeeP-cOABNbtU5dXYoq5HMJJaJemm2q0pttgIjiHZ1GiR8R84oyhQGqseEJy12hJSU1CVSvYm01ARQ1Ly4Hf6dsTdm-l69mdSOofiHNOeMBiZZ7FDQ-GZGyDc/w640-h338/St.%20Marys%2055.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>More limestone commercial buildings. If you haven't been to Eclectic Treasure, by the way, you should. It's one of the best antique/collectible/used/junk stores in Southwestern Ontario, crammed with <i>stuff </i>from one end to the other. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOstgCTgl1X4BWvRrLj9PicMXjzRNTikWSX4erECCs_523BbD_HKVe3VK91C1M0juWHC0PSQ13fh_5Ml86ha0rz6DwhWiChWoI9IeYi9zMKFotlUmhngfVu_WR9zOldXYxRLK4NgupKNHpfqLCtYugbW7F1YkptP8Vg0Yig5xPHib0PQMBjPOyAeYOYS4/s3120/St.%20Marys%2017.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1942" data-original-width="3120" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOstgCTgl1X4BWvRrLj9PicMXjzRNTikWSX4erECCs_523BbD_HKVe3VK91C1M0juWHC0PSQ13fh_5Ml86ha0rz6DwhWiChWoI9IeYi9zMKFotlUmhngfVu_WR9zOldXYxRLK4NgupKNHpfqLCtYugbW7F1YkptP8Vg0Yig5xPHib0PQMBjPOyAeYOYS4/w640-h398/St.%20Marys%2017.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><u><span style="font-size: medium;">Arthur Meighen</span></u></div><div><br /></div><div>Canada's ninth Prime Minister isn't one of our better known, probably because he was only in office from July 1920 to December 1921 and again for a few months in 1926. But he was born in the nearby hamlet of Anderson (where there's a plaque dedicated to him and not much else) and is buried in St. Marys Cemetery. This statue of him in Lind Park looks too emaciated to be flattering but at least it's there.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXHQOduJMmiyx1IYfRObzCBiG3UphuuaRlaIeOhy2n8XPDhffJGgysnKjMSZDCGi9FYeBpJ-YomsjZDy6c22X3cqvj_De6TP0hqBJTH4YDcTsc4bLSkgBw4u5H-I3HFhqVRsOemXWX999-qsiMPtWnavHvrKDcCCySi7hUlCYQcjV3TSNbIK_ov82cz8I/s2680/St.%20Marys%202022%2010.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2680" data-original-width="2067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXHQOduJMmiyx1IYfRObzCBiG3UphuuaRlaIeOhy2n8XPDhffJGgysnKjMSZDCGi9FYeBpJ-YomsjZDy6c22X3cqvj_De6TP0hqBJTH4YDcTsc4bLSkgBw4u5H-I3HFhqVRsOemXWX999-qsiMPtWnavHvrKDcCCySi7hUlCYQcjV3TSNbIK_ov82cz8I/w309-h400/St.%20Marys%202022%2010.jpg" width="309" /></a></div><br /><div><u><span style="font-size: medium;">Water, Water Everywhere</span></u></div><div><br /></div><div>St. Marys was built at the confluence of the North Branch of the Thames River and Trout Creek. The Thames cascaded over several limestone ledges here, providing power for pioneer mills. Today one can still see the mill race northeast of Queen Street East as it runs from Trout Creek south to the Thames. The river itself can best be enjoyed from "The Flats" or Milt Dunnell Park. I like the way the town has provided access to its waterways for scenic and recreational purposes, instead of forgetting about them when water power became obsolete. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG06SeCH48H1kKFF62cFBb0aKJWRqtM97j6wnA5CsltKROuZWCrhD-Wyo7QRS_eJWYkded33QkPbRC0NysszH2a_W4Uncmgfs_GyupHmSoz9JTDqyxMiIyMIOK9h_5VV0fL7Ji6GUyFC3NmgPrtO_HS0REZdTT2LOtSIguMdIkpfjo1w3YSzeXm6CyONo/s3696/St.%20Marys%2030.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3010" data-original-width="3696" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG06SeCH48H1kKFF62cFBb0aKJWRqtM97j6wnA5CsltKROuZWCrhD-Wyo7QRS_eJWYkded33QkPbRC0NysszH2a_W4Uncmgfs_GyupHmSoz9JTDqyxMiIyMIOK9h_5VV0fL7Ji6GUyFC3NmgPrtO_HS0REZdTT2LOtSIguMdIkpfjo1w3YSzeXm6CyONo/w640-h522/St.%20Marys%2030.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>Speaking of scenic, note the view from the nearby Grand Trunk trestle, now a pedestrian walkway. While it's chilly up there on a fall day, you can't beat the view of this bend in the Thames.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinqIx9n-jI-CUD43stByF29HeSeAT82dTiinyyCFrBiQFjFZrwKXGm4ANnEnbs3ckOPkdmIfvR0oRcyTbGW7FulaoXdwWuhpxdznrHA2UtiAxfDaKBE4itu4yKYfna_Gf_5ntzqWKHchKxrfJFuBZlYaZXh41V9bVv5x5F7RlHNSTMi9B6NAmSs4Ysg-0/s4160/IMG_20231113_111737340.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2324" data-original-width="4160" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinqIx9n-jI-CUD43stByF29HeSeAT82dTiinyyCFrBiQFjFZrwKXGm4ANnEnbs3ckOPkdmIfvR0oRcyTbGW7FulaoXdwWuhpxdznrHA2UtiAxfDaKBE4itu4yKYfna_Gf_5ntzqWKHchKxrfJFuBZlYaZXh41V9bVv5x5F7RlHNSTMi9B6NAmSs4Ysg-0/w640-h358/IMG_20231113_111737340.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The bridge itself:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvbH-Xwqe4XWepB10Z0hzYnvuN-dIhvuu2DtAEoER4njtlLnQRwFXFXlpnyLROin6K2sjtS4tbiAnPy-aBbOl6t9Ax79ihmEKYliH0aGCUo3BdQC5XEqDo7hyphenhyphenY2ezzzjPCWyJF5THIZTFBHFhV-QDEXCG0QvehOZGLOtrOg7MSPYKHcBdtcek-nRJPSIk/s3453/IMG_20231113_112400656_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3453" data-original-width="2615" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvbH-Xwqe4XWepB10Z0hzYnvuN-dIhvuu2DtAEoER4njtlLnQRwFXFXlpnyLROin6K2sjtS4tbiAnPy-aBbOl6t9Ax79ihmEKYliH0aGCUo3BdQC5XEqDo7hyphenhyphenY2ezzzjPCWyJF5THIZTFBHFhV-QDEXCG0QvehOZGLOtrOg7MSPYKHcBdtcek-nRJPSIk/w484-h640/IMG_20231113_112400656_HDR.jpg" width="484" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>In 1857 the Grand Trunk Railway was extended Toronto to Sarnia. As it passed through St. Marys it was necessary to build high trestles over the Thames and Trout Creek. The first train over the river was in November 1859.</div><div><br /></div><div>But the CNR abandoned this line in 1989. Rather than seeing the trestle removed, a group of St. Marys townsfolk created a committee to raise funds for a walking trail along the former railway bed, including the section over the river. The Grand Trunk Trail opened in 1998.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiuk63FhQ56bqtsCtouZhwNxigkacVRdWCP8LepKds2rYAvBkmM9Tedi2TtVV5pOwsJQQg7keMbTD701RsnMedDnRpa4cPuLcZTrHChQ4q75WMPfd2GVStdQnoM7yK_9EXzX9D3VFpmOj_cdKY5Y3kkaG2N9LlFpy0SASrgWN0IxqGX0eZSUvB3Vp8zFE/s1576/New%20scans_3.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1576" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiuk63FhQ56bqtsCtouZhwNxigkacVRdWCP8LepKds2rYAvBkmM9Tedi2TtVV5pOwsJQQg7keMbTD701RsnMedDnRpa4cPuLcZTrHChQ4q75WMPfd2GVStdQnoM7yK_9EXzX9D3VFpmOj_cdKY5Y3kkaG2N9LlFpy0SASrgWN0IxqGX0eZSUvB3Vp8zFE/w640-h366/New%20scans_3.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Author's collection)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Reverse side of postcard: </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXjADzZONC4nSOAUsQSro7QiOws7itxZvlovHRzX7alOZkVc7pWBQ8SLnNTtvxAg-asZzTXwqaJWOxiyecqHNRPJO5uBsNnm0d1vMFAMN_jmZFm1cT8BGG-xloaBZ6dUsq1HOV0X5JiGSKOBU23MUIdN37CfWEZ1T5qccNQQAnpQcVopn4fMRs1e_srkE/s1554/Reverse.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="1554" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXjADzZONC4nSOAUsQSro7QiOws7itxZvlovHRzX7alOZkVc7pWBQ8SLnNTtvxAg-asZzTXwqaJWOxiyecqHNRPJO5uBsNnm0d1vMFAMN_jmZFm1cT8BGG-xloaBZ6dUsq1HOV0X5JiGSKOBU23MUIdN37CfWEZ1T5qccNQQAnpQcVopn4fMRs1e_srkE/w640-h404/Reverse.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"St. Marys, Ont. May 2, 1910, Dear Bell. This is the bridge Tom fell from. He fell from the left end. I gathered a lot of violets and wished you were here too. Georgie." Good heavens! Was poor Tom killed? Was Georgie gathering violets for his grave? And what was Tom doing up there to begin with? Perhaps future research will tell. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><u>Then There's This</u></span></div><div><br /></div><div>A cute little building on Water Street South. Apparently once a veterinary surgery and a euchre club.**** Metal roof with ice stoppers is an obvious update. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixfMDgc31ETj782aBRmHAWmnuspb8yi0ZE6QT7lzvGYgqhWqmMbKEycSJNd8pUNgHyJWk9oucF-gw0IWvmdTtYtTHqR67p6AwqCNGUf-4QMbvNf01XdIn4RGFx_QSxx6ozwGpPO4kIbbRwOC4O630bndV6hI-ztFUouZdZmQ-kI3coJ5YJcRF7zOQtqis/s1078/St.%20Marys%2091.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="945" data-original-width="1078" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixfMDgc31ETj782aBRmHAWmnuspb8yi0ZE6QT7lzvGYgqhWqmMbKEycSJNd8pUNgHyJWk9oucF-gw0IWvmdTtYtTHqR67p6AwqCNGUf-4QMbvNf01XdIn4RGFx_QSxx6ozwGpPO4kIbbRwOC4O630bndV6hI-ztFUouZdZmQ-kI3coJ5YJcRF7zOQtqis/w640-h562/St.%20Marys%2091.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">143 Water Street South.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><u><span style="font-size: medium;">Visiting My Family</span></u></div><div><br /></div><div>In St. Marys Cemetery, that is. You see, my great-great-grandfather, John Moore (1817-95) settled in St. Marys in 1852. Here he operated an iron foundry and agricultural implement business with his sons, including my great-grandfather Robert. My grandmother, Helen, was born in St. Marys in 1886. </div><div><br /></div><div>John's obituary in the St. Marys Journal on May 16, 1895 states that he served as a town councilor when the stone bridges were built about 30 years earlier. He lived on James Street North. He's buried with his wife Jane, a daughter named Eliza, and other family members.</div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9pNmO1jn3xGRp1PzLdpDOl2KpEkj-WB5j5idmj7L3yiMjHE2m5UKl7hlCaUd4Gonu2eiXgD4yuQ4qmBWmjUSBgqP7tf5MflzHndqBHXTfQonZ2T6qNEBps8-uj1fAC6UTK2h1QgPJ6D4yyHJM1OyeLfMLayzeDyBbHuYi4o5oZTWZPGLwQqQ2ny0veHw/s1811/IMG_20231113_121615547_HDR~2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1530" data-original-width="1811" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9pNmO1jn3xGRp1PzLdpDOl2KpEkj-WB5j5idmj7L3yiMjHE2m5UKl7hlCaUd4Gonu2eiXgD4yuQ4qmBWmjUSBgqP7tf5MflzHndqBHXTfQonZ2T6qNEBps8-uj1fAC6UTK2h1QgPJ6D4yyHJM1OyeLfMLayzeDyBbHuYi4o5oZTWZPGLwQqQ2ny0veHw/w640-h540/IMG_20231113_121615547_HDR~2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Visiting the Moore family.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><u><span style="font-size: medium;">You Don't Have To Drive</span></u></div><div><br /></div><div>Unlike most small towns, you can still reach St. Marys by train. Not only does VIA Rail still stop here, but an early railroad station is still in use. This Grand Trunk Station, the third one built in St. Marys, was completed in 1907. Designated by Heritage St. Marys in 1987, the station also serves as a <a href="https://stmarysstationgallery.ca/" target="_blank">gallery</a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQLSlxzNUlioxkYo8QwnjfDxNO7sdk28UzrcY1UrllJJBDtkxJkMnuq1dMQDtsd3ixf8a41EGPHXzt-E3EyMFsm2KVblzJqUi11ShAZ-90KDHwUN6wHIxbPDHtf7eu_x8rPT7svx0JqrVuwo_-b17KWXJ2CPA-pB9zrZxR3EMD3bBObbHsZs2PMxh6SA/s4160/St.%20Marys%20%202022%2031.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2260" data-original-width="4160" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQLSlxzNUlioxkYo8QwnjfDxNO7sdk28UzrcY1UrllJJBDtkxJkMnuq1dMQDtsd3ixf8a41EGPHXzt-E3EyMFsm2KVblzJqUi11ShAZ-90KDHwUN6wHIxbPDHtf7eu_x8rPT7svx0JqrVuwo_-b17KWXJ2CPA-pB9zrZxR3EMD3bBObbHsZs2PMxh6SA/w640-h348/St.%20Marys%20%202022%2031.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><p>* Katherine Ashenburg, Going To Town. Toronto: Macfarlane, Walter and Ross, 1996, p. 185.</p><p>** According to the sign.</p><p>***<a href="https://stjamesinstmarys.org/about" target="_blank">https://stjamesinstmarys.org/about</a></p><p>****<a href="https://images.ourontario.ca/stmarys/52537/data?n=12">https://images.ourontario.ca/stmarys/52537/data?n=12</a></p></div></div>Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4712133571153787239.post-14065310723729070632023-11-07T20:19:00.012-05:002023-12-20T11:25:03.836-05:00The Future of Southwestern Ontario's Past: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly<div class="separator">I have happy memories of Sunday afternoon drives in the Ontario countryside. I enjoyed the patchwork of fields surrounded by fence rows and trees, the farmhouses that had sheltered generations, the quaint rural churches and schoolhouses, the old stores that were often still in business. But day trips over the past two summers suggest our countryside is changing. This is a sample of what I'm seeing:</div><p><b><span>Stores</span></b></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><table ass="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;">Once there were lots of general stores, often containing a post office. The ground floor was the shop while the upstairs housed the family that operated it. Over the years, the more isolated country stores closed for a variety of reasons: the depopulated countryside produced fewer customers; automobile travel on paved roads allowed farmers the convenience of driving to larger communities with more choice of stores; the post offices closed with rural mail delivery in early twentieth century. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">However, many stores remain in business in extant villages as variety stores or specialty and gift shops. Some of the buildings no longer in use as stores have become community centres or homes. They're easily recognizable, some retaining their large display windows and awnings. Others are empty, shabby, unsympathetically altered, or demolished. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>The Good:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzQSLrzVJkiW1g5SrmUPRRmlxBE6rJfZWKVAczp5PfSeWHUQ6gAIjq7DhPiKe-uh2tXxb3IXyK2kBWvtD4HEqo695CjdII8j0_rdgl-5q5EP3mgV0Zs3O0fuNxD6IQbkIOqcgxbaDqPom34uuyCVx-At3qSa5J6jaWQ0-KWMPsOxLN3qhn2gctZza/s1237/Delaware%20store.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="1237" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzQSLrzVJkiW1g5SrmUPRRmlxBE6rJfZWKVAczp5PfSeWHUQ6gAIjq7DhPiKe-uh2tXxb3IXyK2kBWvtD4HEqo695CjdII8j0_rdgl-5q5EP3mgV0Zs3O0fuNxD6IQbkIOqcgxbaDqPom34uuyCVx-At3qSa5J6jaWQ0-KWMPsOxLN3qhn2gctZza/w640-h418/Delaware%20store.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Residents of Delaware support Delaware Variety.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGAFbuuS_m939aVtUGCp_hnMk0Sh9ORnLQ4YIq8UWhVgTj8Ghbhh5W_cN2oOYLoIjce10Nncnz2ajAHsCkwOcj_eamuiakQsRVGR7vzzHe-BT97DSm-ptJOZbv4KWXUvWNPsQzpE5P0WDZQLyj9M64vfVofEm8_lsoioFYsQY4M_yP6zDe8T0iqpFI/s2938/Legg's%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1606" data-original-width="2938" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGAFbuuS_m939aVtUGCp_hnMk0Sh9ORnLQ4YIq8UWhVgTj8Ghbhh5W_cN2oOYLoIjce10Nncnz2ajAHsCkwOcj_eamuiakQsRVGR7vzzHe-BT97DSm-ptJOZbv4KWXUvWNPsQzpE5P0WDZQLyj9M64vfVofEm8_lsoioFYsQY4M_yP6zDe8T0iqpFI/w640-h350/Legg's%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Legg's store at Birr contains a wide of variety of gifts. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBm9SRTHXBxGjOhJ0wLV7PBp2Za9PEBuLEj5ZX1ne5FfQCAjHycWhg5gMTQDsoAyPvlVCbGIV9_BWOz5Bb4fGAlQZaNZAZVc7CMkx60_69b9o6M_fCT39UtBF_URP-Wss2hLDmgqarDK8tZf1EAN01oTLad0uuDH54XBJLoGY_vc0rT2X4W51kSKLmSlY/s2021/Sparta%20gift%20shop.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1952" data-original-width="2021" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBm9SRTHXBxGjOhJ0wLV7PBp2Za9PEBuLEj5ZX1ne5FfQCAjHycWhg5gMTQDsoAyPvlVCbGIV9_BWOz5Bb4fGAlQZaNZAZVc7CMkx60_69b9o6M_fCT39UtBF_URP-Wss2hLDmgqarDK8tZf1EAN01oTLad0uuDH54XBJLoGY_vc0rT2X4W51kSKLmSlY/w400-h386/Sparta%20gift%20shop.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Former store at Sparta, Elgin County, has also been a gift shop for many years. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b>The Bad:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7x8OOI4iSBSfnRU-aVkiF2JZ_BM66FlbDf5XFqm1oaTBxb_R1bAITEuEalM8-boau6fE_04H9z54CPTzDviQk-M2WnpRsEol6Z3R5OnAsFwAMumVNwlMrfCTGBGrczmPd5uG1SMqO5dled-Gcs_L8BHUGNqRl0VihdoITVvETcGuYe9pwxkNXQCA4/s1976/May%2023%202022%20Fernhill%20Store%201.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1288" data-original-width="1976" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7x8OOI4iSBSfnRU-aVkiF2JZ_BM66FlbDf5XFqm1oaTBxb_R1bAITEuEalM8-boau6fE_04H9z54CPTzDviQk-M2WnpRsEol6Z3R5OnAsFwAMumVNwlMrfCTGBGrczmPd5uG1SMqO5dled-Gcs_L8BHUGNqRl0VihdoITVvETcGuYe9pwxkNXQCA4/w640-h418/May%2023%202022%20Fernhill%20Store%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Store at Fernhill intersection, Fernhill Drive and Poplar Hill Road, May 2022.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUbG9_a8faCnknrylCm2oioH3Gybdq0ZmjtP7s6rgdxc1E38AB0PAZOMgVGGL5mnNYu3v96OsZHv6J6_PLR1UDI1MRiUbk0J-Dw-92gudUzTB6FnBGk0P3_gWElwC2POpcYED6F7Zxr_lcFgDaeP_VWVdqEEa_xufMWmZ9RRamg7Ni1BLHQ2U4F5-/s3517/13jun%20002.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2509" data-original-width="3517" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUbG9_a8faCnknrylCm2oioH3Gybdq0ZmjtP7s6rgdxc1E38AB0PAZOMgVGGL5mnNYu3v96OsZHv6J6_PLR1UDI1MRiUbk0J-Dw-92gudUzTB6FnBGk0P3_gWElwC2POpcYED6F7Zxr_lcFgDaeP_VWVdqEEa_xufMWmZ9RRamg7Ni1BLHQ2U4F5-/w627-h440/13jun%20002.jpg" width="627" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bulldozed remains of Fernhill store, June 2022. Modern home being constructed in background.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG-9MTNWAfILOceycp_Voa7az4ZC0Osq4ROKDtIuEI-mh51vHv8L8UZ2BxWYkmpQiUaIw6a6Re5LBIREcMaDOfAQwnxa2LxUNWM1mQJ6YY0oQi_5NLOIhPc-cHupeni-DeNV2r44PtVkDCqK1OLvhAWPPKr7RVt-0s8LQhSZ3TY_kV9peGmPVNHhI8/s4160/Site%20of%20Lobo%20store%20Sept.%202022.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="409" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG-9MTNWAfILOceycp_Voa7az4ZC0Osq4ROKDtIuEI-mh51vHv8L8UZ2BxWYkmpQiUaIw6a6Re5LBIREcMaDOfAQwnxa2LxUNWM1mQJ6YY0oQi_5NLOIhPc-cHupeni-DeNV2r44PtVkDCqK1OLvhAWPPKr7RVt-0s8LQhSZ3TY_kV9peGmPVNHhI8/w545-h409/Site%20of%20Lobo%20store%20Sept.%202022.jpg" width="545" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Former site of Lobo General Store, Lobo intersection, Middlesex Centre.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60GCpfdN2oJHchUAVFV9KJK4jAHge2HdmXPlG25NuvygmNQyADjs8HlQNwQlWIHBK_EUMeDtwbAEb8Rhpz2Tz680NLyxvJYTnlaMsFkknSh3mUOl49K0Ij5u659x4qg24BX8Hv_nJNKeg6Mwb3mk-R8OHH_Lnv1M_8rQX77lPLJa8Xw8tr0bDWcVp/s870/Napier%20store%20May%202022%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="870" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60GCpfdN2oJHchUAVFV9KJK4jAHge2HdmXPlG25NuvygmNQyADjs8HlQNwQlWIHBK_EUMeDtwbAEb8Rhpz2Tz680NLyxvJYTnlaMsFkknSh3mUOl49K0Ij5u659x4qg24BX8Hv_nJNKeg6Mwb3mk-R8OHH_Lnv1M_8rQX77lPLJa8Xw8tr0bDWcVp/w400-h353/Napier%20store%20May%202022%20.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Napier store in West Middlesex was restored a few years back to be used as a community centre. <br />On my last trip I saw broken windows.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLj1wbx3F-y6WlUJaMMmDHjgkCFvTl8SkTpzJs4sCdX_Bj4Jm8C6rjBVHSdz37j9TuwaOTpb8spllMLjAKQCoumZ3NR_ZVIBfHD6lJ3lWtU2D_7M8KqHbhE54UWueFI163Hh-TtY8Oxda-YFBy9LP46sq7mqzpueaDZ1-uUv5eezfqWq2NZTxkcLoa/s3310/July%202022%20007.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1870" data-original-width="3310" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLj1wbx3F-y6WlUJaMMmDHjgkCFvTl8SkTpzJs4sCdX_Bj4Jm8C6rjBVHSdz37j9TuwaOTpb8spllMLjAKQCoumZ3NR_ZVIBfHD6lJ3lWtU2D_7M8KqHbhE54UWueFI163Hh-TtY8Oxda-YFBy9LP46sq7mqzpueaDZ1-uUv5eezfqWq2NZTxkcLoa/w640-h362/July%202022%20007.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old store at Macksville, Middlesex County, complete with rusty gas pump. <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp2qWfvKDkHO-NuCVkA6fpcZ4_DbMwmjVd1wTe5XkDn8z8wD2BUVLEIe1I5jSiNLF3dZxiIo9bseiruFzYefKxKUmNxfZ6iss855b96VCqRMF39e2ssIad1PqXR75ZlUe8tb5fQwKsR_8o-NH1JBGfRBd3VRQhbYKm_mANwmDzeiK7_avrZh5b-DTn/s2966/July%202022%20004.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1734" data-original-width="2966" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp2qWfvKDkHO-NuCVkA6fpcZ4_DbMwmjVd1wTe5XkDn8z8wD2BUVLEIe1I5jSiNLF3dZxiIo9bseiruFzYefKxKUmNxfZ6iss855b96VCqRMF39e2ssIad1PqXR75ZlUe8tb5fQwKsR_8o-NH1JBGfRBd3VRQhbYKm_mANwmDzeiK7_avrZh5b-DTn/w640-h374/July%202022%20004.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Auto repair site, with another antique gas pump, next to store at Macksville.*<br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><b>The Ugly:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDj6Pnm9PKXgJnkeNVVWag-cXG0MTZmEMU3AQCad4U8U8fnvhYryYqX8oUtNH3-lgty1PS-YC0ZiOAWesjgN6kJMDgQiFTrGBDv931oCLFaq89hxwCGMR4Pc0XovbmtcoTswlGjEpYbK9niMfd9x4Cz_4Pfcz3G2OvPsyYFr5_8UFoMOBOus6X5U3X/s1897/Store%20at%20Eagle.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1422" data-original-width="1897" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDj6Pnm9PKXgJnkeNVVWag-cXG0MTZmEMU3AQCad4U8U8fnvhYryYqX8oUtNH3-lgty1PS-YC0ZiOAWesjgN6kJMDgQiFTrGBDv931oCLFaq89hxwCGMR4Pc0XovbmtcoTswlGjEpYbK9niMfd9x4Cz_4Pfcz3G2OvPsyYFr5_8UFoMOBOus6X5U3X/w640-h480/Store%20at%20Eagle.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old store at Eagle, Elgin County. "Tudorized."</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDDE4LxCXWdLb5it5ioD02gbgC3YrmVwwRzuPJ8qArjKOXPY9_bcOOcOieIfmd3Kf-8zQ72sR7Sq-73Wx-gqn0hJOHF1qXN3id7kv1Qq15IXSRKsk5PPkaHD3yW1vZ29qwEUG_dbxA7e4OQaavyODMngoCVQX85NiIPihbxtY9eNoURNdN30MgOXo/s4160/Brinsley%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="537" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDDE4LxCXWdLb5it5ioD02gbgC3YrmVwwRzuPJ8qArjKOXPY9_bcOOcOieIfmd3Kf-8zQ72sR7Sq-73Wx-gqn0hJOHF1qXN3id7kv1Qq15IXSRKsk5PPkaHD3yW1vZ29qwEUG_dbxA7e4OQaavyODMngoCVQX85NiIPihbxtY9eNoURNdN30MgOXo/w403-h537/Brinsley%201.jpg" width="403" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is beauty in the eye of the beholder? An old store in North Middlesex.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>Churches</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once the rural Ontario skyline was punctured by church steeples. In the pioneer era, many churches did extra service as schools and community centres. But a depopulated countryside in a secular age means smaller congregations and reduced revenues. The cost of maintaining the aging buildings is so high there's often no choice but to close. Sometimes congregations amalgamate, leaving one or more buildings unused. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We can't depend on the good will of religious organizations to preserve their buildings for posterity. There is a "feeling that the business of religions is assisting people and not buildings."** I get it. Raised a Christian myself, I'm aware that the real church is its people, not the structure in which they worship. Still, it's disappointing that some congregations would rather tear down buildings than see them renovated or repurposed. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>The Good:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEc4iR66LDzOoonISKEHKoJ5kfUP57Rn84ZcmNQuOl1bjW9XjAeqyBO2iLDzD3dKUtkVcNzaX45_Em8anW0zCUj4cS5bZ3lJ32Vty2ogf6JYvosf0sSbtsKzTKwsx7ejaHnIuSmiD2aeO-QstALvhg9rJC_u5tL4KldASQ8lU9YCM1HlPHWIm2TeBS/s2955/Carlisle%20Church%2016.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2955" data-original-width="2716" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEc4iR66LDzOoonISKEHKoJ5kfUP57Rn84ZcmNQuOl1bjW9XjAeqyBO2iLDzD3dKUtkVcNzaX45_Em8anW0zCUj4cS5bZ3lJ32Vty2ogf6JYvosf0sSbtsKzTKwsx7ejaHnIuSmiD2aeO-QstALvhg9rJC_u5tL4KldASQ8lU9YCM1HlPHWIm2TeBS/w589-h640/Carlisle%20Church%2016.jpg" width="589" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carlisle Church near Ailsa Craig is scheduled to become <a href="https://pcheritagecentre.ca/" target="_blank">The Presbyterian Church Heritage Centre</a>. <br />Stay tuned.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfFX_W9giDOFDtbVZ6ZubLKB2TlVO5PTX0vti82yO6l0tSvpYZjQx1N5WXQ0e2gMY8_1FD4fm1KjfFAPwOUzlyosbg7TSIHQtzYuokKsSIeUo46pTkGxLUqACwhQ1QDlKzv6SL-8pWk6xe5rLoV2p5hoB36xcOj6wGuOq2Yq1X4lQtil8noID9uJkcdl0/s1650/Former%20church%20at%20Birr.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1110" data-original-width="1650" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfFX_W9giDOFDtbVZ6ZubLKB2TlVO5PTX0vti82yO6l0tSvpYZjQx1N5WXQ0e2gMY8_1FD4fm1KjfFAPwOUzlyosbg7TSIHQtzYuokKsSIeUo46pTkGxLUqACwhQ1QDlKzv6SL-8pWk6xe5rLoV2p5hoB36xcOj6wGuOq2Yq1X4lQtil8noID9uJkcdl0/w640-h430/Former%20church%20at%20Birr.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Former church at Birr, now an attractive home.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>The Bad:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdEOzZAdtCkBMldvwcvKb8Fffc10csnYfdx8kh6KBu10TmuEZ1WWdpVviesuGUi7lZ9g49Yxu4SGRD_InNBiK3H0pf7ZicBsqmhej2PAvZ5n4_WlY3bhd5JRJylZH8Azdwl1YDdjfgcolsEhEQMhQ-Vi7ZOS9O-HPFTArNIscICdR-ff5HTXhH_Wj/s4160/june%202022%20024.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdEOzZAdtCkBMldvwcvKb8Fffc10csnYfdx8kh6KBu10TmuEZ1WWdpVviesuGUi7lZ9g49Yxu4SGRD_InNBiK3H0pf7ZicBsqmhej2PAvZ5n4_WlY3bhd5JRJylZH8Azdwl1YDdjfgcolsEhEQMhQ-Vi7ZOS9O-HPFTArNIscICdR-ff5HTXhH_Wj/w480-h640/june%202022%20024.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Site of St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, Richmond Street, north Middlesex. Church demolished 1993 after a brief stint as a Franciscan monastery. The brothers appear to have had a falling out with the Diocese of London. Only the cemetery remains.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4YkpxJHjdhpii7s3fmRrAg6QQ84dojKq7tfe1AxiDiIF--jBFHNGQkWco5X71qJLCMFv4143LoyjkfPRkcPW1wp-VsM8RGOpPwt96t8fhRI0QlJ0hnaR6SE53HKb2mD-RJ9sDRkah2zk9trEhwSSc1og4g4jDmzrrw5wCS9VIYT4Lypn6ekAJB2e/s4160/Oct.%202021%20001.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4YkpxJHjdhpii7s3fmRrAg6QQ84dojKq7tfe1AxiDiIF--jBFHNGQkWco5X71qJLCMFv4143LoyjkfPRkcPW1wp-VsM8RGOpPwt96t8fhRI0QlJ0hnaR6SE53HKb2mD-RJ9sDRkah2zk9trEhwSSc1og4g4jDmzrrw5wCS9VIYT4Lypn6ekAJB2e/w640-h480/Oct.%202021%20001.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Site of Chalmers Presbyterian Church, former hamlet of Cowal, Elgin County. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVxiWmWaVoAQU22T_pxUnT_6jYRngnfHNkzXerPLwxUMOWn7fiZ2jEH4rAbQCJB1PeTJDUYslfDZ9n--GI8dAryzXhklGYlLEzBTcplgO82Y3Hc8bBRcYS_zz1let9QYtYVaEOhdQTLjsvh3VuwCrFA6VeM4jEqZf4D9LurHB4NEiRXvIBEecOgI1Y/s4160/oct2022%20050.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVxiWmWaVoAQU22T_pxUnT_6jYRngnfHNkzXerPLwxUMOWn7fiZ2jEH4rAbQCJB1PeTJDUYslfDZ9n--GI8dAryzXhklGYlLEzBTcplgO82Y3Hc8bBRcYS_zz1let9QYtYVaEOhdQTLjsvh3VuwCrFA6VeM4jEqZf4D9LurHB4NEiRXvIBEecOgI1Y/w640-h480/oct2022%20050.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Henry's Roman Catholic Church, Churchville, Aldborough Township, Elgin County. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgppTQDci-GSx7GoLsJ2RQO36elVGbLKiAAk5wuWqe-ELCWOBkcEht0VuGAqvf7YhoBdf0M-DK9VRXrlQ82hQ_ap1bivq4eOMighI_oCQpl76RoZZSGcKRp_2mqYfC2o_7xBKpACatnSgMz0ZQBx_E7bvdVB5nYbJ-uiX28ZTgm1b-O94fyiHbQvMGt/s4160/Mayfair%20Church%20July%202022%20035.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgppTQDci-GSx7GoLsJ2RQO36elVGbLKiAAk5wuWqe-ELCWOBkcEht0VuGAqvf7YhoBdf0M-DK9VRXrlQ82hQ_ap1bivq4eOMighI_oCQpl76RoZZSGcKRp_2mqYfC2o_7xBKpACatnSgMz0ZQBx_E7bvdVB5nYbJ-uiX28ZTgm1b-O94fyiHbQvMGt/w640-h480/Mayfair%20Church%20July%202022%20035.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mayfair Baptist Church, Longwoods Road, Middlesex County. <br />Note crumbling steps, lack of paint, missing window. </td></tr></tbody></table><b>The Ugly:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfjRSwztWfF3U8YNuJTbZ6hSV_rqJf6Wvkdhu4i_yVYrRWaXRGloM4FgJSQWvHG6PYqfhg2zyriHyN8cHv39WnDpS4I7XFLFJCCSAchfe5rmcN5lygaxhRzngV8v0Ml-4D_rbt8Dp8VTWwFdtOkb90FRbcXBe_2YjCJFaNCeK88VTYXK6t48ESHzzk/s4160/Bethel%20Church%20Aug.%202022%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfjRSwztWfF3U8YNuJTbZ6hSV_rqJf6Wvkdhu4i_yVYrRWaXRGloM4FgJSQWvHG6PYqfhg2zyriHyN8cHv39WnDpS4I7XFLFJCCSAchfe5rmcN5lygaxhRzngV8v0Ml-4D_rbt8Dp8VTWwFdtOkb90FRbcXBe_2YjCJFaNCeK88VTYXK6t48ESHzzk/w640-h480/Bethel%20Church%20Aug.%202022%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Addition and remodeling at former Bethel Presbyterian Church, Richmond Street, north of London. Built 1862 in the Neoclassical style. Addition and alterations have <i>no </i>style. Seems to be a daycare.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGxBdxXExggjbWBqaUM3URTphVDQV-6jGOsz3QqLgMrTKlFwEYgBCERaQA1gniyJEN-6WVvo7ZMQk54z0XHiocBsmHJg--Zvehla6HeuJ8Dd9tnuWmA7NbcFVmwyj15seXQhEkg7B9Cn41KnC-2k2-4fzeeDQrdua7QdmbpPCwsLuD8WC30xNgDQU6/s4160/Bethel%20Church%20Aug.%202022%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGxBdxXExggjbWBqaUM3URTphVDQV-6jGOsz3QqLgMrTKlFwEYgBCERaQA1gniyJEN-6WVvo7ZMQk54z0XHiocBsmHJg--Zvehla6HeuJ8Dd9tnuWmA7NbcFVmwyj15seXQhEkg7B9Cn41KnC-2k2-4fzeeDQrdua7QdmbpPCwsLuD8WC30xNgDQU6/w480-h640/Bethel%20Church%20Aug.%202022%20(2).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glass doors replace original wooden doors at Bethel. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJswCIKtkhYARluj51quczkdw_rj3JWRsmZyoxn8f0XGn3e8YYe4A3plJmFsuyNBzhMfT8Uf8DHjQvaBH22XnYE2Ue8p2otbHFb4ercQYRN2Ydxt2G_SmHgPWJQEAd9zK_saOJybDAukGV5GDJM6DBVfkXWRWuJdHs1drvhX01gwa4nSA1jikGuBmOyuE/s1653/oct2022%20017.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1091" data-original-width="1653" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJswCIKtkhYARluj51quczkdw_rj3JWRsmZyoxn8f0XGn3e8YYe4A3plJmFsuyNBzhMfT8Uf8DHjQvaBH22XnYE2Ue8p2otbHFb4ercQYRN2Ydxt2G_SmHgPWJQEAd9zK_saOJybDAukGV5GDJM6DBVfkXWRWuJdHs1drvhX01gwa4nSA1jikGuBmOyuE/w640-h422/oct2022%20017.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Former Covenanted Baptist Church east of Wallacetown, Elgin County, a church John Kenneth Galbraith attended as a boy.*** Renovation into a private home makes it scarcely recognizable. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Schools:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Common School Act of 1841 introduced compulsory property taxation for the support of elementary schools and doubled the amount of government support schools received. The now-maligned <a href="https://jennifergrainger.blogspot.com/2021/06/on-renaming-of-ryerson-public-school.html" target="_blank">Egerton Ryerson</a> did much to further schooling in what's now Ontario after being appointed Assistant Superintendent of Education in 1844 and promoted to Chief Superintendent in 1846. A radical for his time, Ryerson believed education should be free and mandatory. He achieved his greatest ambition for education when it became compulsory in 1871.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Schoolhouses were generally built on one acre or half-acre lots, with the building in the centre of the lot facing the road. Often they began as log, were replaced by frame and either covered or replaced again with brick. Every school had a belfry but few remain today. Often when the schools closed, the belfry was auctioned off separately.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Inside, at one end, was a platform where the teacher's desk was located, providing a good view of the class. The platform also came in handy for recitals or concerts. If the building doubled as a church, as some early structures did, a minister preached from the platform. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In 1876, Ontario had 5,042 schools in operation, many of them one or two roomed rural buildings.**** There needed to be a great many back in the days when travel was difficult and children couldn't be bused or expected to walk long distances. But by mid 20th century, the schools were obsolete, their facilities outdated, and fewer children in attendance. In the 1960s, central consolidated schools were built and children transported to them by bus. Most of the rural schools were auctioned off at absurdly cheap rates. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In a great example of adaptive reuse, many schools were converted into attractive little homes for singles, couples, and small families. In many cases, a second story was inserted. Some became community centres or workshops. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Increasingly though, schoolhouses are meeting the same fate as stores and churches - demolished or unsympathetically renovated. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>The Good:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bq0Aibpjw6vZEPHjv-8DPdXA8KdFIkqis7rvO_07Z1Y0Vn7h7HfqEpRc3BUzYQMtf68LcVCHDjER5Z1N-gY-teYpkTDYgCUaj9xSC3Nrg1iiDxka2mfPPuLaM87qG2pC9OBG9fJBOraXrltY9bSvHBMaImIdIHs2GVRdiCUUIKpO3kJPAVlVvsI__OM/s2607/July%202022%20030.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2607" data-original-width="2072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bq0Aibpjw6vZEPHjv-8DPdXA8KdFIkqis7rvO_07Z1Y0Vn7h7HfqEpRc3BUzYQMtf68LcVCHDjER5Z1N-gY-teYpkTDYgCUaj9xSC3Nrg1iiDxka2mfPPuLaM87qG2pC9OBG9fJBOraXrltY9bSvHBMaImIdIHs2GVRdiCUUIKpO3kJPAVlVvsI__OM/w508-h640/July%202022%20030.jpg" width="508" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Former S. S. No. 8, Ekfrid Township, now Tait's Corners Community Centre. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1lcsXdhstNq8n2-2FIAOJYeZnmr8v8oaK_keUrCcb4bP4LezOCw-L-qpRHC4tAPZlo9WX8Gp4PZesS3DPgMQ21Gn-Qj0wF08Y-cE1nlOOwU1_hoolSjWdJAh-QaBLLZCIw5TGYcTmriWtxgdAtd6Nzdv0xMO0LvtGtyoqs5Gk9CjqwxXblYnYqEAKLg/s2521/Brooke%20Mosa%20School.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2224" data-original-width="2521" height="565" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1lcsXdhstNq8n2-2FIAOJYeZnmr8v8oaK_keUrCcb4bP4LezOCw-L-qpRHC4tAPZlo9WX8Gp4PZesS3DPgMQ21Gn-Qj0wF08Y-cE1nlOOwU1_hoolSjWdJAh-QaBLLZCIw5TGYcTmriWtxgdAtd6Nzdv0xMO0LvtGtyoqs5Gk9CjqwxXblYnYqEAKLg/w640-h565/Brooke%20Mosa%20School.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Former Brooke Mosa Union School still stands near Lambton-Middlesex border. <br />Building seems unchanged.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>The Bad:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjckEvRz3TRI5qymCHYIy1XsRDqkvQE_D5v1WVGUvDT8gFgjI-Kp5_zL7qJDV_1s3jdKLPCH91ejv1AuOQuCO9vqjLFV2iiBB9ZWuqIKni4Yhc5sAm1EdZmSXhcP-AgW5BV-UqHn80xV3E4w5EnQDhcHVXvuQpS8kxvzWf63NBmIufhJRlhwH9pfHY_/s1208/Maple%20Lodge%20school%201997.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="1208" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjckEvRz3TRI5qymCHYIy1XsRDqkvQE_D5v1WVGUvDT8gFgjI-Kp5_zL7qJDV_1s3jdKLPCH91ejv1AuOQuCO9vqjLFV2iiBB9ZWuqIKni4Yhc5sAm1EdZmSXhcP-AgW5BV-UqHn80xV3E4w5EnQDhcHVXvuQpS8kxvzWf63NBmIufhJRlhwH9pfHY_/w640-h482/Maple%20Lodge%20school%201997.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maple Lodge School, north Middlesex, derelict when photographed in 1997. Still had two little privies in the shadows out back, one for boys, one for girls. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8jWoMZtzI5DihtT-erfy3RvfIacG0QI67BDu5wXJLNJXMUWQdU-i2smmk9Cv-cBi5X1OJ4rby8KT_2k8n0v5_dO1dYoKbrUbA4yvAcFf3BryzUUC8z-Pcfnkv_YagwOB3e1TRrAjwvicYd7XAaaxiHwlOAgzZcaRmVlpi7qFY6Wn_DoWVFbMHJ6_/s1338/Maple%20Lodge%20School%202022.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="1338" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8jWoMZtzI5DihtT-erfy3RvfIacG0QI67BDu5wXJLNJXMUWQdU-i2smmk9Cv-cBi5X1OJ4rby8KT_2k8n0v5_dO1dYoKbrUbA4yvAcFf3BryzUUC8z-Pcfnkv_YagwOB3e1TRrAjwvicYd7XAaaxiHwlOAgzZcaRmVlpi7qFY6Wn_DoWVFbMHJ6_/w640-h314/Maple%20Lodge%20School%202022.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maple Lodge, Summer 2022.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-yioR-LXPoRqOYEmVUXUaibTw_jg6kfZSHEblp35Bw9tlu4ZU2y7sKjQXM8Z-vUaL31ODNht79Lp4dGZCmrFB4WLaVA-pA6hRLKn4NwJpVlAonMTf1TnHkGNORioqR28WsL3Z9bSl17lqWj9Z8LSoaf4uVb9lSYke_w1H5gYEW9ZkOmYvuNsznnJ/s2633/May%2023%202022%20Springbank%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1955" data-original-width="2633" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-yioR-LXPoRqOYEmVUXUaibTw_jg6kfZSHEblp35Bw9tlu4ZU2y7sKjQXM8Z-vUaL31ODNht79Lp4dGZCmrFB4WLaVA-pA6hRLKn4NwJpVlAonMTf1TnHkGNORioqR28WsL3Z9bSl17lqWj9Z8LSoaf4uVb9lSYke_w1H5gYEW9ZkOmYvuNsznnJ/w640-h476/May%2023%202022%20Springbank%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A former school in north Middlesex, May 2022.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVuE8HnlaP0JdTXGavvIj2GaJpbOnkcTQz08CmeK8ETdCYR84EYBF_xuCOO6csyNgyTuOB0EOr2mlU3af3qkOjrJTSeiBW_ujAq-zcFYL4gIAg648NqTOmrW0g5Y0pwkv9otD6h1kPNl7ufGl222DrwpiAHtvPFUUbRPW_StDs9C5uVnLvb2yWf4yNoz8/s2772/Hay%20Twp%20School%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2772" data-original-width="2201" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVuE8HnlaP0JdTXGavvIj2GaJpbOnkcTQz08CmeK8ETdCYR84EYBF_xuCOO6csyNgyTuOB0EOr2mlU3af3qkOjrJTSeiBW_ujAq-zcFYL4gIAg648NqTOmrW0g5Y0pwkv9otD6h1kPNl7ufGl222DrwpiAHtvPFUUbRPW_StDs9C5uVnLvb2yWf4yNoz8/w508-h640/Hay%20Twp%20School%201.jpg" width="508" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Former S.S. No. 19, Hay Township, Huron County, built 1899. Looks empty.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7qaNFQUTDMORIy3I-CnbeEeffC4ZL0U1RLNv3p2qIr-Xtei8NRYH7GsCapAbsktU5xe1dcb4BYXECBdSJ0ucALW7wsbMqCMceqBMgQuPo7m8WqWUNWqC5Gd8h3n9-5TqOLVdk1YCxiO8GPOPEmMKGYsGfTIdTGjSllXxTbibE6T-83uHpfgB7z1q28Tg/s2505/Fallon%20school.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2350" data-original-width="2505" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7qaNFQUTDMORIy3I-CnbeEeffC4ZL0U1RLNv3p2qIr-Xtei8NRYH7GsCapAbsktU5xe1dcb4BYXECBdSJ0ucALW7wsbMqCMceqBMgQuPo7m8WqWUNWqC5Gd8h3n9-5TqOLVdk1YCxiO8GPOPEmMKGYsGfTIdTGjSllXxTbibE6T-83uHpfgB7z1q28Tg/w640-h600/Fallon%20school.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Former S. S. No. 4, Biddulph Township, known as "Cedar Swamp schoolhouse." This building is said to be where the Vigilance Committee met before the Donnelly massacre.***** <br />If that's true, it should be an historic site. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>The Ugly:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWHTJGTJTIXdRqyCIPum35V2JQ8oSHww6t4_V1g6-gP_8T9t_b9KTRdig6LNHslOb3bzG9jcQISt-JA5AxDUoKtrwOT6hdOEEO6J1SBX2ReKp30qh5WH5hlCa15gLVGjkA450uFiMU-VBPKsZ5dWFyzU5T1lYqZ42Z-UmfLc-9przJz7910Gud7-7y/s2330/West%20Corners%20School.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2104" data-original-width="2330" height="578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWHTJGTJTIXdRqyCIPum35V2JQ8oSHww6t4_V1g6-gP_8T9t_b9KTRdig6LNHslOb3bzG9jcQISt-JA5AxDUoKtrwOT6hdOEEO6J1SBX2ReKp30qh5WH5hlCa15gLVGjkA450uFiMU-VBPKsZ5dWFyzU5T1lYqZ42Z-UmfLc-9przJz7910Gud7-7y/w640-h578/West%20Corners%20School.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another former school building under renovation. Presumably a work in progress. <br /><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p><br /></p></blockquote></td></tr></tbody></table><b>Rural Homes:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Of course, houses were built in greater numbers than other buildings and, since their function, housing, is still needed, houses are the most likely buildings to survive. The earliest ones are usually gone, of course, since people no longer wanted tiny cabins, upper floors in which they couldn't stand upright, drafty log walls, and small windows with tiny panes. I don't blame them. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Still, I always wanted to own a Victorian farmhouse out in the country. I was in love with the gingerbread trim, the shaded verandas from which the family could view their fields, the aura of age and tradition. They were monuments to our hardworking, long-suffering pioneers. Yes, an older home can be a lot of work, not to mention a money pit. Often they're worth it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Many older homes have unsympathetic upgrades, totally out of character with their traditional appearance. In fact, the homes that <i>don't </i>have inappropriate upgrades are often ruins. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>The Good:</b></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcvLVPBIrPCw4krqFcj1W3dDDZMuJhmBr_SnUg42tT788ceaNROHm2TiCWI1CX5w4g_RjaBfs7QPbfWwAd6Zy6i2Cv7-NbFQxqWLuPepWT4HVyzXDMNU_51rebXGCl7pBfAMnByFF4O6CNU1tXFb-h6kPmfbzCw4_V_n-p8yvKYLy0nFltxQxzyWCnhg/s2135/Home%20at%20Florence.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1284" data-original-width="2135" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcvLVPBIrPCw4krqFcj1W3dDDZMuJhmBr_SnUg42tT788ceaNROHm2TiCWI1CX5w4g_RjaBfs7QPbfWwAd6Zy6i2Cv7-NbFQxqWLuPepWT4HVyzXDMNU_51rebXGCl7pBfAMnByFF4O6CNU1tXFb-h6kPmfbzCw4_V_n-p8yvKYLy0nFltxQxzyWCnhg/w640-h384/Home%20at%20Florence.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well-preserved home at Florence, Lambton County. Nothing special, just nice. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBoeFIPJcnfmwg52X-QcZciGuYDptlwmTCNm-ZcLM8TnHwr4dO9k2zz7fltyRhiE2XRwb-J_VaktlKh6brbz11A2onGS2EwOe-nKBFQqnKq3nN0P1pzbU7ulD_tjqSzVhtXT_r56GrNRkB7wTDqzauKuYqrSYzfXoodjkXI3hA1Ws_z0FqMgiLI7D3OTk/s3402/Pierce.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2409" data-original-width="3402" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBoeFIPJcnfmwg52X-QcZciGuYDptlwmTCNm-ZcLM8TnHwr4dO9k2zz7fltyRhiE2XRwb-J_VaktlKh6brbz11A2onGS2EwOe-nKBFQqnKq3nN0P1pzbU7ulD_tjqSzVhtXT_r56GrNRkB7wTDqzauKuYqrSYzfXoodjkXI3hA1Ws_z0FqMgiLI7D3OTk/w640-h454/Pierce.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some well-preserved homes are museums, such as the Backus-Page House, Tyrconnell, Elgin County.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkaMYJ_SgEYVELYgS3CyBbGHg9ZSl5wP_9IS2YGYFSYPLOH2pVb8JEsNhJY-aCwuhBOjxispKlu_NPOZdAdXsf4hrYH1zYxKodGgdU7T-h4Uyr_GEQHgbHq9zLLT3NEzaQuEVUpzzOF1YnNTLrk71wLTsnQcNIIGb6tIPp1m6OufmVN5jnJOW3x1ZDIEg/s2959/Morpeth%20restoration.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1744" data-original-width="2959" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkaMYJ_SgEYVELYgS3CyBbGHg9ZSl5wP_9IS2YGYFSYPLOH2pVb8JEsNhJY-aCwuhBOjxispKlu_NPOZdAdXsf4hrYH1zYxKodGgdU7T-h4Uyr_GEQHgbHq9zLLT3NEzaQuEVUpzzOF1YnNTLrk71wLTsnQcNIIGb6tIPp1m6OufmVN5jnJOW3x1ZDIEg/w640-h378/Morpeth%20restoration.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old farmhouse recently moved to new location in Morpeth and under restoration.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>The Bad:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b></b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5bGsiXggNZKM87QVG_w0uylgIV9EL5N_g8brKJnUsSUMTStjnBhtYYHTR7SyF-1_A1z7IwPNXkC0VtJG_p_0iHu21rut1SZchT3NmSgPU7efG8OMb7t1YqcHNX_ZwN_KY8Jo7z3Y0ArtMuCi6QssGjIQUpg07f59bt2CZaINyGwESwbo-lvR513RiqnU/s1528/Abandoned%20near%20Alvinston.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1259" data-original-width="1528" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5bGsiXggNZKM87QVG_w0uylgIV9EL5N_g8brKJnUsSUMTStjnBhtYYHTR7SyF-1_A1z7IwPNXkC0VtJG_p_0iHu21rut1SZchT3NmSgPU7efG8OMb7t1YqcHNX_ZwN_KY8Jo7z3Y0ArtMuCi6QssGjIQUpg07f59bt2CZaINyGwESwbo-lvR513RiqnU/w640-h528/Abandoned%20near%20Alvinston.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abandoned home near Alvinston, Lambton County. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b></b></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiUBofnre9BMDfUBcVAx6RcsGBRSrP5LyyQBfJdyndGGWM8AkwSwK2PChc4VoBzp1pRAFCiMgR_uhxBxjHu_h-qeiTF83Kt_QQRYcz_iflN6dbCVnk1dwvRAKopU_kQKgIco_KO6hye4lb52SkkjDDieIs3S992S-IRpqcvrrHimYNHodII62ohCFJsI/s2519/Cobblestone%20house.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="2519" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiUBofnre9BMDfUBcVAx6RcsGBRSrP5LyyQBfJdyndGGWM8AkwSwK2PChc4VoBzp1pRAFCiMgR_uhxBxjHu_h-qeiTF83Kt_QQRYcz_iflN6dbCVnk1dwvRAKopU_kQKgIco_KO6hye4lb52SkkjDDieIs3S992S-IRpqcvrrHimYNHodII62ohCFJsI/w640-h260/Cobblestone%20house.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my favourites, but this cobblestone home on Longwoods Road is not in the best of condition.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg_R2LMj0bttE2La7RMXlr0xzHN4unUQQ8VnbejQ_3bniMjhVMog7mlbO8PbVYJlxLPAh4OKsvevhknbd3exLLlzR2fxbzSbZgoiTwrQ4HPGayhXiJWcnwJ1s_Dnj2XfNPbGGAZWs4xe4u8CRCUPAyWWfaVmT0nD62Uvag9warYQWwhjgseIQH3cU0WuM/s1698/Nanticoke%20Ruin.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1430" data-original-width="1698" height="538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg_R2LMj0bttE2La7RMXlr0xzHN4unUQQ8VnbejQ_3bniMjhVMog7mlbO8PbVYJlxLPAh4OKsvevhknbd3exLLlzR2fxbzSbZgoiTwrQ4HPGayhXiJWcnwJ1s_Dnj2XfNPbGGAZWs4xe4u8CRCUPAyWWfaVmT0nD62Uvag9warYQWwhjgseIQH3cU0WuM/w640-h538/Nanticoke%20Ruin.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Falling into ruin at Nanticoke. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>The Ugly: </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPsx4DkqMtz4mHnyYgHWwB5exMYj2l-KKAnZ0V3q5ClL9uv1REYUb3bmjZxWHy7U-BNfGeMClg_gbH4573Zyxa6t3KfQawIzapgURxs7KWMgZBo-eBmA1y-07gRoC3LWDU8F4F1PQGufc0n3LLhpHOB6TDF1o0o_wYN1_X7ITcp52dr5yG_jnf-ltHoic/s2043/Ugly%20house.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1693" data-original-width="2043" height="530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPsx4DkqMtz4mHnyYgHWwB5exMYj2l-KKAnZ0V3q5ClL9uv1REYUb3bmjZxWHy7U-BNfGeMClg_gbH4573Zyxa6t3KfQawIzapgURxs7KWMgZBo-eBmA1y-07gRoC3LWDU8F4F1PQGufc0n3LLhpHOB6TDF1o0o_wYN1_X7ITcp52dr5yG_jnf-ltHoic/w640-h530/Ugly%20house.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Once there'd have been a central doorway under the gable with matching windows either side.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3R7QISno38RSW0ZN4ouWKAf_WDxsiTc2zV73-LGXzilyZcvyz8e58ZpyC4USheE9X7lGPzmuB1ghjGke4DcW6iT7qHfFsTaIFBGonYpQL-WvSc3sp6-wS8INBlxEXWt0sWIzna3RC2vtgsh6FbqUnrQ9bxQiGe18pqLOTjES9OCtVAfQyIsADJme_M_k/s2685/McMansion.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1316" data-original-width="2685" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3R7QISno38RSW0ZN4ouWKAf_WDxsiTc2zV73-LGXzilyZcvyz8e58ZpyC4USheE9X7lGPzmuB1ghjGke4DcW6iT7qHfFsTaIFBGonYpQL-WvSc3sp6-wS8INBlxEXWt0sWIzna3RC2vtgsh6FbqUnrQ9bxQiGe18pqLOTjES9OCtVAfQyIsADJme_M_k/w640-h314/McMansion.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A McMansion near London, complete with port hole at upper left. Ahoy, mateys! <br />If you enjoy making fun of McMansions, you'll love <a href="https://mcmansionhell.com/" target="_blank">this American architect's blog.</a><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Other Rural Buildings:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There are other buildings in poor condition. Many of them are barns, but <a href="https://jennifergrainger.blogspot.com/2022/02/william-griffiths-barn-as-drawn-by.html" target="_blank">I've argued elsewhere</a> that we don't need to save every old outbuilding. Industrial buildings were often demolished as they became obsolete. But there are other work and business places.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>The Good:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCkXi2q4Oqh66iuZxQl6diFCyfH5GKCHLHm0_p0SYi_TOPxdpyKoJgkZsPcFIaDYyuwsomtOVrRS9OhUGuyon00jlrvK8OfavH4B6LG5qyM7buQPu3HN6_f_nzphZLlS0s4lLVZ9OoOECPvZBNxsCwQZ60H8Q3rKUFEtF7HQDEkb8N-hLyCQQWDzSASDE/s3026/Normandale%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2538" data-original-width="3026" height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCkXi2q4Oqh66iuZxQl6diFCyfH5GKCHLHm0_p0SYi_TOPxdpyKoJgkZsPcFIaDYyuwsomtOVrRS9OhUGuyon00jlrvK8OfavH4B6LG5qyM7buQPu3HN6_f_nzphZLlS0s4lLVZ9OoOECPvZBNxsCwQZ60H8Q3rKUFEtF7HQDEkb8N-hLyCQQWDzSASDE/w640-h536/Normandale%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Union Hotel, Normandale. Wow.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiloIcXZ0xuf8q-SvzGD3F1SRF4u63Q5kP4nOBi-IG-ryOvHEjQRNEbZMhhYvy0RGPC4nYcNcT4T-FmV9dZBjY9vdEQDksyR5MUbA5yH1OfDUZj9RqbCjI9zNao7TnpYTIBrqEk3FqFMMobIOamplnw4dFoGxl10y18LLd13oGXDSzbT005OV0IaXXwvOk/s3820/Waterford%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2502" data-original-width="3820" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiloIcXZ0xuf8q-SvzGD3F1SRF4u63Q5kP4nOBi-IG-ryOvHEjQRNEbZMhhYvy0RGPC4nYcNcT4T-FmV9dZBjY9vdEQDksyR5MUbA5yH1OfDUZj9RqbCjI9zNao7TnpYTIBrqEk3FqFMMobIOamplnw4dFoGxl10y18LLd13oGXDSzbT005OV0IaXXwvOk/w640-h420/Waterford%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Preserved train station at Waterford, most recently a quilt shop. <br />Former train tracks now a walking path by the river.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>The Bad:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjarWr8fgTdf6SwRHC9_57j4ixTpOzrQrLgcuaH22jAjegLckx6LEHb98AMjqPO9TLyOXio-LRlc7_P3UNZ8QqrMWiy2Jg1X6WlRrHsqtFjYAzGP1RX6fqfpwLjTunz0fvveKegKR540GIN6mXVxYnA992QP8MVaUQy-0g0XiwmHcfxXjlftzhpC0n4-qE/s2720/Morpeth%20stores%203.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1689" data-original-width="2720" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjarWr8fgTdf6SwRHC9_57j4ixTpOzrQrLgcuaH22jAjegLckx6LEHb98AMjqPO9TLyOXio-LRlc7_P3UNZ8QqrMWiy2Jg1X6WlRrHsqtFjYAzGP1RX6fqfpwLjTunz0fvveKegKR540GIN6mXVxYnA992QP8MVaUQy-0g0XiwmHcfxXjlftzhpC0n4-qE/w640-h398/Morpeth%20stores%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Empty service station, Morpeth</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhra7MngNtoADKM12zk2N23BwJJ_q5o52EzWUBRjii6ikEmZhs7ipKfDgMgtY1mIZpDDfSu7iBYfl9sKEm7xfMCfUz8fE8CESGkAnjA_rbsq8230ezP-_7mrLpfusG0NZbeqGebuQeE3MP9CcvZYXY5FexOoAJxtk_Jwf4fpz12IxTMZ6pnbHCmDOCTIk0/s3512/Victoria%20Hotel%204.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2772" data-original-width="3512" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhra7MngNtoADKM12zk2N23BwJJ_q5o52EzWUBRjii6ikEmZhs7ipKfDgMgtY1mIZpDDfSu7iBYfl9sKEm7xfMCfUz8fE8CESGkAnjA_rbsq8230ezP-_7mrLpfusG0NZbeqGebuQeE3MP9CcvZYXY5FexOoAJxtk_Jwf4fpz12IxTMZ6pnbHCmDOCTIk0/w640-h506/Victoria%20Hotel%204.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Former Victoria Hotel, Carlisle. A primitive building in rough shape. <br />Apparently under renovation so things may be looking up.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6bdVyQKOIJtXyiKALYcj8jka-eGAj1Zggqn3iw_QCMp7d-IPftsnoYZ45zUqQbnmsN8fAxOYVRuczekTLbUlaenmJj_cGO9QXAQBwmSmcqYr5pvLf6O8_t1CtKHKX7JfDhZO9dj6wgDbrfIdNCuj98Yk-gPWYHhntQnTEb6rH__m9HvQ1UfhS3Z7M5vk/s4160/West%20McGillivrary%205.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1789" data-original-width="4160" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6bdVyQKOIJtXyiKALYcj8jka-eGAj1Zggqn3iw_QCMp7d-IPftsnoYZ45zUqQbnmsN8fAxOYVRuczekTLbUlaenmJj_cGO9QXAQBwmSmcqYr5pvLf6O8_t1CtKHKX7JfDhZO9dj6wgDbrfIdNCuj98Yk-gPWYHhntQnTEb6rH__m9HvQ1UfhS3Z7M5vk/w640-h276/West%20McGillivrary%205.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old drive shed, West McGillivray. </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1OjxMtEwff20zB_ieJV9BShmHt5D6IZNZmc8M0-TJYzT4c137tkzvvJWXb6ZI4XcmDpOOmHscOcQdft-qboAMQYuSLb_ocd8erg-ZjZ3cR9YPjHaaawEcXfGCICsy-8KIUZADMG0euAJbphOzUYJGLLF7eOXrTv8z5UIaChFsGUs7kgNPVl52oxIyA0/s2825/Ruin%20in%20Norfolk.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2258" data-original-width="2825" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1OjxMtEwff20zB_ieJV9BShmHt5D6IZNZmc8M0-TJYzT4c137tkzvvJWXb6ZI4XcmDpOOmHscOcQdft-qboAMQYuSLb_ocd8erg-ZjZ3cR9YPjHaaawEcXfGCICsy-8KIUZADMG0euAJbphOzUYJGLLF7eOXrTv8z5UIaChFsGUs7kgNPVl52oxIyA0/w640-h512/Ruin%20in%20Norfolk.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A former something-or-other in Norfolk County. </td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Cemeteries:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">OK, cemeteries aren't buildings. But a lot of the older ones aren't cared for. Depending on the cemetery, ground upkeep may be the responsibility of a church or possibly the township. But churches are closing, townships have limited budgets, and individual graves are usually left to surviving relatives to maintain. Sometimes there is no family. Often no one cares. But for those of us who enjoy Tombstone Tourism, the result may be dispiriting. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>The Good:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH1iXhgzRpulG8E_LX9sIRxWepe0tJFMHeB7enLsDDp01TEJckjr-3s9kra2P-LAQE2i3F5BkqbUEh0GFFgfHrjjVQY0llA-DTEIdeep9cFRukVKiIupCeKQpVo5p9Mmqvc-9IduF0Tb6CSzvEU4_YokW2aI_Cpu0XsLarG_E_nGE0Iptly7T2ky30PiA/s1024/Glavin5.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="492" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH1iXhgzRpulG8E_LX9sIRxWepe0tJFMHeB7enLsDDp01TEJckjr-3s9kra2P-LAQE2i3F5BkqbUEh0GFFgfHrjjVQY0llA-DTEIdeep9cFRukVKiIupCeKQpVo5p9Mmqvc-9IduF0Tb6CSzvEU4_YokW2aI_Cpu0XsLarG_E_nGE0Iptly7T2ky30PiA/w308-h640/Glavin5.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Before: </i>The grave marker of little Patrick Glavin, St. Peter's Cemetery, Richmond Street, just south of the Huron County border. Patrick, who died age 4, July 20, 1843, was the first burial at St. Peter's. His stone was knocked over and in danger of being buried. <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3wmNoe67zXsxkEs2Qblnp1PqKfwMtEriupg6vpRmdKo-DZ6X0aaY9pn1yH5ZwOl_Phm1svrVPFR_f0b3BjzQy1iCEeOMit1NpQ_ZQn1LAcV3xC56pSaVxFYOroQciSwiUhJNWw5CCYrwacA5fhs26PWZfrJtIg-BC_JimUciykCNlYsWT1-0jkUKYzug/s3509/Nick.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3509" data-original-width="1818" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3wmNoe67zXsxkEs2Qblnp1PqKfwMtEriupg6vpRmdKo-DZ6X0aaY9pn1yH5ZwOl_Phm1svrVPFR_f0b3BjzQy1iCEeOMit1NpQ_ZQn1LAcV3xC56pSaVxFYOroQciSwiUhJNWw5CCYrwacA5fhs26PWZfrJtIg-BC_JimUciykCNlYsWT1-0jkUKYzug/w332-h640/Nick.JPG" width="332" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patrick's grave marker is again upright and repaired, after a heritage preservationist prodded a local church into doing something about it. </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzSudItUeBy1e4Km3eoVo9tMLcviuNX0zXFxG5oSMWUjjsKJaPEc_AsRqyUStaoiw5a5GXpTzsxEHyCB1VLHEbHUZaXKVtjh8IpfJhed9YVKxkV4yrKzgtGTt6Q7dRH4W0UMrHCgfUjca178u-MeT-3GfEPUp3NOrkaOFJTQ6kdVyXg-8ZDNxNvDMOqM/s2709/McConnell.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2709" data-original-width="1620" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzSudItUeBy1e4Km3eoVo9tMLcviuNX0zXFxG5oSMWUjjsKJaPEc_AsRqyUStaoiw5a5GXpTzsxEHyCB1VLHEbHUZaXKVtjh8IpfJhed9YVKxkV4yrKzgtGTt6Q7dRH4W0UMrHCgfUjca178u-MeT-3GfEPUp3NOrkaOFJTQ6kdVyXg-8ZDNxNvDMOqM/w382-h640/McConnell.jpg" width="382" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wooden grave marker of pioneer George McConnell at Birr Cemetery, <br />encased in brick by London & Middlesex Historical Society.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>The Bad:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjys-N9kLU4zLyI43C_eOIeroq_sveZj2TL_KZCLRuKhcvo9a39qLdhmNiyubuzWEdYiD9YqV_6g8jVdzQo6myUvoICMAGamaCPcxdxulUHwvPQeWxthCPMuzRfMSd9wZzfYMQiBKWDe-HEHB9QYS0EYLrXfOwxK9E4Zm9eHp1nUftWqJhEwXjQmoVNDmQ/s3612/West%20Cemetery%207.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1589" data-original-width="3612" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjys-N9kLU4zLyI43C_eOIeroq_sveZj2TL_KZCLRuKhcvo9a39qLdhmNiyubuzWEdYiD9YqV_6g8jVdzQo6myUvoICMAGamaCPcxdxulUHwvPQeWxthCPMuzRfMSd9wZzfYMQiBKWDe-HEHB9QYS0EYLrXfOwxK9E4Zm9eHp1nUftWqJhEwXjQmoVNDmQ/w640-h282/West%20Cemetery%207.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of many damaged markers at West Cemetery, Middlesex County.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nzd31upxMF613O8wjgybiHV5Dr-Tda3Ilh9LwBuWbLO8niJmSYfoTuvHIHkR-1RbOzeeXL5VSakbFw_I3vSTPTeVLui1tLncxqLKPE5SuLK3op8555GtXBl6K4YB4fYeWNoaFTQMn-rctr_u2uB0iYamuk5clQqaYh0_TwNcXgsNOI0m_ahE8Oa4yGE/s2826/Aug%201%202022%20015.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2826" data-original-width="2523" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nzd31upxMF613O8wjgybiHV5Dr-Tda3Ilh9LwBuWbLO8niJmSYfoTuvHIHkR-1RbOzeeXL5VSakbFw_I3vSTPTeVLui1tLncxqLKPE5SuLK3op8555GtXBl6K4YB4fYeWNoaFTQMn-rctr_u2uB0iYamuk5clQqaYh0_TwNcXgsNOI0m_ahE8Oa4yGE/w573-h640/Aug%201%202022%20015.jpg" width="573" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gateway to Southgate Cemetery northwest of London, once restored by Ray Lawson and family, now in urgent need of repair. </td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUeiw_MCX16JivbGci5Tv9KcxBHFjsLRxUfUizHGEcz8c778NFATcBUKlUHPIb27hFYT6RtcokR1lC1wn--EfIBmKLCi7T2Wg9oz8TbG3UP0q00uUauUCUIDrMPJ04uMsJyLeHwzBb90BsiPv-FGghRal12HEEx2wFmjSTEpNE3iknMFdzU2vu04Vv0NA/s1734/West%20Cemetery%203.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1734" data-original-width="1565" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUeiw_MCX16JivbGci5Tv9KcxBHFjsLRxUfUizHGEcz8c778NFATcBUKlUHPIb27hFYT6RtcokR1lC1wn--EfIBmKLCi7T2Wg9oz8TbG3UP0q00uUauUCUIDrMPJ04uMsJyLeHwzBb90BsiPv-FGghRal12HEEx2wFmjSTEpNE3iknMFdzU2vu04Vv0NA/w578-h640/West%20Cemetery%203.jpg" width="578" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Child's grave, West Cemetery. Inscription now unreadable. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Why so much Bad and Ugly?</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I think there are lots of reasons for the changes:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Financial concerns are impacting renovation decisions. Owners replace wooden or aluminum windows with vinyl ones they think will last longer and reduce their heating costs. Metal roofs are marketed as "the last roof you'll ever need." This situation has been exacerbated by inflation. </li><li>There aren't enough people trained in the heritage trades, like masonry or woodworking. We need more workers with the skills to make necessary sympathetic repairs. <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b001b371aef1d4e863dfeeb/t/63e3d9e2ce0da46a83882dee/1675876834912/Heritage+Practitioners+-+ACO+London+Region+R4.docx.pdf" target="_blank">ACO</a> has a short list.</li><li><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Ontario's earliest pioneer buildings, including the log cabins the settlers inhabited, were strictly functional. Over time, as they became more prosperous, families replaced their first shelters and business places with more aesthetically pleasing buildings. With the rise in modernist architecture, function rules over aesthetics once again.</div></li><li>An absence of architectural knowledge. I know we can't legislate taste, but the Ugly wouldn't make it into Architectural Digest.</li><li>A lack of respect for our heritage. We've all heard people argue that Canada is a young country without much history and what history we've got is boring. Not so. We have lots of history and it's fascinating. Of course, our history can be <i>made </i>boring and often is. How well is it presented to schoolchildren and New Canadians? </li><li>Folks don't grasp that older buildings represent our local materials and traditions. Not so the ubiquitous modern replacements, international in style, deprived of locality and period. </li><li>The idea that the demolition of older buildings is "progress." Probably caused by the buildings looking shabby and dilapidated, eyesores to be demolished, not repaired.</li><li>A lack of respect for the civilization that constructed the buildings. I suspect some of our buildings, like our place names and monuments, are associated with the bad old days of bigotry and oppression. Some may prefer to obliterate reminders of that past.</li><li>Self-appointed expertise. There are architectural professionals who can advise property owners about proper restoration methods and materials. But Do-It-Yourself-ers don't always care for advice, especially if they need to pay for it. </li><li>A rise in rugged individualism. How many times have you heard, "I can do whatever I want with my own property!" Yes, but <i>should </i>you? </li><li>Folks are no longer willing to accept any discomfort or inconvenience. Warmth trumps aesthetics. People want the best of everything, including mod cons in an older home. Are we a spoiled bunch, or what? </li><li>Everyone is accustomed to "modern," however they define it. They don't see the charm or value in older buildings when all their lives they've been surrounded by concrete, steel and vinyl.</li></ul><div>Many people will accuse me of trying to fossilize Southwestern Ontario. I admit I admire our ancestors. They had their faults, but they also built a society based on stability, consistency and endurance, qualities I respect. Rather than losing the world they built, I'd like to incorporate it into our own time period and leave an inheritance for future generations. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Solutions?</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Economical replacement building materials that look similar to those used in the past.</li><li>More training facilities for those interested in learning old-time building trades, along with scholarships to attend those schools. </li><li>Educating the public to make better choices. Lots of people want to do the right things for older buildings but aren't sure how. That's where organizations like <a href="https://acolondon.ca/" target="_blank">ACO</a> come in. </li><li>Building a society with more respect for our history, regardless of its imperfections.</li><li>Having more concern for future generations. As environmentalists know, the greenest building is the one already standing. We need more adaptive reuse. If we can recycle pop cans, why not built heritage?</li><li>Where buildings can't be saved, they should be deconstructed, not demolished. Often wooden doors and windows, stained glass and wood trim can be reused in other buildings requiring restoration.</li></ul><div>Without the solutions above, future generations won't know what an historic building looks like unless they visit Fanshawe Pioneer Village. Fanshawe is a nice place but why should all history be in a museum? Surely there's no harm in our country roads displaying some tradition. Why not go for a drive and see wooden windows, gingerbread, and slate roofs? Or at least some decent replacements. Too much modernization takes the charm out of rural living. Some happy medium must be found.</div><div><br /></div><div>* Thanks to Cindy Hartman for her automotive expertise. </div></div></div><div>** Harold D. Kalman, The Conservation of Ontario Churches, 1977, p. 5. Church closures have increased astronomically since the publication of this book. </div><div>*** John Kenneth Galbraith, The Scotch. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1964. p. 93. </div><div>**** Anne M. Logan, School's Out! A Pictorial History of Ontario's Converted Schoolhouses. Boston Mills Press, 1987. p. 15. The number of schools attractively "converted" has decreased.</div><div>***** Orlo Miller, The Donnellys Must Die, Prospero Books, 2017 p. 142.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.com2London, ON, Canada42.9849233 -81.245276814.674689463821153 -116.4015268 71.295157136178844 -46.0890268tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4712133571153787239.post-31049112736574889812023-07-06T19:37:00.002-04:002023-07-28T11:02:29.641-04:00What the heck are London Doorways?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNGAcAF9OAA4L-IhiQRtpbn2r7U2u_jH0YPejKLQhB80zMpO8p1zXE1ucTXU7uBE9zNW0qvXJ_HupZ1FoUGAtdyXxkF_k_rjZVtYfdX_0fzqTvGRdFzjNkPVkGat_Es0Q6NwC8A5sj0g-vwf4PS01z_49f-y43GOS3_vcYJXD9bs01gYyJJMKvCPlC_cs/s2736/London%20Doors.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="2243" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNGAcAF9OAA4L-IhiQRtpbn2r7U2u_jH0YPejKLQhB80zMpO8p1zXE1ucTXU7uBE9zNW0qvXJ_HupZ1FoUGAtdyXxkF_k_rjZVtYfdX_0fzqTvGRdFzjNkPVkGat_Es0Q6NwC8A5sj0g-vwf4PS01z_49f-y43GOS3_vcYJXD9bs01gYyJJMKvCPlC_cs/w328-h400/London%20Doors.JPG" width="328" /></a></div>ACO London has produced another attractive and informative book about London, Ontario architecture. It's called <i>London Doorways: An Expanded Study of Triple-Arched Doorways. </i>"Expanded" because ACO published a smaller book on the subject in 2014 but people kept finding more doorways. Now there's a 127 page deluxe version filled with colour photos, b&w maps and diagrams, brief tributes to late doorway researchers Herb Craig and Julia Beck, a study of the Italianate and Gothic Revival background, and a bibliography, glossary and location index. <p></p><p>If you're wondering what the heck a London doorway is, just look at the book cover (left). Its characteristics include three wooden-arched members that are part of the door's jamb and frame. The centre rounded transom arch spans the width of the door and the sidelights are separately arched but at a lesser height. They were built over 125 years ago by skilled craftsmen, no two being exactly alike. Architectural historians could explain in more detail (and the book does) but that's it in a nutshell. </p><p>Why are these called London doorways? Because most of them are located in the older neighbourhoods of London, Ontario as well as on suburban roads that were rural in the 19th century. A few are found in the surrounding countryside, in communities like Strathroy, Ailsa Craig, St. Thomas or Thamesford. There's one as far away as Mildmay and one in Arthur. </p><p>It's difficult to say who built them. They appear to have been created by multiple craftsmen, which explains all the variations. Historical research has identified some original owners of the houses who were connected to London's construction trade. Names include Thomas Scott, a cabinetmaker, Jeremiah Moran, and Richard and Thomas Ward. </p><p>Most of the book consists of attractive colour photos of the doors and the houses that contain them, along with brief histories of the homes and their first owners. You might want to keep the book in your car so you can check out lovely doorways while you're out running errands. </p><p>What the book highlights, of course, is the importance of preserving older local architecture. You won't find these doorways outside of southwestern Ontario. <i>They're ours. </i></p><p><i>London Doorways </i>may be purchased through <a href="https://acolondon.ca/store" target="_blank">ACO London</a> or at <a href="https://atticbooks.ca/products/144043?_pos=1&_sid=21752915d&_ss=r" target="_blank">Attic Books</a>. Cost is $50.</p><p>So ACO, what's next? Keyhole windows?</p>Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.com0London, ON, Canada42.9849233 -81.245276814.674689463821153 -116.4015268 71.295157136178844 -46.0890268tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4712133571153787239.post-79987010284046415612023-06-26T14:29:00.004-04:002023-07-06T12:09:41.146-04:00Ruin Porn: The Guyitt House<p>The old Guyitt house on the Talbot Trail was crumbling for a long time. This 1840s farmhouse on the north side of the road east of Palmyra attracted a lot of attention in its abandoned state. Folks often stopped to take a picture of it. </p><p>Personally, I never did. I always meant to. Too late now. It's gone.</p><p>So I have to look online for pictures. Not a problem. So many people stopped to take a photo that it became one of the most photographed homes in Ontario, perhaps in Canada. And the photos were posted online:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNs0rzsOZn4u94AyQp95ICOnkBD6_xfbnRkxtuJrOQ02Jxjl_2eFA8HrcG_Xz2RGPgeYXmm-fiMvA-qWggOGlmBwcZps0C6l5PzqFd7TBH-5YrAS9aOgqReByvjIZlkhLltXhaXOHMt-9y_zRs6c3Jx38tjqcE7Jat9w0E8RO1DCdzoJSwb36NmTpbwLg/s1849/Snip%20of%20Guyitt%20photos.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="1849" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNs0rzsOZn4u94AyQp95ICOnkBD6_xfbnRkxtuJrOQ02Jxjl_2eFA8HrcG_Xz2RGPgeYXmm-fiMvA-qWggOGlmBwcZps0C6l5PzqFd7TBH-5YrAS9aOgqReByvjIZlkhLltXhaXOHMt-9y_zRs6c3Jx38tjqcE7Jat9w0E8RO1DCdzoJSwb36NmTpbwLg/w640-h332/Snip%20of%20Guyitt%20photos.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screenshot, June 23, 2023</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The Guyitt house during daylight. The Guyitt house at dusk. The Guyitt house in sunshine. The Guyitt house on a cloudy day. The Guyitt house covered in summer foliage. The Guyitt house surrounded by snow. The Guyitt house photoshopped. You get the idea.</p><p>Why was such a popular place demolished? </p><p>Last year the municipality of Chatham-Kent received one single complaint from a citizen concerned about the building's condition. Based on that, a building inspector was sent to look. The owner did have a "No Trespassing" sign up and a wire across the laneway. But the inspector deemed the building unsafe. (Duh. It was a shell.) There was concern that the signage wouldn't stop intruders from going in. So this week Chatham-Kent ordered the owner to have it demolished. </p><p>The incident raises a number of questions in my mind. First, whatever happened to personal responsibility? If a prowler insists on exploring an obviously dangerous wreck, and is injured, isn't that his own fault? What part of "No Trespassing" do some people not understand? Why is it up to the municipality to save people from themselves? </p><p>Second, why did a busybody complain about a ruin so many people admired? <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/guyitt-house-chatham-kent-unsafe-owner-1.6886536" target="_blank">A recent article</a> states an online petition dedicated to saving the building gathered over 4,000 signatures. Did the mischief maker not see all the people stopping to take photos? Did he or she have a personal grudge against the owner? While obviously beyond repair, the house was in the middle of nowhere and didn't endanger anyone else's property, as it might in the city. What real harm did it do? </p><p>Third, why did people love this ruin? Well, that's easier. 1) It looked haunted and mysterious. 2) Nowadays Ontarians have fewer pioneer homes to photograph. Many have been unsympathetically altered or torn down. 3) People love photographing ruins. In fact, there's a movement in photography called "ruin porn," chronicling the decay of the built environment. </p><p>Fourth, why do people like ruins at all? Anywhere? Wouldn't you think they'd make people uneasy? After all, we, like our buildings, will one day be gone. No matter how much progress we make as a society, we'll end like the Guyitt house. Or Pompeii. Or much of Detroit. Few of us like to be reminded of our own mortality.</p><p>These may be the reasons:</p><p>* Curiosity. Visitors wonder: Who lived there? Why did they leave? What would they think if they saw their home now? The past is more interesting than the present.</p><p>* Nostalgia. Ruins remind people of the "good old days." Old buildings, even in bad shape, remind us of simpler times. </p><p>* Local architectural history. Ruins provide a record of historic building methods, local materials, how earlier inhabitants adapted to their environment. Modern buildings tend to be the same everywhere, all over the world. </p><p>* Tourism. A ruin can be a draw to a certain area. When city dwellers go on Sunday afternoon drives, we like to see things we don't see at home in the boring suburbs. That includes ruins. </p><p>* Aesthetics. Let's face it, there's a strange attractiveness in seeing something made by humans gradually destroyed by the ravages of time and nature. Ruins are romantic. They spark the imagination of artists, photographers, and writers. </p><p>And my last question. I believe the Guyitt house might have attracted a few tourists to the Talbot Trail. There was certainly no other reason to visit Palmyra. (If you blinked, you'd miss it.) So when a place is as obviously admired as the Guyitt house, shouldn't the municipality have a better process in place than destruction after one complaint? </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-C-QM7BRDD_Dag6zjctAFOEURTVTIZjjcad_A2tRdG8dLI745TPpXiUuD-7QtwDgqX0qi1KsBaDjrmdkw5NKV1VIp3nkoNWGpdmwS788ERSInB6b1M8ZSGGRY1vlmrBBJSXoU2mVBWD2Wtx2Lyyg4t94KouU-Yg6BOTbwxjSJqbmA2l297x9eIZ7kF4/s759/Old%20house%20in%20W.%20Nissouri%20Aug%201%202022%20036.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="575" data-original-width="759" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-C-QM7BRDD_Dag6zjctAFOEURTVTIZjjcad_A2tRdG8dLI745TPpXiUuD-7QtwDgqX0qi1KsBaDjrmdkw5NKV1VIp3nkoNWGpdmwS788ERSInB6b1M8ZSGGRY1vlmrBBJSXoU2mVBWD2Wtx2Lyyg4t94KouU-Yg6BOTbwxjSJqbmA2l297x9eIZ7kF4/w640-h484/Old%20house%20in%20W.%20Nissouri%20Aug%201%202022%20036.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abandoned home near London, photographed 2022. How long will this stand?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p>Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4712133571153787239.post-674654251227215012023-06-26T11:46:00.006-04:002023-07-22T19:55:55.888-04:00Porch Predicament: Should Vinyl Replace Wood?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4c7OrzETvklzP7LOeXdF8oSHg_JiVcE3CRyJvQV4mL8rtei-2a5UTNdn3Ik2cTjT520aI-na9Q_q-HO4JO5554VoPvtbh1Wtb6AWDV_0D9uwkDZkHc6x6C_jjYSY5il2lo88ewj0xEQ68XKNyMzp-ThxKbfmGA_zWsh_Me4gFtfrryJjFXKCOhnl13Cg/s990/27%20Bruce%20St..jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="721" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4c7OrzETvklzP7LOeXdF8oSHg_JiVcE3CRyJvQV4mL8rtei-2a5UTNdn3Ik2cTjT520aI-na9Q_q-HO4JO5554VoPvtbh1Wtb6AWDV_0D9uwkDZkHc6x6C_jjYSY5il2lo88ewj0xEQ68XKNyMzp-ThxKbfmGA_zWsh_Me4gFtfrryJjFXKCOhnl13Cg/w291-h400/27%20Bruce%20St..jpg" width="291" /></a></div>Recently an Old South home owner replaced an older front porch with new vinyl railings and posts. The reason? The original porch on the 1893 cottage at left was unsafe and the contractor recommended replacement. Unfortunately, the homeowner didn't get a heritage alteration permit before work began and he ran into trouble with the City of London.<div><br /></div><div>Now, homeowners should do a little thinking before starting renovations. Like, "Hmm ... I live in an older neighbourhood. Could it be a Heritage Conservation District? Maybe I'd better find that out." In this case, the home is in the Wortley Village - Old South HCD. And there are guidelines in an HCD that are meant to preserve the neighbourhood's historic look. Bylaws are bylaws. The homeowner - and his contractor - should have known about them. Or done some research. </div><div><br /></div><div>The city originally offered a compromise, telling the owner he could just cap the posts in wood and replace the vinyl railings and spindles with wood and he could have his permit retroactively. To be fair, that sounds like most of the porch, and the homeowner had already spent a pile of money. So, after a bit more wrangling, City Council decided the owner could keep his new porch. </div><div><br /></div><div>Wood can last a long time if properly maintained. But if you're a new home owner, you may get to deal with the last owner's lack of maintenance. You may hope to repair a porch but you learn it has to be replaced. So now what? Well, you can try to replace it in wood. Problem: it's getting difficult and expensive to replace wood with wood. New wood products don't match the quality of the old growth timber our ancestors had access to back in the 1800s. </div><div><br /></div><div>Vinyl <i>may </i>last a long time, depending on what you read. And it can look a lot like wood, depending on what you buy. In this case above, the vinyl product has been made to match the original look. Not all new porches on older homes do that, as these examples from my own neighbourhood (not an HCD) indicate:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYvI3Fj2bR7vrXdYQEMKdh1G9UxHwpK-266T_VNgEYDpyHIPdj77oMJ0VI0T9HTu4Sslg7ZSud7C9yZx3vpz0EpAT1Am59dSClWqXAF4oT9WfdqTKpw3CtLrJnes1XJLm9O0_n9aL-FmcL8E-jdjY7rZ-LUglTSIPFCSv-jkna7BuqRXtuwrb0Tbi_3Fg/s2426/ugly%20porch%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1851" data-original-width="2426" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYvI3Fj2bR7vrXdYQEMKdh1G9UxHwpK-266T_VNgEYDpyHIPdj77oMJ0VI0T9HTu4Sslg7ZSud7C9yZx3vpz0EpAT1Am59dSClWqXAF4oT9WfdqTKpw3CtLrJnes1XJLm9O0_n9aL-FmcL8E-jdjY7rZ-LUglTSIPFCSv-jkna7BuqRXtuwrb0Tbi_3Fg/w640-h488/ugly%20porch%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2hRonoPITiR3Ii0QyNjJ_zXlJn5m2aT_jhI8g7SgDP0krjVpWKz51DsM5hrlPaVCPynfyWy1besKZsvpphA_A8vN0ksMb_Y08vWtQ_HH4zZTldhOGqc60N8Wjx6heViff-HAX4L-0mycfaWwy8FUKxCqBi786qXR3Bgq3pqPcIW6FPuoj1znwOhKulA8/s2649/Ugly%20porch%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1990" data-original-width="2649" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2hRonoPITiR3Ii0QyNjJ_zXlJn5m2aT_jhI8g7SgDP0krjVpWKz51DsM5hrlPaVCPynfyWy1besKZsvpphA_A8vN0ksMb_Y08vWtQ_HH4zZTldhOGqc60N8Wjx6heViff-HAX4L-0mycfaWwy8FUKxCqBi786qXR3Bgq3pqPcIW6FPuoj1znwOhKulA8/w640-h480/Ugly%20porch%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtFhHwHhL3wOE2aswRIeXpoizHuzTpXlIkuhiwMUo8gLOstFroqH6mOPFa58HXGGqH4cU5TwKppzmm82fsSBJ18PNisvySqWctREYSudAUsjnepfqQMSoDDeYDJKdEQZwktcyQDYBgkmO_APkd2i2iSleTbrUIjfvBgUJojrGig4J1FeV8DnG1LvQW1M/s2027/ugly%20porch%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="2027" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtFhHwHhL3wOE2aswRIeXpoizHuzTpXlIkuhiwMUo8gLOstFroqH6mOPFa58HXGGqH4cU5TwKppzmm82fsSBJ18PNisvySqWctREYSudAUsjnepfqQMSoDDeYDJKdEQZwktcyQDYBgkmO_APkd2i2iSleTbrUIjfvBgUJojrGig4J1FeV8DnG1LvQW1M/w640-h358/ugly%20porch%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Preserving our heritage is rarely a black and white situation. There are many shades of grey in between. In the Old South case, I'm OK with the look of the vinyl porch. It would certainly fool anyone into thinking it's wood from a distance. Heck, if vinyl can be made to look like original materials, it could be an ideal replacement solution for decaying porches. Maybe the city could even encourage this.</div><div><br /></div><div>A bigger problem is replacement windows, most of which don't look like the originals: </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj86yHiSGCSA_lVPlpdiccZRYoYLtobxTJlH7cHjUuDZITUqOGTo6ExRgrP7pBkyBxuG0GAOBQ1p1s0iONaKDqDb9HghF21EwJKKceX3cSGJ3P4ci0_MxT9ismcUwMZQ0aweyUYG9TsCAIsSV1SLAb1SS0hChskZfbEoYkBRdvNyVIxYYILHplWSa-GoDY/s1831/vinyl%20windows.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1831" data-original-width="1356" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj86yHiSGCSA_lVPlpdiccZRYoYLtobxTJlH7cHjUuDZITUqOGTo6ExRgrP7pBkyBxuG0GAOBQ1p1s0iONaKDqDb9HghF21EwJKKceX3cSGJ3P4ci0_MxT9ismcUwMZQ0aweyUYG9TsCAIsSV1SLAb1SS0hChskZfbEoYkBRdvNyVIxYYILHplWSa-GoDY/w474-h640/vinyl%20windows.jpg" width="474" /></a></div><br /><div><br />But, ultimately, I want building owners to work with the city and obey its bylaws. Yes, rules can be expensive but cost should be an expected part of buying an older home, especially in a neighbourhood with character. HCDs are an important way to ensure neighbourhoods don't lose their historic charm. </div><div><p></p></div><div>The question now is, has the city set a precedent? Will other property owners think they can pick and choose what rules they'd like to follow? And get away with it? </div>Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4712133571153787239.post-82217025323604448342023-05-14T20:45:00.004-04:002023-06-12T14:39:11.391-04:00London Fire Department: The First 150 Years<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0H6iLRrMkvL55wG12sbLxwAekWcEM95Pn7Va9GwGwSzsIMJQcABCW1bnzM5g8V_0BChBSP6xAB4krUolPzqJcS1iFcqm0pchrPWh6wOHcMz3i9JxPKTA6YVlNlAGlSwR919FphfBSSagEaBTMYwYMJCXb7bqJcIoOVkw-WWtDC2cOG9MTXA_3pQ7R/s1688/Fire%20Hall%204.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1688" data-original-width="1537" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0H6iLRrMkvL55wG12sbLxwAekWcEM95Pn7Va9GwGwSzsIMJQcABCW1bnzM5g8V_0BChBSP6xAB4krUolPzqJcS1iFcqm0pchrPWh6wOHcMz3i9JxPKTA6YVlNlAGlSwR919FphfBSSagEaBTMYwYMJCXb7bqJcIoOVkw-WWtDC2cOG9MTXA_3pQ7R/w364-h400/Fire%20Hall%204.jpg" width="364" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No. 4 Fire Hall, 807 Colborne St. <br /> Built 1909 in abstract Italianate style with <br />simplified Tuscan Tower. Still in use. </td></tr></tbody></table>2023 marks the 150th anniversary of the London Fire Department. To celebrate, LFD turned its Horton Street headquarters into a museum display of historical artifacts highlighting a century and a half of firefighting.<div><br /></div><div>It was on April 1, 1873 that London's first permanent, paid fire brigade was created under Chief Thomas Wastie. At first it was known as Forest City Fire Company.</div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, fires and firefighting took place long before that. London's earliest recorded fire was in November 1832, when the Dickinson blacksmith shop was destroyed, along with all its tools. In those days, all London residents were legally required to own a bucket for use in putting out fires in homes and businesses. Not that a bucket did much good, as the Dickinsons learned. </div><div><br /></div><div>The earliest record of London's Volunteer Fire Company is November 16, 1841, when the town's primitive engine was used to fight a chimney blaze in Dennis O'Brien's brick block on the north side of Dundas west of Ridout. That was approximately where Museum London is today. </div><div><br /></div><div>In 1844 volunteers received their first hand pump fire engine. Apparently it wasn't much better than a garden sprinkler. It was certainly no match for the Great Fire of London on April 13, 1845. The disaster destroyed nearly 30 acres of property and more than 100 homes and businesses. Afterwards, the town prohibited building wooden houses in the core. While that may have helped, fire could damage brick buildings too. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF8PzDLHjn_IWS93Y47Nc_WD0TyW4SPixPLHM-yU0-fEtMnWkXHzJpr6sdkS-WgS__zJ007ZrcEMaaac10AXJwZh5nTHpomjCE2wX8INQ5kUit-736KupaTY_PTrwMyqLp-HehXkYzGVRLt6GaICt0bM76rIYTSbW0pf8PHHj906624pxK99PXvXGm/s2178/Bruce%20St.%20firehall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2136" data-original-width="2178" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF8PzDLHjn_IWS93Y47Nc_WD0TyW4SPixPLHM-yU0-fEtMnWkXHzJpr6sdkS-WgS__zJ007ZrcEMaaac10AXJwZh5nTHpomjCE2wX8INQ5kUit-736KupaTY_PTrwMyqLp-HehXkYzGVRLt6GaICt0bM76rIYTSbW0pf8PHHj906624pxK99PXvXGm/s320/Bruce%20St.%20firehall.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Former Fire Station No. 3, 160 Bruce St.<br />Built 1890-91. Used until 1975. Now apartments.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>Firefighting equipment gradually improved. The first steam fire engine arrived in 1867. An aerial ladder was purchased in 1895, attached to a 75-foot horse-drawn truck requiring a tiller operator to steer the rear wheels. Once at the fire, the ladder was raised by cranks operated by six men. </div><div><br /></div><div><div>The city's first fire station was built in 1847 on the north side of what became Carling Street between Richmond and Talbot. Before that, the fire engine was stored on the property of one of the volunteers. That first station was demolished in 1880 to become the site of a new police station. In the meantime, a newer firemen's hall and engine house was built in 1853 on King Street. That was the site of the Central Fire Hall until 1957.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>The Fire Department's horses were an important part of the team from 1873 on. Before that, the hand pumpers were drawn by volunteer firemen on tow ropes. Either that or a team of horses had to be commandeered from a passing farmer or merchant. The first motorized fire truck arrived in London in 1912 - but unfortunately collided with a train at the William Street crossing in 1913. The LFD's last horse, "Doc," retired in about 1928 at age 32. </div><div><br /></div></div></div><div>Firefighting was always dangerous work. The earliest known firefighting fatality in London was December 17, 1855 when 22-year-old John Eskdale became trapped in the burning home of Alfred Vennor at Talbot and Horton and was burned to death. </div><div><br /></div><div>Another disaster was the Westman Hardware Fire of 1908. The fire engulfed the whole Cronyn block on the south side of Dundas Street between Richmond and Talbot and took the lives of Fire Chief Lawrence Clark and two others. Fire Station No. 6 at Wonderland and Oxford is named after Chief Clark. </div><div><br /></div><div>Today, of course, firefighters still risk their lives. But now they're more likely to die of cancer related to breathing in the chemicals that burn in our homes and businesses. Twenty-first century firemen - and women - are just as brave as ever.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><p></p></div>Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.com0London, ON, Canada42.9849233 -81.245276814.674689463821153 -116.4015268 71.295157136178844 -46.0890268tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4712133571153787239.post-65066846864618103792023-05-10T20:52:00.004-04:002023-08-06T12:17:27.602-04:00Long Live The Black Walnut!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBOKN1iJeHrduUxk0AKa6me34XTqlZ46HmlKoPx5eEP33IIAD7MN_njTxwSRW8rcmpWbKXD5XpjtRJYhTy9l7I0Cj9Qlbgr2DW8kBMPJe74p3jlmLx4HAsYLMPFErNsGzV3Zbf7QRJ743ZTOSWwQJxP49p0Ui-gjvbR5b_3AYKzUoTcFnY7ny5PSYE/s4802/The%20Black%20Walnut%20jpeg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4767" data-original-width="4802" height="637" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBOKN1iJeHrduUxk0AKa6me34XTqlZ46HmlKoPx5eEP33IIAD7MN_njTxwSRW8rcmpWbKXD5XpjtRJYhTy9l7I0Cj9Qlbgr2DW8kBMPJe74p3jlmLx4HAsYLMPFErNsGzV3Zbf7QRJ743ZTOSWwQJxP49p0Ui-gjvbR5b_3AYKzUoTcFnY7ny5PSYE/w640-h637/The%20Black%20Walnut%20jpeg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Painting of the Black Walnut, Wortley Village on a greeting card by local artist Sheri Cowan. This and other Sheri Cowan greeting cards featuring London landmarks are available at Attic Books, 240 Dundas Street, London.<p></p><p>Sheri is donating $20 from the sale of each of her 10"x10" archival prints to the Black Walnut Fire Fund. The prints, $70 each, are scanned and printed locally at Colour by Schubert. Anyone interested can find Sheri Cowan Art on Facebook and Instagram or email her directly at <a href="mailto:sherimcowan99@gmail.com">sherimcowan99@gmail.com</a>. </p><p><b>Update, August 2023: </b>Black Walnut has revealed their <a href="https://london.ctvnews.ca/reflects-its-spirit-black-walnut-caf%C3%A9-rebuilding-plans-underway-1.6506091" target="_blank">plan to rebuild</a>. Their new building will look "strikingly similar" to what was lost due to arson in April. </p><p><br /></p>Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.com0London, ON, Canada42.9849233 -81.245276814.674689463821153 -116.4015268 71.295157136178844 -46.0890268tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4712133571153787239.post-43307009549034232222023-04-19T21:08:00.008-04:002023-06-26T14:41:55.677-04:00The End of Elgin Hall<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGg3F_U9dbvNXhJvYHFLJ-fFObihnAVAb5UXoxP2eArtA081-a8wU2ua5VYBvYN84dwHFCYIfLFdvG2YpV1HuqRPF-X4U7GpV16INPzwej3NZU4k65n7Vm842eV84yAxx58NOtgcyIxdHC1m7_O7V8gdtA5IfikaKK3SSEAKDh4FrPsHVZtTOokvJ3/s2934/Mount%20Elgin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2146" data-original-width="2934" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGg3F_U9dbvNXhJvYHFLJ-fFObihnAVAb5UXoxP2eArtA081-a8wU2ua5VYBvYN84dwHFCYIfLFdvG2YpV1HuqRPF-X4U7GpV16INPzwej3NZU4k65n7Vm842eV84yAxx58NOtgcyIxdHC1m7_O7V8gdtA5IfikaKK3SSEAKDh4FrPsHVZtTOokvJ3/w640-h468/Mount%20Elgin.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>This is Elgin Hall - a 173-year-old pre-Confederation home in the village of Mount Elgin, Southwest
Oxford, once the home of the first MP for Oxford County, Ebenezer Vining
Bodwell. Bodwell was an MP in Sir John A. Macdonald’s government as well as a superintendent of
the Welland Canal. <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For some reason, a company called Mount Elgin Development is building cookie-cutter homes around the site. And needs to demolish the old home to do so. Once he's demolished Elgin Hall, the developer has offered to build a new apartment structure on the site with a façade that would mimic the “style” of the old house using the existing building materials. Oh goody! Another replica like the Sir Adam Beck Manor in London <a href="https://jennifergrainger.blogspot.com/2022/04/my-10-least-favourite-london-ontario.html" target="_blank">(see No. 4 here)</a>. The developer also states the building is in poor shape. Of course it is. Guess who let it get that way? </p><p class="MsoNormal">Last year a group of concerned individuals trying to save the building felt they’d
made some progress towards designating the structure and selling it. But the developer refused an offer of more than a million dollars from Garth Turner,
who has won awards for heritage restoration projects from Heritage Canada,
among other organizations. Turner is a great-grandson of Bodwell. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Southwest<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oxford
Council met yesterday, April 18, to discuss placing a heritage designation on Elgin Hall. Unfortunately, they voted 4-3 to not grant heritage designation. Despite the fact
that the building meets four of the criteria required for heritage designation
(only two are needed) the developer can now apply for a demolition permit and is expected to do so. </p><p class="MsoNormal">My pictures were taken last year. I assume the deterioration is even more advanced at this point.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHitvb4rzXFKZptqvhtmR-wRUTEpB45P5eg_xLjC9zA6S2w4W347HTiVJtODncQ2uQ6ju6XAUkwuReMlCF_UY-qUecgZ56nNlJeUzmLFgny-SnIl6Y1L4bN820u2yz99zH_TMXKTcS4Lfs2vUWV_45oTxu-tFZe-40GTP33ySa5C6HycN-1FoI48A/s4093/Mount%20Elgin%20door.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4093" data-original-width="2935" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHitvb4rzXFKZptqvhtmR-wRUTEpB45P5eg_xLjC9zA6S2w4W347HTiVJtODncQ2uQ6ju6XAUkwuReMlCF_UY-qUecgZ56nNlJeUzmLFgny-SnIl6Y1L4bN820u2yz99zH_TMXKTcS4Lfs2vUWV_45oTxu-tFZe-40GTP33ySa5C6HycN-1FoI48A/w458-h640/Mount%20Elgin%20door.jpg" width="458" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Attractive recessed front doorway.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiKgRqrYPJLG48c9U31LECegx3c7Ih36wI-onhUpPk8Lwbsvr9E2armq_0olBJvW343CAmNEMw4j9_Jnpy_LqzirTxQ5lz9exSShMJPdbshLawjA_IVXgicLxKGD2PHx1kifNrVfAp5vCv8MuktFbZjapNJRY-PZ0JiRmYs6WZg_4YgHEU9hb-zWLT/s3709/Mount%20Elgin%20rear%20wing.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2768" data-original-width="3709" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiKgRqrYPJLG48c9U31LECegx3c7Ih36wI-onhUpPk8Lwbsvr9E2armq_0olBJvW343CAmNEMw4j9_Jnpy_LqzirTxQ5lz9exSShMJPdbshLawjA_IVXgicLxKGD2PHx1kifNrVfAp5vCv8MuktFbZjapNJRY-PZ0JiRmYs6WZg_4YgHEU9hb-zWLT/w640-h478/Mount%20Elgin%20rear%20wing.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Advanced deterioration to rear wing. At least the front might have been preserved. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLZGcVHiQFxnCLTpl-y9S-LMe9fK75rEfoTdXsHDBCE1847xWe0SywOW63V58fZuHia0xGG0XYac0rk2P3MrbXWCuOJfyD8VW1b7DEsmbN66b_sUq9Uzg1ri83EWPgTgGJZ0umuBtRg_zNAikK7_M7ZcjubYPU3DktN87CBiT50vyo5adjOwHdzrV9/s599/Mount%20Elgin%20rear%20window.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="437" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLZGcVHiQFxnCLTpl-y9S-LMe9fK75rEfoTdXsHDBCE1847xWe0SywOW63V58fZuHia0xGG0XYac0rk2P3MrbXWCuOJfyD8VW1b7DEsmbN66b_sUq9Uzg1ri83EWPgTgGJZ0umuBtRg_zNAikK7_M7ZcjubYPU3DktN87CBiT50vyo5adjOwHdzrV9/w466-h640/Mount%20Elgin%20rear%20window.jpg" width="466" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note 6 over 6 wooden sash. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Update, May 2, 2023: </b>The developer smashed the house to bits yesterday. To add insult to injury, the demolition company <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/salt-in-the-wound-realtor-demolition-company-apologize-for-social-media-posts-1.6829516" target="_blank">chose to make jokes about the building on their website.</a> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Our architecture just doesn't get any respect. At the very least this home could have been deconstructed, not demolished, so that its windows, bricks, and interior fixtures could be used in another old building being restored.</p>Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.com1London, ON, Canada42.9849233 -81.245276814.674689463821153 -116.4015268 71.295157136178844 -46.0890268tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4712133571153787239.post-14066886009449103612023-04-14T21:52:00.006-04:002023-04-15T09:46:41.954-04:00The Forest City - Or Is It?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4RmEB7yoTdXoJJtQbT0cWraneJ4h-0UhI2VnhyNT5pverdDJDASKTAMoq2nZEnfag5670-FGCaPw7YsXSUEwA_4qPIHo2QqHr1aRpcpUOdfMw_Sosl0LDEy9sw6AcnQ5YVR7982MCS5mX3gchi9glUc5k8rn-EDcKhW60vrOOZ1TBH-hG48SXKzZ/s748/Trees%204.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="623" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4RmEB7yoTdXoJJtQbT0cWraneJ4h-0UhI2VnhyNT5pverdDJDASKTAMoq2nZEnfag5670-FGCaPw7YsXSUEwA_4qPIHo2QqHr1aRpcpUOdfMw_Sosl0LDEy9sw6AcnQ5YVR7982MCS5mX3gchi9glUc5k8rn-EDcKhW60vrOOZ1TBH-hG48SXKzZ/s320/Trees%204.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>The City of London says it needs to remove big trees in Old North and some folks in the neighbourhood aren't happy about it. <p></p><p>Much needed repairs to sewers and water lines have led to a need to cut down trees, mainly around Regent Street and Fraser Avenue. Originally the city meant to remove 41 trees. Then the number was reduced to 38. The trees in question have been marked with white rings. </p><p>Old North neighbours have fought City Hall, protesting the tree removal, and signs have appeared on the marked trees. These folks aren't just treehuggers. While I don't live at Regent and Fraser, I do live in Old North and I understand that part of the charm of our neighbourhood is the mature trees. The removal of a large number could drastically change the atmosphere of the whole area. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjldb7oV6Yldx4zZ9lxdcb9_zfKexStqRfZciU312MPe3Nt1cTsiuLccuIcqFzZVntLhXVdUJ_ZNIqLHglNah5S4k3P6JuxJD4e71VmPva3tC6MMgE8_jaCSeDTWbUWMlfPSc7Gn_ve33aScqF_sGJa8ZYNDdCN8LT2Jn02KL9et8oJpZ63HgLb6e7a/s1651/Trees%203.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1651" data-original-width="1492" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjldb7oV6Yldx4zZ9lxdcb9_zfKexStqRfZciU312MPe3Nt1cTsiuLccuIcqFzZVntLhXVdUJ_ZNIqLHglNah5S4k3P6JuxJD4e71VmPva3tC6MMgE8_jaCSeDTWbUWMlfPSc7Gn_ve33aScqF_sGJa8ZYNDdCN8LT2Jn02KL9et8oJpZ63HgLb6e7a/s320/Trees%203.jpg" width="289" /></a></div><p></p><p>Of course, the City of London isn't just being mean to trees, regardless of what some Old North kiddies might think. <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/q-a-why-is-london-cutting-down-so-many-trees-for-construction-a-city-staffer-explains-1.6809149" target="_blank">This interview with a city staffer</a> explains the need for infrastructure renewal and the risks involved in <i>not </i>removing the trees. Note: She states that London removed 579 trees in 2022 but planted 8,874, over half of which were on city streets, not parks. The situation is obviously complex. The city does plant saplings as well as pruning and chopping mature trees. </p><p>All this makes me think about the continued use of the nickname "Forest City." Not only is it used in the above linked article, but by many London businesses, and - <i>ahem</i> - in the name of my own blog, because I can't resist using it either. Heck, even <a href="https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/images/c/ca-onlonlogo-l.gif" target="_blank">the city logo</a> features a tree. Could there be some irony here? Should the Forest City really be cutting down trees? </p><p>The earliest known use of the term was on January 24, 1856, when the <i>London Free Press and Daily Western Advertiser</i> referred to London as "This City of the Forest." The first organization to use the name was Forest City Lodge, No. 38, IOOF, founded in 1857.* Since then, the name has appeared everywhere - on base ball clubs, colleges, churches, festivals, a Thames River steamboat, even a cannabis shop. But why? Is it really because of our lovely forest canopy?</p><p>Most people assume the term is meant as a compliment - see <a href="https://www.1069thex.com/2018/11/13/why-london-is-called-the-forest-city/" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://medallioncorp.com/why-is-london-ontario-known-as-the-forest-city/" target="_blank">here</a>. Although <a href="http://lstar-education.com/Map_Pages/neighbourhoods.htm" target="_blank">here</a> it says the British government coined the term to make fun of John Graves Simcoe. Personally, I think historian Orlo Miller was correct when he stated there is a "widespread misunderstanding of the origin of the city's nickname, the Forest City. It was so called not because of the tree-lined streets, but because for many years it inhabited a cleared space in the encompassing forest."** Simcoe may have wanted his "New London on the Thames" to be the provincial capital but settlers in surrounding areas were amused by the fact that there was nothing here but trees. Our nickname was a pioneer joke. </p><p>That being the case, maybe Londoners should get over their Forest City obsession. Maybe too many residents can't see the forest for the trees? </p><p>I'd like to see a compromise between updating infrastructure and saving Old North's ambiance. After all, we do need toilets as well as trees. An April 13 City Hall Open House suggested such an arrangement might be possible. A pilot project could potentially spare an additional 16 trees, leaving only 22 to be chopped. Let's hope London and its tree-loving residents can find some middle ground - with trees on it, of course. </p><p>A worse change in the look of "Old" North is when earlier homes are demolished to make way for inappropriate infill. As an example, a house similar in size to the building at left was recently razed and replaced with the one on the right. There's more than one way to destroy a neighbourhood's atmosphere. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_Kf1MFyXZyjxI49vftAMO37vi1Yi7_IesxQZuI3k6kP99gKOeVbuqrOdZm9RHYJzEKIudtHUloUQZezO1OyqgFS_UjNbgpgQ33aLJi9A6KA3bxIpYDBUC5m0ttHA3JIX9TJJ0kNRmq_DPn_fBUpZ0r-YNWsAjq8OojH4WTZl-dDbKrc27cCpuFZc/s2444/Colborne%20Victoria.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1473" data-original-width="2444" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_Kf1MFyXZyjxI49vftAMO37vi1Yi7_IesxQZuI3k6kP99gKOeVbuqrOdZm9RHYJzEKIudtHUloUQZezO1OyqgFS_UjNbgpgQ33aLJi9A6KA3bxIpYDBUC5m0ttHA3JIX9TJJ0kNRmq_DPn_fBUpZ0r-YNWsAjq8OojH4WTZl-dDbKrc27cCpuFZc/w640-h386/Colborne%20Victoria.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>* Dan Brock, Fragments From The Forks. London & Middlesex Historical Society, 2011 pp. 49, 52. </p><p>** Orlo Miller, London 200: An Illustrated History. London Chamber of Commerce, 1992, p. 118. </p>Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.com0London, ON, Canada42.9849233 -81.245276814.674689463821153 -116.4015268 71.295157136178844 -46.0890268tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4712133571153787239.post-13380526471238207082023-04-14T19:31:00.007-04:002023-06-12T14:47:43.036-04:0016th Annual London Heritage Awards<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimgO-TW8NAyAfxjlOwv7i9vJJ4LfSm5GmpcA48ZI4vVAPelgfxImA5b-Kt6xu09QGdg06ELTFybyKmUYraq-lQZWTE1aCGxRR5AMzo_3QXc91bm1uBckOY3lkW-fb-ePrtynl1DlQMv_JVEVd7WpkVCYA-N6WtbImm9HjLbBL7W16cgnZPbzBeD0a5/s2008/Waterloo%20award%20winner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1775" data-original-width="2008" height="566" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimgO-TW8NAyAfxjlOwv7i9vJJ4LfSm5GmpcA48ZI4vVAPelgfxImA5b-Kt6xu09QGdg06ELTFybyKmUYraq-lQZWTE1aCGxRR5AMzo_3QXc91bm1uBckOY3lkW-fb-ePrtynl1DlQMv_JVEVd7WpkVCYA-N6WtbImm9HjLbBL7W16cgnZPbzBeD0a5/w640-h566/Waterloo%20award%20winner.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Last night the 16th Annual London Heritage Awards were held at Museum London. The awards, sponsored by <a href="https://acolondon.ca/" target="_blank">ACO London</a> and <a href="http://heritagelondonfoundation.ca/" target="_blank">Heritage London Foundation</a>, recognize individuals and organizations who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to the preservation of London's built history. They're Heritage Heroes. </p>This year's winners include 801 Waterloo Street (above) in the category of Small-Scale Restoration Project. The 1904 home belonging to Heather Budd & Drew Harden required some work. Peter Gelinas of Bardawill Victorian Restoration removed ugly brown aluminum siding and restored the house's central and side gables to their Queen Anne origins. Fortunately, the couple acquired an early photo of their home from a previous owner. Using it as a guide, the dentils and other woodwork were replaced using salvaged materials. The house now fits better into its location in the Bishop Hellmuth Heritage Conservation District. <p></p><p>Other winning projects are at 82 Albion Street, 112 Elmwood Avenue, Metropolitan United Church, and the Wampum Learning Lodge at Western University. Individuals and organizations recognized include: Dawn Miskelly, Executive Director of Fanshawe Pioneer Village, who has facilitated the relocation of the Fugitive Slave Chapel; Carl Cadogan, former chair of the Black History Coordinating Committee who was named to this year's Mayor's New Year's Honour list; Genet Hodder, who has been president of both ACO and HLF; the folks organizing tours of <a href="https://jennifergrainger.blogspot.com/2021/08/sign-up-for-tour-of-labatt-park-worlds.html" target="_blank">Labatt Park</a>.</p><p>In attendance were the mayor, members of ACO and HLF, most of the award winners, and a roundup of the usual history buffs who generally attend such events. Museum London is a great venue for the awards, featuring a large main lobby and an excellent seating area overlooking the Forks of the Thames where London began. </p><p>There's even been media coverage <a href="https://lfpress.com/feature/winners-unveiled-at-2023-london-heritage-awards" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/heritage-awards-highlight-londoners-working-to-preserve-city-sites-1.6809304" target="_blank">here</a>, which means the award winners achieve recognition beyond the heritage community. It's great to have a positive spin on the preservation of London's past, rather than the way I fear it usually appears to the public - a bunch of "heritage nuts" whining about the latest demolished building. Congratulations to the Heritage Award Committee and all winners!</p><p><br /></p>Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.com1London, ON, Canada42.9849233 -81.245276814.674689463821153 -116.4015268 71.295157136178844 -46.0890268tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4712133571153787239.post-28704325128824507282023-01-18T12:34:00.002-05:002023-01-18T17:47:56.588-05:00Those Nameless Ancestors<p>Old photographs provide an interesting gateway to the past, showing us the fashions, hairstyles, homes, workplaces and communities of yesteryear. My family never threw anything out, so I'm fortunate to have old albums and loose photos featuring my relatives and the places they lived. I'm even luckier to have most of them labeled so I know who and where they are with a rough idea of the date. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjzyx0zk0S3tnNHOJ-0CVIIReMzAX-0WAQOKds8dYh3TnJgwNkLEmGNn2QZp-Nra25k1MPVltvA11bVq4i0gNqfyi1P4TE4wL6WbBsNiu3dCY0OGh1sets1IrUoi0DLk1E4AxtkxlXySY2hXCbjikEBxFPGgx52vgbk5QKlzaObc404byJ0qvX9zda/s2866/117%20McGregor.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2866" data-original-width="2044" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjzyx0zk0S3tnNHOJ-0CVIIReMzAX-0WAQOKds8dYh3TnJgwNkLEmGNn2QZp-Nra25k1MPVltvA11bVq4i0gNqfyi1P4TE4wL6WbBsNiu3dCY0OGh1sets1IrUoi0DLk1E4AxtkxlXySY2hXCbjikEBxFPGgx52vgbk5QKlzaObc404byJ0qvX9zda/w285-h400/117%20McGregor.jpg" width="285" /></a></div>As an example, here's a photo of 117 McGregor Avenue, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, identified by a relative at bottom. (It might have been neater to write on the rear but the photo can always be cropped if necessary.) I was aware that my great-grandparents, Robert and Fanny Moore, lived at this address in the Soo, but wouldn't have known this was the house if their granddaughter hadn't added the address sometime in the 1980s or 90s. Of course, nowadays you can also search an address on Google Street View, which I've done, so I know the house is still standing.<div><br /></div><div>Incidentally, according to family tradition, this was the first house in the Soo to have indoor plumbing. Not surprising, since Robert was in the hardware business and would have stocked the supplies himself. <br /><p>Like many people, Robert and Fanny's daughter Helen (my grandmother) arranged photos in an album. The page below shows how she dated the pictures and identified some of the places. Her daughter added another caption in later years to identify Helen's sister, Kathleen, in the bottom centre photo.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmIN_S6hopaVk8Iw5xpjuLTozBNalLRkyjnfWxHv134NaUSwNmUyQaBHBJZCnD2ydSVEevbhB5LO5JFuG1hzZA1wbyQKnedp_EvIfubxLIeUyA4fVjIVfUiCF5sNeNvj49jlwvGNrFIMDNGLf2Go-6GnFKkua5XwHYeiJumm_kSnQC6pnGFdWaL3qw/s3369/Family%20album%20page.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2249" data-original-width="3369" height="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmIN_S6hopaVk8Iw5xpjuLTozBNalLRkyjnfWxHv134NaUSwNmUyQaBHBJZCnD2ydSVEevbhB5LO5JFuG1hzZA1wbyQKnedp_EvIfubxLIeUyA4fVjIVfUiCF5sNeNvj49jlwvGNrFIMDNGLf2Go-6GnFKkua5XwHYeiJumm_kSnQC6pnGFdWaL3qw/w640-h429/Family%20album%20page.jpg" width="640" /></a></p>"Doc Shepherd," by the way, appears to be a young lady in a fake beard. No doubt there's a story there, now lost.</div><div><br /></div><div>From the other side of my family I have this nice picture of a lady posing in her backyard jungle:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCLfFRt_kTlBode0mvZO51H9F9voLE8u8xnDjZ5kZdPbhZkdKGaNPUNKWV7D-0EyIpaTNgmoZs_n3_7hNeW8MSlyGOy5IDn1iF1bhTGMsIQ21uoaofd-zkRWR0P-fGzQWcqGLg_k08db-UW01Wd0LA8qZqvDbUdQQY1ARjNuuMWXNqX-pNcRAb2vJG/s1556/Maggie%20Thomas.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1556" data-original-width="950" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCLfFRt_kTlBode0mvZO51H9F9voLE8u8xnDjZ5kZdPbhZkdKGaNPUNKWV7D-0EyIpaTNgmoZs_n3_7hNeW8MSlyGOy5IDn1iF1bhTGMsIQ21uoaofd-zkRWR0P-fGzQWcqGLg_k08db-UW01Wd0LA8qZqvDbUdQQY1ARjNuuMWXNqX-pNcRAb2vJG/w390-h640/Maggie%20Thomas.JPG" width="390" /></a></div><br /><div>The rear is labeled like this:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGyHE_Ic0rJ4mHFBRZeqdsdcbs8MnsICF-oVBXQLgGpnovcI80G6B4APK3Z_RKVLSoHLLO6xCCA99SvuA1dNH52W6MeklpkUwsF8RIq4qkBghQEIAfy3uRcVHEg-ryxI_Wq7auPqzslG-Iq6RXmb9U6i6EQC-FagTrXEyVo4uhSG_e0sP9FBGoi3Zd/s1768/Maggie%20Thomas%20verso.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1768" data-original-width="1099" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGyHE_Ic0rJ4mHFBRZeqdsdcbs8MnsICF-oVBXQLgGpnovcI80G6B4APK3Z_RKVLSoHLLO6xCCA99SvuA1dNH52W6MeklpkUwsF8RIq4qkBghQEIAfy3uRcVHEg-ryxI_Wq7auPqzslG-Iq6RXmb9U6i6EQC-FagTrXEyVo4uhSG_e0sP9FBGoi3Zd/w398-h640/Maggie%20Thomas%20verso.jpg" width="398" /></a></div><br /><div>The original caption gives the date and address in Toronto. Years later, my other grandmother added the name of her mother-in-law, realizing that "Mother" might not be useful to everyone in years to come.</div><div><br /></div><div>And that, of course, is the reason many older photos are unlabeled. At the time, everyone knew who the person in the picture was, so why bother identifying her? </div><div><br /></div><div>I work in a place where we have older photos and albums for sale. Sadly, many of the subjects are unnamed. We call them Instant Ancestors. You can make them yours if you want to. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ-sxBtdj_G8uyidBn_v32ope00yAT9blUlpTYXipU8iZjmru8KbB7pkRT8Q0ODiclcson5UZ46e6dOgIQvtEedkjH6NzA_MITh1ttSOel2j2bcIx7RpnG1PHIxyrFx6__jrkwVU-d7XLwhXMJE9FMevTTrH-7ffVl8ficRu_lAy_AC9h0d8ncbUfs/s1139/Girl.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1139" data-original-width="845" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ-sxBtdj_G8uyidBn_v32ope00yAT9blUlpTYXipU8iZjmru8KbB7pkRT8Q0ODiclcson5UZ46e6dOgIQvtEedkjH6NzA_MITh1ttSOel2j2bcIx7RpnG1PHIxyrFx6__jrkwVU-d7XLwhXMJE9FMevTTrH-7ffVl8ficRu_lAy_AC9h0d8ncbUfs/w474-h640/Girl.jpg" width="474" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Here's a nice bespectacled young lady, photographed by Sanders, a studio in London, Ontario. Cooper and Sanders were in business from 1896 to 1909 at 403 Richmond Street. In later years, Edgar J. Sanders appears to have been in business on his own. That might help to date the photo, but doesn't ID the young woman.<br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJRt1Xlh_2gfUD0bEfeav1y3FZQzA-8jfn2CCZwyGq27Mz6xk3fBwbZ0SkF4w3c2e92FG0J5ov7xKx_lr4XEP0VhLWBGO392N11JSpnDXhycezED_fUzZJVabacmJEqKaG3YQ00rSJNhlyPxHb5LtnUyYCcZD1ZGjPIf71Ago1fhA3Wj6d6975_gdF/s1877/Child.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="1877" data-original-width="1312" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJRt1Xlh_2gfUD0bEfeav1y3FZQzA-8jfn2CCZwyGq27Mz6xk3fBwbZ0SkF4w3c2e92FG0J5ov7xKx_lr4XEP0VhLWBGO392N11JSpnDXhycezED_fUzZJVabacmJEqKaG3YQ00rSJNhlyPxHb5LtnUyYCcZD1ZGjPIf71Ago1fhA3Wj6d6975_gdF/w448-h640/Child.jpg" width="448" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Someone's cute toddler poses in the studio of W. Farmer, cor. King & McNab streets. The intersection suggests the photographer worked in Hamilton, Ontario at the intersection of King and what's now spelled MacNab. No one identified Junior. <br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwc_gul_wodM3B5zrUIKwtNDA9K7oN5yfQlhby6715GIKQzVnzzMRZr-96w3MDH3B8vjqppaOehly6wpu9CsioV72JGo70AQCOsVymDyHXL4GQEqTRaK28ZHNoPTRbZrMkNe6zE4C1klGpVoBQQT6Ru3ILdIgzw8AC1RJqs4KOB43PmE28a7T1LgRC/s1248/Man.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="767" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwc_gul_wodM3B5zrUIKwtNDA9K7oN5yfQlhby6715GIKQzVnzzMRZr-96w3MDH3B8vjqppaOehly6wpu9CsioV72JGo70AQCOsVymDyHXL4GQEqTRaK28ZHNoPTRbZrMkNe6zE4C1klGpVoBQQT6Ru3ILdIgzw8AC1RJqs4KOB43PmE28a7T1LgRC/w394-h640/Man.jpg" width="394" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A dapper 19th-century gent, top hat in hand, phony arch and piano as backdrop. No identifying marks whatsoever, not even the photographer. </div><div><br /></div><div>Not sure what to do with old photos? Here are a few ideas:</div><div><br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Want the photos but the album is in rough shape? Arrange them into fresh new scrapbooks, perhaps with added documents, captions and old letters for context. Pictures can be arranged chronologically, by person, or thematically eg. vacations, weddings. Make it a craft project. Kids might like to help and they'll learn about their family in the process. </li><li>Scan the photos into your computer so you can email them and post them online. But don't throw out the originals in case future generations have trouble accessing the format they're saved in. </li><li>Show off your ancestors on <a href="https://www.ancestry.ca/" target="_blank">Ancestry</a> or some other website. Or build your own. Long lost relatives may be delighted to find pictures they don't have themselves.</li><li>Donate the album or photos to a local archives. Photos of your grandpa's store or grandma's Women's Institute branch might be a useful contribution to local history. </li><li>If you have really unusual subject material, do your homework before tossing out the pics. Not interested in your crazy uncle's albums of Great Lakes freighters? Someone into shipping history might like to have those. Your cousin took lots of photos of the drive-in theatre he worked at in the '50s? Someone out there might be researching that very thing.</li><li>Frame some of the photos and display them in your home. Great conversation pieces.</li><li>Make sure relatives know you have family photos. Even younger generations who think they aren't interested in long-ago dead people may catch the genealogy bug in later years. </li><li>Turn photos into gifts for hard-to-buy-for relatives. Pictures can be added to calendars, mugs, and T-shirts to make them more fun.</li></ul><div>But most importantly, <i>label </i>your photos for future generations. If you're not sure who the people are, show them to your oldest relative. He or she will likely enjoy sharing what they know. I had my grandmother identify all the loose photos sitting in a box so I'd know who the people were.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Eventually, all of us will be no more than faces in old photographs. Let's keep our ancestors alive through their pictures, just as we hope future generations will remember us. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /><p><br /></p></div>Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.com1London, ON, Canada42.9849233 -81.245276814.674689463821153 -116.4015268 71.295157136178844 -46.0890268tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4712133571153787239.post-75131451230829912062022-12-14T20:10:00.005-05:002022-12-22T18:28:58.665-05:00Adaptive Reuse in Carlisle, North Middlesex<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGUVjgS7dPyzN2R0gmqi1aGrWypRpKuN71wCO1oHdY32Y2U9w4a2yId08Ch57Y2IbANbKRe6lHNrWVYh0wMdF7VdQGex7b3TyqTSAOHZLDbjdUmy5ktaxQdwyM4x3shOEjAG6sR5I3aeCQ2WgM0X_UgSQ6UrguLiO7WY8G9dFyxr_Xm5M5K6A7PEJQ/s2955/Carlisle%20Church%2016.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2955" data-original-width="2716" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGUVjgS7dPyzN2R0gmqi1aGrWypRpKuN71wCO1oHdY32Y2U9w4a2yId08Ch57Y2IbANbKRe6lHNrWVYh0wMdF7VdQGex7b3TyqTSAOHZLDbjdUmy5ktaxQdwyM4x3shOEjAG6sR5I3aeCQ2WgM0X_UgSQ6UrguLiO7WY8G9dFyxr_Xm5M5K6A7PEJQ/s320/Carlisle%20Church%2016.jpg" width="294" /></a></div>The Presbyterian Church Heritage Centre (PCHC) is moving into Carlisle United Church, in the hamlet of Carlisle, near Ailsa Craig in Middlesex County.*<p></p><p>Formerly the National Presbyterian Museum, the PCHC was located in St. John's Presbyterian, Toronto, from 2002 to 2021. But that church is currently being renovated into condominiums, forcing the Heritage Centre to find a new home. The new location will be this quaint country church built in 1879. </p><p>Like many congregations, the Carlisle church started out in an earlier building. Carlisle Presbyterian Church was founded in 1858 in a more primitive structure, replaced as soon as funds became available. The congregation joined the United Church of Canada in 1925.</p><p>But recently, like many rural congregations in the 21st century, Carlisle United has been struggling. With 19 members left in the congregation, continued use of the building was becoming impossible. Having the PCHC move in has brought new life to these folks, even though they've had to worship in the church basement. The former upstairs sanctuary will be renovated into an exhibit hall. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaiC5j_Bm58VW76-ZyjZH87qhrSlCdae1ygG0QlAMRWdTjnxDQBXLsLO1Kn23A1o2VzmJGBdmGdmhW8NGiY7tYMQLMkS95Fj5B7UXC5mo1DjoM0dlFAC8KhxUm_0hRpx_KRsaza6NrgUjXjr5L4xW8zk7babTQb-ytSdSbTi2LYoUFxGHiwEwJ2Qe4/s4160/Carlisle%20UC%20001.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaiC5j_Bm58VW76-ZyjZH87qhrSlCdae1ygG0QlAMRWdTjnxDQBXLsLO1Kn23A1o2VzmJGBdmGdmhW8NGiY7tYMQLMkS95Fj5B7UXC5mo1DjoM0dlFAC8KhxUm_0hRpx_KRsaza6NrgUjXjr5L4xW8zk7babTQb-ytSdSbTi2LYoUFxGHiwEwJ2Qe4/w640-h480/Carlisle%20UC%20001.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Temporary basement sanctuary</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The move of the PCHC hasn't been easy or cheap. A fundraising campaign was necessary to increase the load-bearing capacity of the Carlisle church's sanctuary floor from 40 lbs. per sq. ft. to 100 lbs. per sq. ft. This involved removing the ceiling in the downstairs hall so the contractors could add the necessary reinforcement joists. But the pandemic allowed the necessary work to proceed easily, since there was no weekly worship service. </p><div>The renovated building will include a replica chapel of the 1850s, an enlarged version of what was in the earlier museum in Toronto. Accommodating about 30 people, the replica can be used by the Carlisle congregation and for occasional weddings. The only condition is that, when visitors tour, it will be necessary to hide the church's large electronic organ. After all, no instrument of any kind was present in the strict services of yesteryear. So the plans will have to include a method of disguising that organ.</div><div><br /></div><div>Additionally, thanks to the PCHC moving in, the church building will have a few mod cons it's never had before: air conditioning, a security system, and a phone, for the first time in its 164 year history!</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVIxWITFX9757XeRCUly4zBjWKzvQUhXVa5ORPdYQqsniF7XNI2eKAXs1PhE8kaX8sATIvVtGvzV2y927-l2HgMpOr16wabROIwjI21I5Hu7peBtnzIYog6YQAcp_3Ssr9ar_sycNw43VbO9OvrkHmvVHnpHwijlH6TvtutpFlmRDbyH4DcXpGE9zm/s4160/Carlisle%20UC%20004.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVIxWITFX9757XeRCUly4zBjWKzvQUhXVa5ORPdYQqsniF7XNI2eKAXs1PhE8kaX8sATIvVtGvzV2y927-l2HgMpOr16wabROIwjI21I5Hu7peBtnzIYog6YQAcp_3Ssr9ar_sycNw43VbO9OvrkHmvVHnpHwijlH6TvtutpFlmRDbyH4DcXpGE9zm/w640-h480/Carlisle%20UC%20004.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pews are currently stored in the future site of a replica pioneer sanctuary. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUq71IOaLye1wc_JYIbVpiLN3k0_xpj1gMNuyyrhs7Z_W96Sg48tHmd-EOQEsi3hbZDEOTEzzrzdw-g7Rc9UwfpHjb74KaYorA1EN-_EuFsBq1CgLyQzvgmkBfLUfM_IjeUz6EiS5wqQvOTwX0QOxvhS10ZhKXgpmjLg6CQYKAPfCS_1M2ZfOopawA/s4160/Carlisle%20UC%20008.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUq71IOaLye1wc_JYIbVpiLN3k0_xpj1gMNuyyrhs7Z_W96Sg48tHmd-EOQEsi3hbZDEOTEzzrzdw-g7Rc9UwfpHjb74KaYorA1EN-_EuFsBq1CgLyQzvgmkBfLUfM_IjeUz6EiS5wqQvOTwX0QOxvhS10ZhKXgpmjLg6CQYKAPfCS_1M2ZfOopawA/w480-h640/Carlisle%20UC%20008.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Magnificent memorial windows in what will become the upstairs exhibit hall. </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div>The PCHC is not scheduled to open until 2024. But I have a question already. Where will visitors stay overnight or eat? Carlisle is a bit off the beaten track. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFyt5B5p48T2y8_9EKkDCCmIRnSbiXN47_Vv6uiLZr3B2sh9GbDtDJg_rL1moBj4W3ziUVYJWe9r3NFUs4LvqDawwBMKzL6AW8dD-haxonJaJ2niaUzAx3RfFnNgvMLexRVVTqO7dNmR7z1WLEb478gF9JldJcL45Sp9k95UQ3PbvTNVCZPKLMANK/s3512/Victoria%20Hotel%204.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2772" data-original-width="3512" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFyt5B5p48T2y8_9EKkDCCmIRnSbiXN47_Vv6uiLZr3B2sh9GbDtDJg_rL1moBj4W3ziUVYJWe9r3NFUs4LvqDawwBMKzL6AW8dD-haxonJaJ2niaUzAx3RfFnNgvMLexRVVTqO7dNmR7z1WLEb478gF9JldJcL45Sp9k95UQ3PbvTNVCZPKLMANK/w640-h506/Victoria%20Hotel%204.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Victoria Inn. Note Middlesex Heritage Trail sign out front. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>What I'd like to see is the old Victoria Inn, also in Carlisle, become a B&B to accommodate visitors to the PCHC. Built in 1855 by Joseph and William Haskett, this example of an early Ontario inn once featured a verandah across the front, complete with hitching posts for horses. The building has never had running water, central heating, hydro, or phone. A building more authentic than this you simply can't get. </div><div><br /></div><div>New owners are renovating the interior. ( I don't encourage trespassing but when a building is this close to the road it's hard to resist peaking through the windows.) I haven't heard they're planning a B&B. They probably aren't. But I can't help thinking what a fine heritage inn this would make. </div><div><br /></div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_5U_5srD2pzef6cHe0I3BYMW1Gvn_gpCZEYva0hRYsCcEqAtEjQ__R5bjpcZ3ZKvHa2N4PqlXjUFOmSSFFo2w6DuNxbstamNH3lwm8fVP9ohZGOICwbloaVvM65892V8s4xLmHEXJEofxVmu3SYRcbyxzUUFsXbbbrymgkERu9fb_iNRwpOwe8lit/s1291/Carlisle%201.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1291" data-original-width="894" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_5U_5srD2pzef6cHe0I3BYMW1Gvn_gpCZEYva0hRYsCcEqAtEjQ__R5bjpcZ3ZKvHa2N4PqlXjUFOmSSFFo2w6DuNxbstamNH3lwm8fVP9ohZGOICwbloaVvM65892V8s4xLmHEXJEofxVmu3SYRcbyxzUUFsXbbbrymgkERu9fb_iNRwpOwe8lit/w278-h400/Carlisle%201.jpg" width="278" /></a></div>Who knows? With enough attractions this "ghost town" might be back on the map. Carlisle was one of the most important villages in north Middlesex in pioneer days, with a population of 200 or more. Settler George Shipley of Carlisle, England, named it after his home town. Building a dam across nearby Linn Creek, Shipley soon constructed a flour mill and other businesses were quick to follow. When a post office opened in 1853, it had to be named Falkirk, there being a Carlisle elsewhere already. Old maps use either name, depending on the mapmaker's point of view. The village declined after the railroads - both the Grand Trunk and the London, Huron & Bruce - bypassed it. Today, the community is mainly residential and very quiet. A good place for an afternoon drive to "get away from it all." </div><div><div><br /><p>* A big thank you to Curator Ian Mason for information and to local resident Doug Carmichael, member of the Advisory Committee for the PCHC, for the tour of the church interior. </p></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><p><b>Update, December 19: </b>Latest word is that the PCHC has received a $100,000 grant from The Presbyterian Church in Canada to finish the project. </p></div></div></div>Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.com1London, ON, Canada42.9849233 -81.245276814.674689463821153 -116.4015268 71.295157136178844 -46.0890268tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4712133571153787239.post-64450517447268099942022-10-04T19:36:00.008-04:002024-01-02T20:38:44.161-05:00Day Trips: Port Burwell<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-Djvt9TBB4T5C-CACudQXszL4oJZRDMwiyzza5KP2XzcPAKL7F7JKdvYq5BRIf6ebmhJ5KkweOh476ARWRq7jnlOJVwQ6WcuDXqxEBsFnBzCSPeR2Ay8R68sQcc22dEPwYCC97OFexlth8zfP5skdmZB2kKdN3YWTS5ck5ChDIRsOFQLg140t8O3/s3449/Aug.%202022%20046.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2820" data-original-width="3449" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-Djvt9TBB4T5C-CACudQXszL4oJZRDMwiyzza5KP2XzcPAKL7F7JKdvYq5BRIf6ebmhJ5KkweOh476ARWRq7jnlOJVwQ6WcuDXqxEBsFnBzCSPeR2Ay8R68sQcc22dEPwYCC97OFexlth8zfP5skdmZB2kKdN3YWTS5ck5ChDIRsOFQLg140t8O3/w400-h328/Aug.%202022%20046.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Not everyone thinks of Port Burwell when choosing an interesting day trip. But not only does this Lake Erie village have a nice, sandy stretch of beach, it also has history. Which is why a friend and I made the trip from London this summer. <p></p><p>First, why is it called Port Burwell? Because Col. Mahlon Burwell (1783-1846) surveyed the land here, completing the job in 1810-11. While dividing Bayham and Malahide townships into lots for settlers, he selected a block of land in Bayham for himself at the site that is now the village. Eventually, about 1830, he surveyed his plot into streets and building lots as well. He likely recognized that the nearby Big Otter Creek and harbour would provide a useful water route for landlocked communities to the north. In time, Port Burwell became a shipbuilding and fishing harbour and an export point for lumber and farm produce from surrounding townships. It wasn't really until the 1920s, in a more leisurely age, that the port became a summertime tourist destination, known for its beach. </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPReI_d4CF9oO2BmcL1RGemSxdN1YfMWHfBZHs-2md6oFYfDIZL2GDXexfq7HsrSqnpfCaffU962RJ-PizqxyGKlXcgR8VdVwZC0t4o6xJNGbkeoQm8INGjPlHGhbylaHlU8w1jJrvKW7JHkjS1fQOGqkRbXQcPYj-Dy1pz4xQ5EKVA3mrubrTzHr/s4160/Aug.%202022%20054.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPReI_d4CF9oO2BmcL1RGemSxdN1YfMWHfBZHs-2md6oFYfDIZL2GDXexfq7HsrSqnpfCaffU962RJ-PizqxyGKlXcgR8VdVwZC0t4o6xJNGbkeoQm8INGjPlHGhbylaHlU8w1jJrvKW7JHkjS1fQOGqkRbXQcPYj-Dy1pz4xQ5EKVA3mrubrTzHr/w300-h400/Aug.%202022%20054.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Burwell family graves at Trinity Anglican.</td></tr></tbody></table>Members of the Burwell family continued to live here after Mahlon's death, his son Leonidas (1818-79) taking over the family interests in 1842 and making the village his home. Many family graves can be found at historic Trinity Anglican Church, built in the village in 1836 and still standing today. However, Mahlon and his wife Sarah are buried at Burwell's Corners, Dunwich Township (Fingal Line and Iona Road). <div><br /></div><div>The church itself, at Strachan and Pitt streets, is a simple early Gothic Revival building, paid for with financial assistance from Mahlon himself. Strachan Street would be named after The Venerable John Strachan, Archdeacon of York, who preached the first sermon at Trinity. </div><div><br /></div><div>The village is also the location of the Port Burwell Marine Museum and Historic Lighthouse. The museum pays tribute to the village's history as a shipbuilding centre. A better than average community museum, it's filled with artifacts from Lake Erie shipwrecks, as well as anchors, foghorns, and other nautical stuff. There's even the wheelhouse from a Great Lakes freighter. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzYB0wMxtb1miVO6lvtmGdgqt72xJM2tvGO9d2N38qo6aO1HHkzWvZ7Qmrdr0Y5SLmRv1jqujoh44wnlYolVY4QQymlvTRdNBZZLmym3UL52-HPwwOr35YuZVEQDa_2pitEmUDWuTXF6jPxWy8v9SWSTA3SfiS39PPshL-bR3Jcsswgm_mUXdHp9lr/s4160/Aug.%202022%20038.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzYB0wMxtb1miVO6lvtmGdgqt72xJM2tvGO9d2N38qo6aO1HHkzWvZ7Qmrdr0Y5SLmRv1jqujoh44wnlYolVY4QQymlvTRdNBZZLmym3UL52-HPwwOr35YuZVEQDa_2pitEmUDWuTXF6jPxWy8v9SWSTA3SfiS39PPshL-bR3Jcsswgm_mUXdHp9lr/w300-h400/Aug.%202022%20038.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>The Port Burwell Historic Lighthouse is across the street from the museum. Completed in 1840 and restored by Mennonite craftsmen in 1986, it is now one of Canada's oldest lighthouses of completely wooden construction. I'm unclear on how much of the original wood had to be replaced in the restoration, but it still looks authentic. The 45 foot high octagonal structure was deactivated in 1963 but if you're energetic you can still climb 56 steep steps to experience the view from the top. (I didn't, being out of shape.)<div><br /></div><div>Recently I heard a rumour that the Municipality of Bayham was planning alterations to the lighthouse in another upcoming restoration. Word on the street was that the clapboard would be replaced with Hardie cement board and the wooden door with fiberglass. However, reaching out to Bayham Municipal Council for more information, I was told that staff will be consulting architects qualified in historical structures to identify appropriate options. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>[Update: April 2023: </b>Bayham Township is undertaking a stabilization and restoration project on the lighthouse. Much needed since the road to the beach had to be closed in recent months, just in case the structure toppled over in high winds. Work is being conducted by <a href="https://hrigroup.ca/structural.html" target="_blank">Heritage Restoration Inc.</a> of Stouffville.]</div><div><br /></div><div>Port Burwell's other nautical exhibit is the HMCS Ojibwa, a retired Canadian Navy Cold War submarine moved here in November 2012. The sub has nothing to do with the lake port, of course, but organizers hoped it would complement the marine museum and lighthouse. Villagers may have hoped that droves of tourists would arrive to tour the sub and, while there, would eat at a village restaurant, buy ice cream, shop, attend the local theatre ... you get the picture. I'm not sure if the dreamed-of crowds actually came but the Ojibwa is still there, open during summer for tours, so tour it we did. I'm sorry it took me so many years to get around to it. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcaNF5lOPO5nNDZgHNYP8E3O6Tad2J2WzFJumBi7xcl8rOmKPOpXEMEM6QxuS5mS6589TXgvPFCQRS-79BFBrPVYoKBYcAdrTIyvVy5pA15erYeEwnSIQjQ7ePKzSQQve6tYBsFsvJNEcXjU08FUKfjfILlsIU8ZhkD5PbIxWQrUdpWCtioFqm0Fq/s550/ojibwa-submarine.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="365" data-original-width="550" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcaNF5lOPO5nNDZgHNYP8E3O6Tad2J2WzFJumBi7xcl8rOmKPOpXEMEM6QxuS5mS6589TXgvPFCQRS-79BFBrPVYoKBYcAdrTIyvVy5pA15erYeEwnSIQjQ7ePKzSQQve6tYBsFsvJNEcXjU08FUKfjfILlsIU8ZhkD5PbIxWQrUdpWCtioFqm0Fq/w640-h424/ojibwa-submarine.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HMCS Ojibwa<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Ian, our tour guide, and the man responsible for relocating the sub to Port Burwell, is well qualified to explain the technical aspects of this vessel that served from 1965 to 1998. He also explained its human side, what it was like living on board with 60 other crew members. I expected to feel claustrophobic and was pleased to discover I wasn't. But then, it was just the two of us plus our guide. Hats off to those who could live in such close quarters with dozens of shipmates for weeks at a time without losing their minds! And if you think you're not interested in the military, you might be surprised how much you'll learn that's of interest. My respect for the Navy increased and it wasn't too shabby to begin with. <div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.elgintourist.com/portburwell" target="_blank">Elgin County Tourism</a> calls Port Burwell the "Jewel of Erie's North Shore" that "really knows how to live it up!" This is propaganda, of course; even Port Stanley is more exciting. Still, our small towns and villages need all the support they can get. Port Burwell deserves more than just an A for Effort. Its attractions are worth seeing. Visit Mahlon's place when you get a chance. <br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSdVI_G7Sk7AmVmxuFQpqjYc-4vIGx5Y4zqGNzGk4mWRejELxJvesujDn_bocD_8r2roBrNE7adYqW-KwZLddymU4MFaaXSdaOJrYI5E0EnCnLXizMd61z6inSbBHLHKRshmHAPr2XIOrMYN7zS2_MoqL0cuCEq_tmCFowAoAtwcbXnY4SwyzjPPQs/s1599/Burwell%20postcard.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="997" data-original-width="1599" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSdVI_G7Sk7AmVmxuFQpqjYc-4vIGx5Y4zqGNzGk4mWRejELxJvesujDn_bocD_8r2roBrNE7adYqW-KwZLddymU4MFaaXSdaOJrYI5E0EnCnLXizMd61z6inSbBHLHKRshmHAPr2XIOrMYN7zS2_MoqL0cuCEq_tmCFowAoAtwcbXnY4SwyzjPPQs/w640-h400/Burwell%20postcard.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Port Burwell postcard, dated 1909 by a former owner (The blogger's collection).</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div>Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.com2London, ON, Canada42.9849233 -81.245276814.674689463821153 -116.4015268 71.295157136178844 -46.0890268tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4712133571153787239.post-68068094350560006752022-10-02T16:35:00.005-04:002023-06-26T14:36:45.059-04:00The Most Haunting of Former Villages<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGHGm8nfnZSPAdW6xsE7ptb2eSWVgvTO2rs2Kxj8EZAA35vsZmcL2k8DtoGBpntU28NMmySIZ7QlSDyueoupJAMZFr4jh83cc4AmmPT-4aNgMaJoceKjDcIu38Vu__Sr8A5oiTyNMevQbGsnC4VW2nTNeiP8AinUENLJfTRdNtdm7rdar8_ykNiQel/s4160/Sept.%2023%202022%20062.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGHGm8nfnZSPAdW6xsE7ptb2eSWVgvTO2rs2Kxj8EZAA35vsZmcL2k8DtoGBpntU28NMmySIZ7QlSDyueoupJAMZFr4jh83cc4AmmPT-4aNgMaJoceKjDcIu38Vu__Sr8A5oiTyNMevQbGsnC4VW2nTNeiP8AinUENLJfTRdNtdm7rdar8_ykNiQel/w640-h480/Sept.%2023%202022%20062.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Southwold Earthworks, site of an Attawandaron village ca. AD 1450-1550.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />One of the eeriest places in Elgin County is the so-called Southwold Earthworks, the remains of a fortified Attawandaron* village of about 800 or 900 people inhabited ca. 1450 to 1550. Located at 7930 Iona Road near Fingal, the spot has been a National Historic Site since 1923. <p></p><p>The Attawandaron, an Iroquoian-speaking people French explorers called the Neutrals, built a cluster of 18 or more longhouses here of various sizes. The longhouses were multi-unit dwellings housing extended families related by a common maternal ancestor. Archaeologists have determined this in two excavations, the first in 1935 and the second, more scientific investigation, in 1976. The latter dig was performed by London's Museum of Indian Archaeology as the Museum of Ontario Archaeology was then called.</p><p>The village was surrounded by a double row of low earth mounds, foundations for a double ring of upright pickets or palisades. The first palisade might have been built earlier, the site being strengthened by a second wall for improved defenses later. </p><p>It's unusual for an Attawandaron village to be located on a flat plain with no defensive advantages. There's also no archaeological evidence that the site was ever attacked. Tradition within the local Oneida community suggests that this was really a ceremonial site, only enclosed by a palisade so that activities taking place in the village would not be visible to people outside. The site might have been a seasonal place of pilgrimage, not a year-round village.</p><p>My thoughts: 1) Just because there was no attack does not mean the inhabitants did not live in fear of one. 2) A <i>double </i>palisade seems like overkill for a ceremonial site. 3) Some members of the Indigenous community may prefer to interpret their ancestors' behaviour as uniformly peaceful and spiritual, instead of warlike and aggressive. Despite opinions to the contrary, I still suspect the inhabitants of this village lived in fear of their neighbours. </p><p>Regardless of the site's controversy, it's still a nice place to take a picnic and walk your dog. There are also several interpretive plaques describing the lifeways of the long-ago inhabitants. There's no admission charge since it's basically a park. But bear in mind the Earthworks are a long walk from the road, so this isn't a site for the physically challenged. And it might be a bit creepy if you're alone. </p><p>It's also not a site for people who can't picture in their minds the sizable village that once stood here. It's an archaeological site, folks. If you wish to see an actual recreation of a village, visit <a href="https://www.lowerthames-conservation.on.ca/conservation-lands/ska-nah-doht-longwoods/" target="_blank">Ska-Nah-Doht</a> or <a href="https://archaeologymuseum.ca/" target="_blank">the Museum of Ontario Archaeology</a>. </p><p>But if you have a powerful imagination and you close your eyes in this quiet spot, you can easily visualize the men, women, and children who worked and played in the longhouses. </p><p>* I've chosen to spell the word like Attawandron Road, location of London, Ontario's Museum of Ontario Archaeology. You may also see it spelled Attiwandaron, Attiwandaronk, and Attarawandon. </p>Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.com1London, ON, Canada42.9849233 -81.245276817.457465222001787 -116.4015268 68.51238137799821 -46.0890268tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4712133571153787239.post-73562751232716162952022-10-02T14:31:00.010-04:002023-06-26T14:36:59.460-04:00Military Site Returns to Nature<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1Dq3fPIHz7i4ixepMYRI_x8f4P3u67HpFWVNQAmtoptyYHoiONOxCuQNO-80j7kNJQ7Vu5iS0Kg6o3496jawDRZpo-TrPC1E7iSomroraCojQBpsbWvieNLLasnYwf6r-3GhsPTsALneFUEJLe4Q7qKG3f9F-9tqUDv9dkjJjgFq2ixxyttX32Sc/s4160/Sept.%2023%202022%20034.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1Dq3fPIHz7i4ixepMYRI_x8f4P3u67HpFWVNQAmtoptyYHoiONOxCuQNO-80j7kNJQ7Vu5iS0Kg6o3496jawDRZpo-TrPC1E7iSomroraCojQBpsbWvieNLLasnYwf6r-3GhsPTsALneFUEJLe4Q7qKG3f9F-9tqUDv9dkjJjgFq2ixxyttX32Sc/w400-h300/Sept.%2023%202022%20034.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>In September a friend and I visited the site of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan's No. 4 Bombing & Gunnery School, near Fingal, Elgin County. No. 4 BGS was operated by the RCAF from November 25, 1940 to February 17, 1945. Over 4,000 aircrew from Canada, Britain, New Zealand, and Australia graduated from No. 4 BGS as well as another 2,000 aircrew from other countries, such as the US, Norway and France. Except for Air Gunners, all other aircrew trades received initial advanced training elsewhere and finished their training at bombing and gunnery schools. Air Gunners received all their advanced training at these schools. The RCAF continued operations at this particular site under a number of names until closure in 1961 when the Province of Ontario took over the property. <p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1igrqwISSOGYN6i49lg_9Qk-dBUV6gFNvUO-bWikF1uA4H23s1NmRpBnBaCMIiIraXt9A_pIMzv9Ql65W-X8N4RKARTYIim0wItMmid7xuYUa54Gee56J7F6NwfWZ1jSEHSIVfytHmcCvTBeLoS-ExmFnTZuvkVCTG8Pc3kSlsMD1EVwtilWnHj26/s4160/Sept.%2023%202022%20043.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1igrqwISSOGYN6i49lg_9Qk-dBUV6gFNvUO-bWikF1uA4H23s1NmRpBnBaCMIiIraXt9A_pIMzv9Ql65W-X8N4RKARTYIim0wItMmid7xuYUa54Gee56J7F6NwfWZ1jSEHSIVfytHmcCvTBeLoS-ExmFnTZuvkVCTG8Pc3kSlsMD1EVwtilWnHj26/w400-h300/Sept.%2023%202022%20043.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Site of former hangars. </td></tr></tbody></table>The area is now the Fingal Wildlife Management Area, managed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Elgin County Stewardship Council. Nature is busily reclaiming the property, helped by plantings of trees and shrubs. Trails now cover the site of the six steel-framed hangars, large drill hall, and 50 other buildings, including canteens, repair shops, recreational facilities, and three hard-surfaced runways. A series of ponds have been developed and photographic signage added to show visitors what buildings stood where. A trail guide with colour map is available, listing walking trails and common trees. <div><br /></div><div>My friend brought along an older leaflet identifying the locations of various buildings, far more useful if one's interest in the site is historical, not arboreal. Not sure if that booklet is still available to the public. <div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgim6akAngDcsEbhF4aB2gi8N6ht9gyKzkcGl3Ag_kcXj26TdOYZ8fDcc991dFLM5aZecGJsrXrdJ2CVaJu8OKbNjFHFg9CYs6XpCEoNWOXNKE1fwGBmT1v2_ZMqCqf5oYYkb0YkJdooTzRVApwUGNAff0u0DHVnxEg_dfELSgkSvLvQak-uTn9zh7R/s4160/Sept.%2023%202022%20040.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgim6akAngDcsEbhF4aB2gi8N6ht9gyKzkcGl3Ag_kcXj26TdOYZ8fDcc991dFLM5aZecGJsrXrdJ2CVaJu8OKbNjFHFg9CYs6XpCEoNWOXNKE1fwGBmT1v2_ZMqCqf5oYYkb0YkJdooTzRVApwUGNAff0u0DHVnxEg_dfELSgkSvLvQak-uTn9zh7R/w300-h400/Sept.%2023%202022%20040.jpg" width="300" /></a> </td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking trails show traces of former pavement.</td></tr></tbody></table><div> The majority of visitors may be walking dogs, bird watching, or even hunting on designated days in the southern section of the property. Still, for those interested in military history - or any history - the site is an interesting tribute to the men and women who lived and worked there in the '40s. </div><div><br /></div><div> I have to say the site deserves a little more maintenance. Some interpretive signs are becoming hard to read and foliage needs cutting back so they can be read more easily. For example, a memorial plaque was erected in 1993 in memory of the RCAF personnel who served here (see top left). The reverse side lists casualties, those who died on duty at No. 4, mainly in training accidents. It's a little hard to read at the moment, since a nearby bush is taking over. The text of the plaque is listed <a href="https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/national-inventory-canadian-memorials/details/7923" target="_blank">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div> When the generation who served in the war - or even remember it as children - are gone, will this site be preserved? With a possible recession looming on our horizon, will funding be available for replacement signs? Or will this site literally go to the dogs?</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjegc-90rGUBJZv45E8ixlmsePNs-HpdN8dmeyAibwn4U7buw4OMR0uP4FgzAm12I7F675NdwC1yvzqZVY94BVPSd0a2Keye6Abrn8j4P-TWCmQKwMx5ZAlk-3UN1y2f8dgOFfpLtWzeMNTwH4IFhSl0lmoeh6cd0UHciCrDnflIh0lQnCZ545St38B/s4160/Sept.%2023%202022%20041.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjegc-90rGUBJZv45E8ixlmsePNs-HpdN8dmeyAibwn4U7buw4OMR0uP4FgzAm12I7F675NdwC1yvzqZVY94BVPSd0a2Keye6Abrn8j4P-TWCmQKwMx5ZAlk-3UN1y2f8dgOFfpLtWzeMNTwH4IFhSl0lmoeh6cd0UHciCrDnflIh0lQnCZ545St38B/w640-h480/Sept.%2023%202022%20041.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An interesting sign on one of the walking trails in need of cleaning or possible replacement. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJswaIISlYK6brM3y3gmtapIymq2JFDxn6pgjZ_2PHdlMKpvmEmkFm_wQ99OjkPFciMVF9pSSh63RQyJybjKrtukyQCVZ8L6VDm-gVMb3qj50N9zVZJHArCzxo76bzU6AO6EDPqKqzFs9rgnZNQXce1gs2eUP1boYN10qnhEK07UUF1Gp0kASUK53/s4160/Sept.%2023%202022%20053.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJswaIISlYK6brM3y3gmtapIymq2JFDxn6pgjZ_2PHdlMKpvmEmkFm_wQ99OjkPFciMVF9pSSh63RQyJybjKrtukyQCVZ8L6VDm-gVMb3qj50N9zVZJHArCzxo76bzU6AO6EDPqKqzFs9rgnZNQXce1gs2eUP1boYN10qnhEK07UUF1Gp0kASUK53/w640-h480/Sept.%2023%202022%20053.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian Carmichael Pond photographed from nearby viewing stand.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCs3xIZ-7LVBoACVe0duEmRKbaHjlthuFB5iaXrBbLFlc7eMI593FYhJIVpG1XMk7LpX9zkL3PVvNT98pbdeEvclv-c8vPf6ASeGxYLDPaRb5ml91Upx_l29LqfWlAQl5zhsj_2E-uJL7QQyOgw21o9kt_8KtOOyxM1xI4XPQMb43LwQMjs6QSNpJa/s824/Sept.%2023%202022%20046.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="824" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCs3xIZ-7LVBoACVe0duEmRKbaHjlthuFB5iaXrBbLFlc7eMI593FYhJIVpG1XMk7LpX9zkL3PVvNT98pbdeEvclv-c8vPf6ASeGxYLDPaRb5ml91Upx_l29LqfWlAQl5zhsj_2E-uJL7QQyOgw21o9kt_8KtOOyxM1xI4XPQMb43LwQMjs6QSNpJa/w640-h414/Sept.%2023%202022%20046.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remains of incinerators where military documents were burned. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p></div></div>Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.com1London, ON, Canada42.9849233 -81.245276814.674689463821153 -116.4015268 71.295157136178844 -46.0890268tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4712133571153787239.post-47303435145625776272022-09-22T15:00:00.001-04:002022-10-05T19:50:38.504-04:00Tombstone Tourism: North Nissouri United Church <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTJC5qd68gaWJkNUzpvjOPrGnWuAYf6IZpP-XlI9657gPn8AZoz9VfjwuTyPbaRfAyo0_fNLNLjGFSd22i9auKSpacc_CmVZOA3gJeC9c-SMzcneIjcFrWYt3J_aTk2LkTMK-SOBT3vrfMiF4a2vieNJZUzwZPEl3XwD7C_0BPk5m3uKQDv2ptjBRN/s4160/Aug%201%202022%20020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTJC5qd68gaWJkNUzpvjOPrGnWuAYf6IZpP-XlI9657gPn8AZoz9VfjwuTyPbaRfAyo0_fNLNLjGFSd22i9auKSpacc_CmVZOA3gJeC9c-SMzcneIjcFrWYt3J_aTk2LkTMK-SOBT3vrfMiF4a2vieNJZUzwZPEl3XwD7C_0BPk5m3uKQDv2ptjBRN/w400-h300/Aug%201%202022%20020.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>One of the most scenic locations in Middlesex is at 24058 Fairview Road, north of Cherry Grove in the former West Nissouri Township, part of Thames Centre since 2001. The spot is North Nissouri United Church and its surrounding cemetery. <p></p><p>First of all, let's establish what "Nissouri" means. Some residents believe it's a corruption of the phrase "nigh Zorra," meaning "next to Zorra." Why? Because East Nissouri Township in Oxford County was situated next to Zorra Township.* Forget it. Nissouri means something like "gurgling waters" in an Indigenous language. When the former township was first settled by Europeans, there were many running streams emptying into the nearby Thames. </p><p>Land for this church and cemetery was donated by George Black in 1844, a decade before the church was built. The church was constructed from heavy oak timbers supplied by local farms and has rounded windows. It was veneered with brick in the 1880s by John Thompson. The first minister was Robert Hall who served for twenty-one years as a circuit preacher in the neighbourhood. By the 1860s, there was a forty-member congregation. </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15uvERIemQKIE9m4QPBC4ZZQEKGFz-PgQt7ICrDGzeyFYa7H9bBt_FuPUzxkJ6tRxDfO1qLI5uLIY7cbnsllTT4fp5OEEmcP1ScuBESYdhHrDAVpvlfvREmTQrSCN8qdY0JYwP3MygOxSSxJkjUvwY03YjP9EUdyDf3QGHreyacfOWgWyeEhBBc0N/s3131/Aug%201%202022%20022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2025" data-original-width="3131" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15uvERIemQKIE9m4QPBC4ZZQEKGFz-PgQt7ICrDGzeyFYa7H9bBt_FuPUzxkJ6tRxDfO1qLI5uLIY7cbnsllTT4fp5OEEmcP1ScuBESYdhHrDAVpvlfvREmTQrSCN8qdY0JYwP3MygOxSSxJkjUvwY03YjP9EUdyDf3QGHreyacfOWgWyeEhBBc0N/w400-h259/Aug%201%202022%20022.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cement block Sunday School room at rear.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Originally Presbyterian, the church joined the United Church of Canada in 1925 after church members voted in favour of church union. The church was lit by coal and Coleman lamps before hydro was installed in 1938. A drive shed once to the north of the building is now gone. </p><p>The congregation celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2004 but disbanded in the summer of 2021. One assumes attendance had dropped to far fewer than forty. No word yet on what happens to the building now.</p><p>But the church is perched on a hill surrounded by a cemetery of one and three quarter acres overlooking Gregory Creek valley. Now inactive, the cemetery is said to have more than 800 burials, the first known interment being that of Hannah Horton, local midwife, in 1844. I didn't find a grave marker with her name but there can be no doubt there are many more graves than gravestones. This is true of most older cemeteries. Many families could not afford a marker and some markers have been lost. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33nshNuUevErlRDHsAoHB6iicC6bQWgrEpxWGcq7NIpcS7ulJ32L2wMaR3HawhpA6GHnfPEWOjla-7IIiv5rukE3q1rv9GwJSuiGp9fv5L3PcjybEFK6ZCQppwFsZ8BtPEER13W_jdFQ30WbV6KC4Lcl96rCBOcqK_uUz_6IlB3vo-IIoXkB5UIdh/s4160/Aug%201%202022%20024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2667" data-original-width="4160" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33nshNuUevErlRDHsAoHB6iicC6bQWgrEpxWGcq7NIpcS7ulJ32L2wMaR3HawhpA6GHnfPEWOjla-7IIiv5rukE3q1rv9GwJSuiGp9fv5L3PcjybEFK6ZCQppwFsZ8BtPEER13W_jdFQ30WbV6KC4Lcl96rCBOcqK_uUz_6IlB3vo-IIoXkB5UIdh/w640-h410/Aug%201%202022%20024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><div style="text-align: left;">The gently-sloping graveyard reminds me of the macabre poem "The Coffins" by southwestern Ontario poet James Reaney (1926-2008): </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">These coffins are submarines</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">That will sail beneath the slopes </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Of grey-green old graveyards.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">One white lone sailor to each</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Submarine that navigates </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The wormy seas of earth.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">With shrouds for uniforms</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Stitched by weeping tailors</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">These bony sailors</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Shall sail deep field and morass</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Without periscope or compass</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">They'll only dimly know</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">That someday they must flow</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Into the final harbour</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">On some high gray shore</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Where the Lord shall weigh</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Men's wicked souls on Doomsday.**</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5R1Xgr1UeHz8gOJJh31HMwpcK5xwcRtsMN9-Qwnr-Xp4WIGYa3dUo9Dc7VFNlj0Yl1RzKnL236FQyjhYIIHrd8B1DntU2dI2-rvpx4hfrp61e7rIibmDzCUY-vXc-cNhbEKiealgRzx0et3tBCFGkFOdRAKBTUMYqbAvIV8Y8uOf_kQGjs63nuRPE/s3857/Aug%201%202022%20027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3857" data-original-width="1791" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5R1Xgr1UeHz8gOJJh31HMwpcK5xwcRtsMN9-Qwnr-Xp4WIGYa3dUo9Dc7VFNlj0Yl1RzKnL236FQyjhYIIHrd8B1DntU2dI2-rvpx4hfrp61e7rIibmDzCUY-vXc-cNhbEKiealgRzx0et3tBCFGkFOdRAKBTUMYqbAvIV8Y8uOf_kQGjs63nuRPE/w298-h640/Aug%201%202022%20027.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A poignant reminder of the harshness of pioneer life:<br />"To The Memory of George McDonald Who died Sept. 4th 1852 Aged 35 Years. And His Wife Mary, Who died Sept. 21, 1853 Ae. 24 yrs." </td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">*East Nissouri, West Zorra, and North Oxford townships were amalgamated into a new township called Zorra in 1975.</div><p>**James Reaney, The Red Heart. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1949. p. 60.</p></div>Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.com076HWR3P2+HJ21.8364692 -81.9484018-3.6909888779982118 -117.1046518 47.363927277998215 -46.7921518tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4712133571153787239.post-52809735219454523942022-09-18T13:47:00.001-04:002022-09-18T13:55:08.032-04:00Milling Around: Arva Flour Mills<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjAtAAbivpxbsfBJG9lPaEVjOyIizsg6X73fDw9rjmzQotmfT0ruH8pHG5jpozR8k-yL5h53YmssUThhy5SVUXIC-VJJ8TGOKjxudB_h1D6QKkcNZ7lMOcj-0MYsZFWUrZX5ju5kGbrxvOC-WFPKEPhN6xxVdtHaMXSVR7wcbm-01RBm5tUHCNfhU/s4160/sept%202022%20002.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjAtAAbivpxbsfBJG9lPaEVjOyIizsg6X73fDw9rjmzQotmfT0ruH8pHG5jpozR8k-yL5h53YmssUThhy5SVUXIC-VJJ8TGOKjxudB_h1D6QKkcNZ7lMOcj-0MYsZFWUrZX5ju5kGbrxvOC-WFPKEPhN6xxVdtHaMXSVR7wcbm-01RBm5tUHCNfhU/w400-h300/sept%202022%20002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>This summer a friend and I were fortunate enough to get a rare behind-the-scenes tour of Arva Flour Mills from its new owner. I say fortunate because it's not everyone who's had a chance to view the antique milling equipment inside this pioneer building on the banks of Medway Creek. I say rare, because most visitors only see the workings through a door while shopping in the attached store. But I have friends in high places: my travelling companion once worked with owner Mark Rinker's dad, Fred. They got chatting, and the rest is history. <p></p><p>Mark, who purchased the business from Mike Matthews in 2021, has done his research and believes the mill, established in 1819, is Canada's sixth-oldest continuously operating business. And perhaps the oldest food-producing company in Canada too. Most historians agree that Arva Flour Mills is North America's oldest continuously-operating, water-powered commercial flour mill. </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9ZiR-daFmqt2z_w3gdANk0EvwYS9qRbVRd9gMEin-kl0TLZpOeTbH3YHDITQuy3W-euxWWwDxebjg8t31Ss2ojQgeQ0PyJXvdULplCDiR_YlWarouc7lpYKpRH2hfficO_7Pt7IgbBv8t4utMI6xtxWmt0V32umEF4kan_D0rhXj9OoN7IDhRApN/s4160/arva%20flour%20mill%20etc%20008.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="2275" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9ZiR-daFmqt2z_w3gdANk0EvwYS9qRbVRd9gMEin-kl0TLZpOeTbH3YHDITQuy3W-euxWWwDxebjg8t31Ss2ojQgeQ0PyJXvdULplCDiR_YlWarouc7lpYKpRH2hfficO_7Pt7IgbBv8t4utMI6xtxWmt0V32umEF4kan_D0rhXj9OoN7IDhRApN/w219-h400/arva%20flour%20mill%20etc%20008.jpg" width="219" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pioneer tool marks on an interior beam.</td></tr></tbody></table>The business was founded when much of the surrounding area was forest and nearby Richmond Street, then known as the Proof Line, was the main route north through London Township. In the 1800s, the owner often allowed customers to barter for flour, accepting items like turnips or boots as payment. <br /><p>In early twentieth century, the original grist millstones were replaced with roller mills made by Goldie and McCulloch of Galt (now Cambridge), state-of-the-art technology for the era. At the same time, an outside water wheel was changed to an underwater turbine. For the most part, the mill operates the same way as it did in the early 1900s, half run by water power, the rest by electricity. </p><p>The equipment allowed the mill to produce 30,000 pounds of flour a day, much of which was purchased by McCormick's in London. With little competition and a major company as a customer, there was probably little need to update equipment, which is why the mill is a rare operating antique in the twenty-first century. </p><p>While there have been many owners over the years, the family of Mike Matthews operated the mill for over four generations since 1919. That must be some kind of flour mill record. </p><p>As I mentioned in a <a href="https://jennifergrainger.blogspot.com/search/label/Hunt%20Brothers" target="_blank">previous post on mills</a>, Arva Flour Mills was shut down by a federal safety inspector in 2017. The inspector was concerned that the old equipment, with its exposed rollers and belts, was a hazard for workers. This despite the fact that Mike and his workers were highly trained on the use of their machinery. Fortunately, common sense prevailed and a federal tribunal later overturned the ruling. The mill was allowed to operate again on the understanding that no workers, not even the owner, are allowed in the upper level of the mill when the equipment is running. Fair enough.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIzv40D8dUVOUMekwK-N4d9xD15m7BqahbqIhtSzX7Vgn-01Vtfaj9T_tmu8csx7FgR0fdwsMotEjNfGUpbGtBlMQSVFKOkYHGPOXn9ppEozjKHt6wW5V98UScSp38ovxo5RFdgyRMPPadujhoPH3rDjLbWwqU09BsZULA-Jaqp6a7xs3nJaRWewqr/s4160/arva%20flour%20mill%20etc%20006.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIzv40D8dUVOUMekwK-N4d9xD15m7BqahbqIhtSzX7Vgn-01Vtfaj9T_tmu8csx7FgR0fdwsMotEjNfGUpbGtBlMQSVFKOkYHGPOXn9ppEozjKHt6wW5V98UScSp38ovxo5RFdgyRMPPadujhoPH3rDjLbWwqU09BsZULA-Jaqp6a7xs3nJaRWewqr/w240-h320/arva%20flour%20mill%20etc%20006.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark Rinker shows off his equipment.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;"> Using wheat from local farms, the old roller mills produce a "heritage flour" with no preservatives or undesirable commercial additives. The store sells flours, mixes for beer bread and cornbread, and red fife pancake mix as part of the Arva Flour Mills brand. Mark also bought the Red River Cereal brand from Smuckers Foods of Canada which had stopped selling the brand last year. Created in Manitoba in 1924, the cereal was named after the Red River near Winnipeg. The recipe included cracked wheat and rye but was altered about ten years ago to include steel-cut wheat instead. Mark's historic business is now producing the original recipe on site. The cereal is now available at the mill store and beyond. </p><p> For such an old business to be booming is fabulous for Mark and his family but also for the community of Arva, the wider London region, and heritage preservationists. The mill's continued success under sympathetic, enthusiastic management proves that not everything old needs to be demolished. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2VyCnKkdNjDCaWiZVN66BHFVr8_T3c2mV6tuLEL59XVJ9NlgsWhGpS9d2cAEpVEXAMX5DO6weRYTUBhRhEZX7jSZQKnCzryosEGNHlb3hh7xdw1YSlKg83iSjrqZHT1q-dlhL30lNkiPH4TByJkWe3srG9zbdE73I_LUurkFkMGZSCBYtrKBs9PI/s4160/arva%20flour%20mill%20etc%20007.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2VyCnKkdNjDCaWiZVN66BHFVr8_T3c2mV6tuLEL59XVJ9NlgsWhGpS9d2cAEpVEXAMX5DO6weRYTUBhRhEZX7jSZQKnCzryosEGNHlb3hh7xdw1YSlKg83iSjrqZHT1q-dlhL30lNkiPH4TByJkWe3srG9zbdE73I_LUurkFkMGZSCBYtrKBs9PI/w640-h480/arva%20flour%20mill%20etc%20007.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Arva Flour Mills remains a significant and valuable Southwestern Ontario landmark. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT5hZDF6KP0DjkERdd2Fhqdx1DADwZ7-3nHDqCh4wSL7FIcfV7MlvMhA4ssbWISTAG4YP5fTC5e0IENt1SLWAMwl02oWNfSkbDJwd7Z4VBqYpcILN7wgIocH2fGeX5AbAzYJZMbYqtrSafp8LdEEdspnruy3kN4TN-0R6BCZT8QrdgmvUxN0frWRzo/s4160/arva%20flour%20mill%20etc%20001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT5hZDF6KP0DjkERdd2Fhqdx1DADwZ7-3nHDqCh4wSL7FIcfV7MlvMhA4ssbWISTAG4YP5fTC5e0IENt1SLWAMwl02oWNfSkbDJwd7Z4VBqYpcILN7wgIocH2fGeX5AbAzYJZMbYqtrSafp8LdEEdspnruy3kN4TN-0R6BCZT8QrdgmvUxN0frWRzo/w640-h480/arva%20flour%20mill%20etc%20001.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi63o-DvZtx_VnnJXmZO_RBmpWT0BilbMjQRQOJDLdRX_6IxQPn9SpK1ZUYy_TDOhC9V8DC4YY1oFNNEoFKAztstRBOVBoVSPG2dlraUURCIYFNMK_zcetp9gubyusMMNVMSFi-Pjv_cC_zipVQCq8uwyG4H0opeFM5oTNFPJFojm6D5L2mdMCLrFRF/s4160/arva%20flour%20mill%20etc%20002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi63o-DvZtx_VnnJXmZO_RBmpWT0BilbMjQRQOJDLdRX_6IxQPn9SpK1ZUYy_TDOhC9V8DC4YY1oFNNEoFKAztstRBOVBoVSPG2dlraUURCIYFNMK_zcetp9gubyusMMNVMSFi-Pjv_cC_zipVQCq8uwyG4H0opeFM5oTNFPJFojm6D5L2mdMCLrFRF/w640-h480/arva%20flour%20mill%20etc%20002.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4712133571153787239.post-14427208920767947922022-07-14T20:38:00.021-04:002023-09-06T19:21:40.063-04:00History Murals of Southwestern Ontario<p>I'm always looking for something positive to report on Southwestern Ontario's historical scene. Often months go by. But this summer's day trips have provided me with lots of visual reminders of our local history in the form of colourful murals. Not only am I enjoying them, I'm starting to go out of my way to see them. </p><p>I figure these murals are great in lots of ways: they provide work for artists; they celebrate our region's unique heritage and character; they help revitalize struggling small towns by providing energy and interest; heck, they may even bring in a few tourist dollars. </p><p>Most of them are painted in the artist's studio on panels and then assembled on site. This means that a mural can be taken down, repaired, if necessary, and remounted later, even in a different location. Occasionally, though, there's one painted directly on a building wall. </p><p>Of course not all murals feature local history. But this is a history blog so this is what you get:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRxDpPdXYulNV3Bi19iP3gZjCVNNLvHD4FIJ-6HXSkOL-Y-5HBV0Ix4c77CUzshoz-iaiFDqzjagUrGp_tl75BoEVDsW2GOVvCBIig4rZkkl2o1mKoC3Kw7b-xqFhs3EwIHUhIBLWbPzDqVkOlxM0TsNIWGD9rNyIpRDAUQyeBT3443Zr5VN6Qp5l2/s3138/Exeter%20Mural.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1382" data-original-width="3138" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRxDpPdXYulNV3Bi19iP3gZjCVNNLvHD4FIJ-6HXSkOL-Y-5HBV0Ix4c77CUzshoz-iaiFDqzjagUrGp_tl75BoEVDsW2GOVvCBIig4rZkkl2o1mKoC3Kw7b-xqFhs3EwIHUhIBLWbPzDqVkOlxM0TsNIWGD9rNyIpRDAUQyeBT3443Zr5VN6Qp5l2/w640-h282/Exeter%20Mural.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the side of a building in downtown Exeter, facing a parkette, this mural by Allen C. Hilgendorf features the town's Grand Trunk Railway station.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHbbw-8U5j4tX2r9vPEbx04qdNeQ4Ty4hXUOcbAFQWzgSEc5-zD91jKrRpY4VN2npSr4FxVvzuaCWL9T3P1_5aYmRI3Mg53aRUyyn5y-CDhCoPRY8h5PM5fCrCJR_PrrenYs9zba0Y8bizvn27VFhOG6oNzzvaYE9RvOYcidKi2N0cYJ3tq7rxxOP/s4160/May%2023%202022%20Parkhill%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2540" data-original-width="4160" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHbbw-8U5j4tX2r9vPEbx04qdNeQ4Ty4hXUOcbAFQWzgSEc5-zD91jKrRpY4VN2npSr4FxVvzuaCWL9T3P1_5aYmRI3Mg53aRUyyn5y-CDhCoPRY8h5PM5fCrCJR_PrrenYs9zba0Y8bizvn27VFhOG6oNzzvaYE9RvOYcidKi2N0cYJ3tq7rxxOP/w640-h390/May%2023%202022%20Parkhill%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruth Hurdle's portrayal of early Parkhill brightens the side of an older village building.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><br /><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvJOSvcJy_d9Qw0tPctMFQet5u6HA2JtnmeFei8IztGkKDLl2a7lVdQkQpgTFpOL33DFiQUnflXQSNxcBaFRik98xx5fkac2gztipPFP77KOvhKvZpGYAcp95_AzdFMyl3fdUgJrWSEa9vGGLnYFhwg2WdOWAIoCc_i83-e22yf9W3KGM6e8PL-96/s3485/Ailsa%20Craig%20Mural.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1958" data-original-width="3485" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvJOSvcJy_d9Qw0tPctMFQet5u6HA2JtnmeFei8IztGkKDLl2a7lVdQkQpgTFpOL33DFiQUnflXQSNxcBaFRik98xx5fkac2gztipPFP77KOvhKvZpGYAcp95_AzdFMyl3fdUgJrWSEa9vGGLnYFhwg2WdOWAIoCc_i83-e22yf9W3KGM6e8PL-96/w640-h360/Ailsa%20Craig%20Mural.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This mural at 172 Main Street, Ailsa Craig, shows five buildings from the town's past as well as portraits of the village founders. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmsjiqYsT1mh2tsmfvoFmDG--If6Rf9B8RrPCs5Jz65N0Bazi0yqXHBbaPINDV3VEHZFxEwpUpnOs39U0nX_qykmj908_STwoqy9N19Q33IceE9s57-1yEZl3e_Gtg7Sr-9L8-LDLr3vFYTtLXxMxHGppuqjAK3jRRlbiZEtTV997HsY_ASezhA7pk/s3661/Lucan%20mural%20June%202022%20054.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2281" data-original-width="3661" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmsjiqYsT1mh2tsmfvoFmDG--If6Rf9B8RrPCs5Jz65N0Bazi0yqXHBbaPINDV3VEHZFxEwpUpnOs39U0nX_qykmj908_STwoqy9N19Q33IceE9s57-1yEZl3e_Gtg7Sr-9L8-LDLr3vFYTtLXxMxHGppuqjAK3jRRlbiZEtTV997HsY_ASezhA7pk/w640-h398/Lucan%20mural%20June%202022%20054.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What better way to brighten a boring bank? Mural in Lucan by A. R. Gillett, 2019.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirk3qGAhg3MObTNpRNfNTzxpoAexTJ29YRcLA4wjZCLcqBtHy60WCINP5KolpVK0Z_eSpc9hHPYhuM_MgoxBR7Dr_vmOU5Ezn9084n5ww9iCVsfI038xJS2jb1YYN1SAIq2z-mYGHnt3f0mkjLGpNh4shPCbTW6fFWrZlPEsihH0shme5H_FjdAn9w/s3949/Clinton%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1865" data-original-width="3949" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirk3qGAhg3MObTNpRNfNTzxpoAexTJ29YRcLA4wjZCLcqBtHy60WCINP5KolpVK0Z_eSpc9hHPYhuM_MgoxBR7Dr_vmOU5Ezn9084n5ww9iCVsfI038xJS2jb1YYN1SAIq2z-mYGHnt3f0mkjLGpNh4shPCbTW6fFWrZlPEsihH0shme5H_FjdAn9w/w640-h302/Clinton%20(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This memory of the 1925 Clinton Old Boys' Reunion, complete with photo corners, greatly improves an ugly building next to a town parking lot.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEIdMaE72TEZEdumJgyuuendRwaIuOpceBaaml7aFYIJfRDNKTq6HBpwj74x5nPQ9ScspiXu_tYUEJYX3-zrHxYmJGtcEutH0g2xPO_vF8AzUltoJtxhooDRZch7Ja_dgTLUP9TyyMj9hbOGQDcPo94OR5O0QDf9c9YI7nGeP-8OFwXSs4p-jSwjGcUb8/s3714/Clinton%20fair%20mural.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="981" data-original-width="3714" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEIdMaE72TEZEdumJgyuuendRwaIuOpceBaaml7aFYIJfRDNKTq6HBpwj74x5nPQ9ScspiXu_tYUEJYX3-zrHxYmJGtcEutH0g2xPO_vF8AzUltoJtxhooDRZch7Ja_dgTLUP9TyyMj9hbOGQDcPo94OR5O0QDf9c9YI7nGeP-8OFwXSs4p-jSwjGcUb8/w640-h170/Clinton%20fair%20mural.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another Clinton mural highlights the town's spring fair. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC7jmFsQQkBP68MH9K451nsBTb3Dq8_Lr8OE9XrlomCEo3UqvOno3L0sa5NISU7w0v3jbbf5J3MoBylljYddlOegIxQ5j_O1lZ7TbNrfmGN2tg6FCFhFrjtKJt-5NxisoL3_Ve-3RfRwrWJLh_6vEE0deLCI2ChBNa8ypIfAhA4uAMP0poPSPbQzOP/s2797/Seaforth%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1530" data-original-width="2797" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC7jmFsQQkBP68MH9K451nsBTb3Dq8_Lr8OE9XrlomCEo3UqvOno3L0sa5NISU7w0v3jbbf5J3MoBylljYddlOegIxQ5j_O1lZ7TbNrfmGN2tg6FCFhFrjtKJt-5NxisoL3_Ve-3RfRwrWJLh_6vEE0deLCI2ChBNa8ypIfAhA4uAMP0poPSPbQzOP/w640-h350/Seaforth%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Once again, a bank sponsors mural art, this time featuring historic headlines in Seaforth. Note the historic post office building in the background where the clock tower even showed the right time.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3BjNr1KJfT9RjFApVR02Z0FtGgr6OzVZxXbY62Ag4lc7WMBaRUSfyJvwqUmQWvl6Mx288Q0hQNb8zdKqrEl5URrw4MrDIsCK1H3S4Ymu722_Ih_1yveVRUjjzjqqHcG3PRC6SAmJqL9qGiMhBJdR0SQ36zvz1wql_oR4zF5XHIfpC5DNgAxB3ePX1/s3897/Aug.%202022%20034.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1686" data-original-width="3897" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3BjNr1KJfT9RjFApVR02Z0FtGgr6OzVZxXbY62Ag4lc7WMBaRUSfyJvwqUmQWvl6Mx288Q0hQNb8zdKqrEl5URrw4MrDIsCK1H3S4Ymu722_Ih_1yveVRUjjzjqqHcG3PRC6SAmJqL9qGiMhBJdR0SQ36zvz1wql_oR4zF5XHIfpC5DNgAxB3ePX1/w640-h301/Aug.%202022%20034.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mural in Port Burwell highlights the harbour in busier times. Painted in 2000 by Rick Johnston, it now has a little wear. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>St. Thomas is leading the way in Southwestern Ontario with murals galore:</b><div><b><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjrrJ6oJ6toP2oCobaV6V7k09WSVsNfC6n3d6SEilVM_e67PHqpT5A67nhTyoT6kEwCzDQjbdvmVjP1HJ5xBCfRZARE8dzQaSl6cVBigln6q9H58xgsZbF5wMDd3BAxdz9icGidr5qS1aowr0CKnrLgKOjycEzsWogYf7kcz_rYGtaQu3gcAxJAWUi/s4025/Aug.%202022%20072.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1651" data-original-width="4025" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjrrJ6oJ6toP2oCobaV6V7k09WSVsNfC6n3d6SEilVM_e67PHqpT5A67nhTyoT6kEwCzDQjbdvmVjP1HJ5xBCfRZARE8dzQaSl6cVBigln6q9H58xgsZbF5wMDd3BAxdz9icGidr5qS1aowr0CKnrLgKOjycEzsWogYf7kcz_rYGtaQu3gcAxJAWUi/w640-h312/Aug.%202022%20072.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This cheerful sign brightens up an ugly wall.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgab-UHTG-lLjbgycJs4kB1zELSP38kf4T2JpBj22IbLoqe1sCq7ucv_7BaDLyfC1q5C6NMgC2ETcrQP6VIUYgSBIsLo8SAOJucsARyPgkHOdLI22qXQhMdaWZzDKCLG1xI39YCZgnPGDoqVCsyQ6idc-XJVjZgaiBZQ4xJD352SqSM-HdszoxJ1CyW/s3627/Aug.%202022%20066.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2242" data-original-width="3627" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgab-UHTG-lLjbgycJs4kB1zELSP38kf4T2JpBj22IbLoqe1sCq7ucv_7BaDLyfC1q5C6NMgC2ETcrQP6VIUYgSBIsLo8SAOJucsARyPgkHOdLI22qXQhMdaWZzDKCLG1xI39YCZgnPGDoqVCsyQ6idc-XJVjZgaiBZQ4xJD352SqSM-HdszoxJ1CyW/w640-h396/Aug.%202022%20066.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Many of St. Thomas's murals feature the city's railroad history. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUH0xd7VpFUPB5Kg3QC2TS6dG1omnU02xB9nlcMHLa3gRI5jGBVETAbJB0l_aK7B6r4BMFe6Ckde4zIFdy82OydAuxRmMjLnSKZYJVnBY-kraP_VLQ6hJ_w9XTfwOe13Ht-x7xAF4055IIUXlfhjamOrc2hmPJMTZVVDmUKFDZjG1N1RcpSYVov3E/s3349/Aug.%202022%20056.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1329" data-original-width="3349" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUH0xd7VpFUPB5Kg3QC2TS6dG1omnU02xB9nlcMHLa3gRI5jGBVETAbJB0l_aK7B6r4BMFe6Ckde4zIFdy82OydAuxRmMjLnSKZYJVnBY-kraP_VLQ6hJ_w9XTfwOe13Ht-x7xAF4055IIUXlfhjamOrc2hmPJMTZVVDmUKFDZjG1N1RcpSYVov3E/w640-h300/Aug.%202022%20056.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ditto.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4sEmFVCOiw6OcZ6bKlzh7o22cyBr6x9lm4swD_NgQQ9bEo62mHwoVv8Ke8kJTuQbTZrX0S8mwdckdlHmiajJZ5LCNjTSelg-50rxJNtNAjI5Ym9Lba2vPSXBkD2LftsORHaKxM65ZcGBQQr9avnoeDIkIIR5L3HS5wqzlCbHsyaKA-iCDRhVFnnOD/s4160/Aug.%202022%20058.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1340" data-original-width="4160" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4sEmFVCOiw6OcZ6bKlzh7o22cyBr6x9lm4swD_NgQQ9bEo62mHwoVv8Ke8kJTuQbTZrX0S8mwdckdlHmiajJZ5LCNjTSelg-50rxJNtNAjI5Ym9Lba2vPSXBkD2LftsORHaKxM65ZcGBQQr9avnoeDIkIIR5L3HS5wqzlCbHsyaKA-iCDRhVFnnOD/w640-h334/Aug.%202022%20058.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One side of a long mural paying tribute to members of the Elgin Regiment 91st Battalion, shown here departing for the Great War. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEt6gyK3cOueIuEzAqYy8NnKB6DrtMMJZmz_Ubd2VFYADZ8DLvGzSE83upb822kZ9rkrzgvS8XhYT_l3IKT0msyZw9_DFz03hmd0J2SLw4ipV31Xm5Fq3AB_ujaXV8jsllMYt4u0T82C3VqX0lg3kL6dL3c2H_XP8CoYvfedqdOcgGy4ePU4TZ3lTT/s3970/Aug.%202022%20059.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1931" data-original-width="3970" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEt6gyK3cOueIuEzAqYy8NnKB6DrtMMJZmz_Ubd2VFYADZ8DLvGzSE83upb822kZ9rkrzgvS8XhYT_l3IKT0msyZw9_DFz03hmd0J2SLw4ipV31Xm5Fq3AB_ujaXV8jsllMYt4u0T82C3VqX0lg3kL6dL3c2H_XP8CoYvfedqdOcgGy4ePU4TZ3lTT/w640-h312/Aug.%202022%20059.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Continuation of the above. Painted by "Rik" in 1996.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYocZUmdQuXqaHTV8Xuyry88stUUDoF1R5URhuYlftrVirgxnej5__Ld3ROnVx8aYdIs-ynlmLssN3uCCBBSsr9uzPWGgRlAa9fG8Gl_6oEDMMP7gC_NdKEH94cUI-dyN6Nhv-kAyGVPw8n9immQ6rd6F0KTrkB_Cy6B7O1tTAo9YEsOA_vESZKHX/s3277/Aug.%202022%20065.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2069" data-original-width="3277" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYocZUmdQuXqaHTV8Xuyry88stUUDoF1R5URhuYlftrVirgxnej5__Ld3ROnVx8aYdIs-ynlmLssN3uCCBBSsr9uzPWGgRlAa9fG8Gl_6oEDMMP7gC_NdKEH94cUI-dyN6Nhv-kAyGVPw8n9immQ6rd6F0KTrkB_Cy6B7O1tTAo9YEsOA_vESZKHX/w640-h404/Aug.%202022%20065.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nice tribute to the area's agricultural heritage on the Locke Insurance building. Unfortunately, the descriptive wording in the bottom right corner is defaced. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPM1Jm62mJuQC29PajANaCfKKeot9bG59YARntPXsyc6PJaarjx0PumGM4qRVWbMpTtedoDnn2kyP-1SCefP3asP28BevULHZsfowTW8BsFUQo7OxnD3216FN48-DZVh-Pz-PvzxkVuFqDl6u9F5lOOI-kTpm7LPt2yKKBlBHxAWpIfiRMjFRYuDfR/s4160/Aug.%202022%20068.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1194" data-original-width="4160" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPM1Jm62mJuQC29PajANaCfKKeot9bG59YARntPXsyc6PJaarjx0PumGM4qRVWbMpTtedoDnn2kyP-1SCefP3asP28BevULHZsfowTW8BsFUQo7OxnD3216FN48-DZVh-Pz-PvzxkVuFqDl6u9F5lOOI-kTpm7LPt2yKKBlBHxAWpIfiRMjFRYuDfR/w640-h184/Aug.%202022%20068.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This colourful display pays tribute to many features of St. Thomas heritage, including Jumbo.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHtWC6lQMUWEJwQmXn1vIHg6h85ULUrBsz8iOsLhvyW8erJF9qS9ikU9JB2JGNO8g3Ab7sQRi8NbpOlVQWqaMUk3UytvU8TtsoAIncC0ljyNo2GP4rDZOqQ1fQsC2Q5mjjT8NAfvXRjXQ4vtDOGmhDWo62B-CCG0euHBAIwlFtmdaIV6bWqGIcPpu/s1807/Aug.%202022%20076.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="839" data-original-width="1807" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHtWC6lQMUWEJwQmXn1vIHg6h85ULUrBsz8iOsLhvyW8erJF9qS9ikU9JB2JGNO8g3Ab7sQRi8NbpOlVQWqaMUk3UytvU8TtsoAIncC0ljyNo2GP4rDZOqQ1fQsC2Q5mjjT8NAfvXRjXQ4vtDOGmhDWo62B-CCG0euHBAIwlFtmdaIV6bWqGIcPpu/w640-h298/Aug.%202022%20076.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some old rail cars are also painted. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiCd4tdtovcaaQ1y8TGg8fBe7nPUbhLwVxha7VnrT4EDdcnPLcwFdJs3ZZQITcnOoZ6JyLHRAyMYMC59eydzSjsecNeukTdHYnbn0xrHgytUTaBL2GdPAFnsyxSLSU5IPVTPRqO4ah2d41GD1NpfqtplRo8yYj4v8uMdP9zUgb54qp5Z9x95D2Dbia/s2848/Aug.%202022%20075.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1416" data-original-width="2848" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiCd4tdtovcaaQ1y8TGg8fBe7nPUbhLwVxha7VnrT4EDdcnPLcwFdJs3ZZQITcnOoZ6JyLHRAyMYMC59eydzSjsecNeukTdHYnbn0xrHgytUTaBL2GdPAFnsyxSLSU5IPVTPRqO4ah2d41GD1NpfqtplRo8yYj4v8uMdP9zUgb54qp5Z9x95D2Dbia/w640-h318/Aug.%202022%20075.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are photos, not murals, but they add to the fun. Mounted on the side of the Elgin County Railway Museum. There's lots more on another side. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">OK, London's not a small town, but we do have:</div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSSAijyG5QdUdJ8_zRl4kca_sbjxLw7iWI3ajduEUxgKIFy7sMlfQx8VgLbm8WwGYL8tHlJba3nRvC7YES_BwCzZFFdkJhGWtKyKyTFLbdL-YjMvC6X_-h6Q5FW0CehQiSqoY0vg1eQ7NoxCYHN2JdVh5Pw3i02bPtEeQIATQvBuz23sotHwwzZaMR/s3095/Demelo%20law%202%202021%20024.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2011" data-original-width="3095" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSSAijyG5QdUdJ8_zRl4kca_sbjxLw7iWI3ajduEUxgKIFy7sMlfQx8VgLbm8WwGYL8tHlJba3nRvC7YES_BwCzZFFdkJhGWtKyKyTFLbdL-YjMvC6X_-h6Q5FW0CehQiSqoY0vg1eQ7NoxCYHN2JdVh5Pw3i02bPtEeQIATQvBuz23sotHwwzZaMR/w640-h416/Demelo%20law%202%202021%20024.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A newish mural of the Old Courthouse on the side of DeMelo Law, 239 Colborne Street, London. <br />What a nice touch. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Got a blank wall? Hire an artist! I'll be adding more as I prowl. </p><p><b>Murals Continued 2023:</b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNmETzBYQDAjJLWJSELY1sOBI2UOOe9apaAKjo2WQCVxq778BdEFbEtnnr29j6Ao8y1Eia8A9cG6CHR1zE4AEVA9i0wmPxC8eCc-a5mjoaTVvSp2Mz0nHjYGO42PIgOtFe1aC8ONGmRqarmUULmW_ITlLnU1h_stcJV1C5RqEYtO6OgRYV3BzeNMogY7U/s1024/Port%20Dover%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="1024" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNmETzBYQDAjJLWJSELY1sOBI2UOOe9apaAKjo2WQCVxq778BdEFbEtnnr29j6Ao8y1Eia8A9cG6CHR1zE4AEVA9i0wmPxC8eCc-a5mjoaTVvSp2Mz0nHjYGO42PIgOtFe1aC8ONGmRqarmUULmW_ITlLnU1h_stcJV1C5RqEYtO6OgRYV3BzeNMogY7U/w640-h422/Port%20Dover%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summertime '59 (Port Dover) by Michael Swanson. This artist's clients include Wayne Gretzky, Tim Horton's, and Dave Thomas of Wendy's restaurants. The mural in Port Dover is now a bit faded.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9v4zzOfaZRfD7iB_hKpWQxICma5sH4VNKUM5OWBDbLP5BKFj3tfykmowjsMlGc2XDtLkOtgDubRpfJAcJAY71mO-SfmPEGVjmqk6dPa3THrqti2AKhZ143hhA_-pTvn9NNKcLt5tiuLetAcUod4N5dA_XMCw3uX2YjOR7StA4CHznNRywgk46zx1jp5g/s1640/Bothwell%20mural.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1640" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9v4zzOfaZRfD7iB_hKpWQxICma5sH4VNKUM5OWBDbLP5BKFj3tfykmowjsMlGc2XDtLkOtgDubRpfJAcJAY71mO-SfmPEGVjmqk6dPa3THrqti2AKhZ143hhA_-pTvn9NNKcLt5tiuLetAcUod4N5dA_XMCw3uX2YjOR7StA4CHznNRywgk46zx1jp5g/w640-h318/Bothwell%20mural.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A small mural on the side of an empty store in Bothwell, Chatham-Kent.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMN9pN9CRkD61HpTcQi6_-_x7r47Vo_45RMqNHLpZI2MZ-FIsWwbMiAacSFPpfNVKRiGYaImsWFIzClTLxV_qDVB7lXfDEa07_81C6H4HTxXNSl1pgZ4zMdMCUrHaktYl_9Y_IYKgDdG7wOo7pXo5iBZqj9-9Al01r_vJ7u5StOZvfFbj7NDfVHBlbVyA/s2827/Waterford%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1242" data-original-width="2827" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMN9pN9CRkD61HpTcQi6_-_x7r47Vo_45RMqNHLpZI2MZ-FIsWwbMiAacSFPpfNVKRiGYaImsWFIzClTLxV_qDVB7lXfDEa07_81C6H4HTxXNSl1pgZ4zMdMCUrHaktYl_9Y_IYKgDdG7wOo7pXo5iBZqj9-9Al01r_vJ7u5StOZvfFbj7NDfVHBlbVyA/w640-h282/Waterford%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mural on the side of Waterford Heritage Museum, Norfolk County, accompanied by display of agricultural equipment. Painted by Jason Kirby and Kevin Judd, the mural shows the town in 1890. </td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQZyp7VipBm2BJsMneqKK6sfAu-xFD4Q_fyzYYZw0Eue9griK7B5_ScfwB62O7DyzK-DprFnemBe4shvrLdcArfBgOwuJnzW85xOZWvKgaHQBKNUPPzF47LuazUxlBQZ0IathaFtqm7W7VSrxe3ULnVQCcLgTovItVC7VOmpWcAeWopMtvG4yPYNN_yiU/s4667/Lucknow%20mural.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3010" data-original-width="4667" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQZyp7VipBm2BJsMneqKK6sfAu-xFD4Q_fyzYYZw0Eue9griK7B5_ScfwB62O7DyzK-DprFnemBe4shvrLdcArfBgOwuJnzW85xOZWvKgaHQBKNUPPzF47LuazUxlBQZ0IathaFtqm7W7VSrxe3ULnVQCcLgTovItVC7VOmpWcAeWopMtvG4yPYNN_yiU/w640-h412/Lucknow%20mural.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bit of everything - including Paul Henderson - on this Lucknow mural. (Courtesy of Ernie Wright.)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj89rEvMYMg953Chq3aDcNBauD6nvkfJYFmBtCkZSI20bd1SQJXmNqqV6ZOa0ZZb9rcd3oE1Kk7hs_9T7r5G8KtiJ3A6hWouWcb-OvfVqux2WnMtXEeuNH-MT4ehXpXqiZK_4K7ioy5X14c7AOnGnyCH6qlW5vrmlV-a4v3lBYLju33FgzzEBK4EXgLh8c/s2416/Johnny%20Cash%20012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2416" data-original-width="2113" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj89rEvMYMg953Chq3aDcNBauD6nvkfJYFmBtCkZSI20bd1SQJXmNqqV6ZOa0ZZb9rcd3oE1Kk7hs_9T7r5G8KtiJ3A6hWouWcb-OvfVqux2WnMtXEeuNH-MT4ehXpXqiZK_4K7ioy5X14c7AOnGnyCH6qlW5vrmlV-a4v3lBYLju33FgzzEBK4EXgLh8c/w560-h640/Johnny%20Cash%20012.jpg" width="560" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Added recently to London's Budweiser Centre is Kevin Ledo's huge mural of the historic moment on February 22, 1968 when Johnny Cash proposed to co-star June Carter on stage. Of course, that happened at London Gardens on the east side of Wellington Road, south of Hwy. And, it would be nice to have more <i>Canadians </i>commemorated in London. But I'll take whatever history we can get. </td></tr></tbody></table><br />Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.com0London, ON, Canada42.9849233 -81.245276814.674689463821153 -116.4015268 71.295157136178844 -46.0890268tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4712133571153787239.post-54139275234590130072022-06-02T21:32:00.011-04:002022-06-21T20:53:02.778-04:00Tombstone Tourism: St. Columba Roman Catholic Cemetery, Bornish<p>On Victoria Day weekend I visited Bornish, Ontario. That's the intersection of Centre Road (Hwy 81) and Bornish Road, in western Middlesex County. Historian Nick Corrie and I were making the grand tour of rural hamlets and graveyards. What better way to spend a spring holiday? </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxhw1POIQxZrHQ8NTkGqhqgHfq2cDls2dXPteDGYwlHuFI1V-mSXYnq21_lepXxJp3WxK-R0-PGdA8B3yhaYUReOJ-yKKmWcA6KrvTSWyY2aJzUY-JlhxTCTQzM68_EPK74TqFrNuk9Z1X-hPph4z3J5QTrKpfIILkVOoCqMvH8p6pmwPNyw_vnAFS/s4160/May%2023%202022%20St.%20Columba%201.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxhw1POIQxZrHQ8NTkGqhqgHfq2cDls2dXPteDGYwlHuFI1V-mSXYnq21_lepXxJp3WxK-R0-PGdA8B3yhaYUReOJ-yKKmWcA6KrvTSWyY2aJzUY-JlhxTCTQzM68_EPK74TqFrNuk9Z1X-hPph4z3J5QTrKpfIILkVOoCqMvH8p6pmwPNyw_vnAFS/s320/May%2023%202022%20St.%20Columba%201.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Just last fall Nick visited St. Columba Roman Catholic Church at this intersection, so it was a bit disturbing to discover it's gone. Demolished. All that remains is its cemetery and a lonely walkway leading to nothing. <p></p><p>Not that it's very <i>surprising</i>, of course. Unused churches are being demolished a lot these days. It's just a pity that St. Columba couldn't have been converted into a home or other use. A variety of church-to-home renovations can be seen <a href="https://www.blogto.com/real-estate-toronto/2022/01/church-ontario-transformed-homes-for-sale/" target="_blank">here</a>. Some purchasers, <a href="https://www.blogto.com/real-estate-toronto/2022/01/toronto-couple-ditch-city-renovate-church-cemetery/" target="_blank">like this couple</a>, are even willing to take on the role of graveyard caretakers when their new home is surrounded by a cemetery. Still, it's possible there were no takers for this out-of-the-way location. </p><p>The church was built in 1902, replacing a frame church, which in turn replaced one of logs. The congregation celebrated its 100th anniversary on the weekend of July 29-30, 1949 when a special mass included an historical overview given by Father J. C. Cody, coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of London.</p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik0YEmldJC-jVXKEdwQ0gAl2fbP5hSVe7zPqkTQHvTaaX9tfdTgHZ0hqae3wyKFOYcioo30_u0tHiJXmZ1roF8nhEGMBxT5Z2vqYtK8p1o-Zdqt70yv0W9wuESo4uLJzBTh80jpdAr4x-77YJldHkYA8MjEGa0llOtxfUIqYBsvnUtYfMWQLEMnWjv/s1312/Bornish.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="1312" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik0YEmldJC-jVXKEdwQ0gAl2fbP5hSVe7zPqkTQHvTaaX9tfdTgHZ0hqae3wyKFOYcioo30_u0tHiJXmZ1roF8nhEGMBxT5Z2vqYtK8p1o-Zdqt70yv0W9wuESo4uLJzBTh80jpdAr4x-77YJldHkYA8MjEGa0llOtxfUIqYBsvnUtYfMWQLEMnWjv/w640-h306/Bornish.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Columba Church ca. 2000<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>For pictures and a short tour of the interior, see <a href="https://talkingwallsphoto.com/abandoned-churches-ontario/abandoned-stained-glass-church/" target="_blank">here</a>. Wonder what happened to all that stained glass and furnishings? Reused? Sold? Destroyed? <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-IpN3dRlOtONYzCjx7IWzk5UWpO-osDUj8IxOYMIHdbA0JVRDDaGxZ-N34aG02g0sTjx-4zOBdM6rXkW_xf4iSDtfyEB79-uNZ_CrxEaYE9xsDW8XDfnElzAOu5uI5J1hFpCpJ2sqkgzghPNo3A9GFye0XacgPWTPFiAt2uLUXj-GOSTckLAVEAT/s4160/May%2023%202022%20St.%20Columba%202.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-IpN3dRlOtONYzCjx7IWzk5UWpO-osDUj8IxOYMIHdbA0JVRDDaGxZ-N34aG02g0sTjx-4zOBdM6rXkW_xf4iSDtfyEB79-uNZ_CrxEaYE9xsDW8XDfnElzAOu5uI5J1hFpCpJ2sqkgzghPNo3A9GFye0XacgPWTPFiAt2uLUXj-GOSTckLAVEAT/w400-h300/May%2023%202022%20St.%20Columba%202.jpg" width="400" /></a><p>But the cemetery, still in use, is a nice place for a stroll. First we stopped at this monument to the first settlers in the area. It states the first burial at St. Columba was in about 1857. I've read elsewhere that the first burial was that of Malcolm McLeod, who drowned in Spring Creek. His body was carried for miles through a partially-cut forest trail on a crude stretcher borne on men's shoulders. In true Scottish tradition, a piper marched ahead of this sad procession.*</p><p>The farther one walks from the road, the older the gravestones get. The stones there are in memory of McDonalds, McLellans, McLeans, McLeods, McCormicks ... Well, you get the idea. This was a very Scottish part of the world. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKP8CahbcLYcqR394R2Bq03HrhTbyV2U-Vxz-I32YzzzAdoTc7EQpQjfxd09ZtYrmQup7cGfcXP8zLCEc0ft4k2JIrWXbrDdRZrXuDqiqawbqgmY3iTrixmCRJlJXkkzGGMTyqq-AIg0OHKpWKMga3rXru8kZDFuyxKTaDRGvYAr00WamF63VCdQEq/s2837/May%2023%202022%20St.%20Columba%204.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2837" data-original-width="2792" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKP8CahbcLYcqR394R2Bq03HrhTbyV2U-Vxz-I32YzzzAdoTc7EQpQjfxd09ZtYrmQup7cGfcXP8zLCEc0ft4k2JIrWXbrDdRZrXuDqiqawbqgmY3iTrixmCRJlJXkkzGGMTyqq-AIg0OHKpWKMga3rXru8kZDFuyxKTaDRGvYAr00WamF63VCdQEq/s320/May%2023%202022%20St.%20Columba%204.jpg" width="315" /></a></div><p></p><p><span face=""Avenir LT W05_35 Light", sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Apparently some restoration work is in order. Hope someone remembers where these piled stones came from. If not, could they all be installed into one group cairn?</span></span></p><p><span face=""Avenir LT W05_35 Light", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #161919; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Avenir LT W05_35 Light", sans-serif" style="color: #161919; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Avenir LT W05_35 Light", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #161919; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Avenir LT W05_35 Light", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #161919; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Avenir LT W05_35 Light", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #161919; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Avenir LT W05_35 Light", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #161919; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Avenir LT W05_35 Light", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #161919; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Avenir LT W05_35 Light", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #161919; font-size: 16px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""Avenir LT W05_35 Light", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #161919; font-size: 16px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qIAwRAloV4GfcJiW9f6BR3sJ7-3UzLJhdebXl97Ou43DFEoCK23WFK6v_Lqy6MdKWJ0aHz_Y_FquQpEijt6Du_eJRtQNKp4VPpSP2JN8NTjDtF7LNVjOBaMmL1OJI6jwCGDXL_nS7BNmVMCZ_ytv90Hwovra5kkPOjOjbuTOm1Fr2UkowEy1rIq1/s4160/May%2023%202022%20St.%20Columba%207.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qIAwRAloV4GfcJiW9f6BR3sJ7-3UzLJhdebXl97Ou43DFEoCK23WFK6v_Lqy6MdKWJ0aHz_Y_FquQpEijt6Du_eJRtQNKp4VPpSP2JN8NTjDtF7LNVjOBaMmL1OJI6jwCGDXL_nS7BNmVMCZ_ytv90Hwovra5kkPOjOjbuTOm1Fr2UkowEy1rIq1/s320/May%2023%202022%20St.%20Columba%207.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span face=""Avenir LT W05_35 Light", sans-serif" style="color: #161919; font-size: 16px;">On the south side of the cemetery, we located a veteran's grave, partially covered with leaves and encroaching grass. The stone is for SF</span>C John A. Morrison, 50 AERO SQ, World War I, 1892-1965. <p></p><p>A little research by Nick determined that Morrison flew with the American Air Force. He was Sergeant First Class in their 50th Aero Squadron, formed August 1917. If he was a local boy, why did he join the Americans?</p><p>Bornish was founded by settlers from Bornish, Scotland, located on the west shore of the island of South Uist in the Outer Hebrides. These settlers were fleeing religious persecution and the "clearances," when, to put it simply, large numbers of tenants were evicted from their homes and left with no choice but emigration.</p><p>In the 1800s a few businesses were located in the vicinity, such as L. C. McIntyre's store and Joseph Kincaide's tavern. A post office named Bornish opened in 1874, mail being delivered by a stagecoach operating between Strathroy and Parkhill. It closed in 1901. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOwcKvQlfiHprb7clnPuJfpm8pf7axDxEpToBIDre30hs3HuIbeH29CMJPtx5JBOqqzu03XXoh1wVTk9aK5fsS6dLgev8JgvRaIr5DVIE3FBp7I0IGQ6OHPTQZi_UneIsI8U8V7E647QcMZ4w-VNgYcfkFSQgQf1dZms4Su3ckAapRezefB1zszzW/s4160/May%2023%202022%20Bornish%20monument%202.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOwcKvQlfiHprb7clnPuJfpm8pf7axDxEpToBIDre30hs3HuIbeH29CMJPtx5JBOqqzu03XXoh1wVTk9aK5fsS6dLgev8JgvRaIr5DVIE3FBp7I0IGQ6OHPTQZi_UneIsI8U8V7E647QcMZ4w-VNgYcfkFSQgQf1dZms4Su3ckAapRezefB1zszzW/s320/May%2023%202022%20Bornish%20monument%202.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Along Bornish Road to the west this steep flight of stairs rises from the road. It leads to an earlier community cemetery used from 1850 to 1860, where at least 15 individuals are buried.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF64JheLYOl5jjCHzY-LuujKWjaVKJCHKLnwV10dcIlZ9gWdaj3ZvuuzrxrCWXhalm7sy_sPhCzEaaVMdj5-IeK7sAO8P8DOdYo2U-3DtM3XKsyUFzljXSAxik8bnqZ031TBQaVz-Jz92ftWsVSQaCVmNkboVqoHjQt9TAHngSTB2szibjNvZ9-gM4/s4160/May%2023%202022%20Bornish%20monument%204.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF64JheLYOl5jjCHzY-LuujKWjaVKJCHKLnwV10dcIlZ9gWdaj3ZvuuzrxrCWXhalm7sy_sPhCzEaaVMdj5-IeK7sAO8P8DOdYo2U-3DtM3XKsyUFzljXSAxik8bnqZ031TBQaVz-Jz92ftWsVSQaCVmNkboVqoHjQt9TAHngSTB2szibjNvZ9-gM4/s320/May%2023%202022%20Bornish%20monument%204.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>This monument was erected on the site of the first cemetery in 1977. Otherwise, there are no gravestones at this spot. The text:</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In blessed memory of fifteen Scottish pioneers buried here 1850 to 1860 from among the 125 families exiled from the Hebrides because of religious persecution who settled here in 1849. Three are known, Alexander McMullen, his wife Margaret McIntyre, and Donald MacDonald, donor of the Bornish church acreage. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">May they rest in peace.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">* </span><span>Looking Over Western Ontario, <i>London Free Press, </i>February 18, 1922. Mind you, by the 1850s, the concession roads should have been a bit better than "trails." And couldn't they find a wagon to use as a hearse? Perhaps the story is apocryphal. But the bagpipe is a nice touch. </span></div><p><br /></p></div>Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.com1London, ON, Canada42.9849233 -81.245276817.457465222001787 -116.4015268 68.51238137799821 -46.0890268tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4712133571153787239.post-69522859195030054302022-05-30T10:52:00.005-04:002024-01-19T19:04:57.656-05:00On the Cancellation of Macdonald & Roosevelt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpG7-EN7l7veCvJL03onNOC1HiuWxTnGnWvWHqK4XyF6LH5Thx3VXrxuSdosU3gKj8qTZpjq_FtAYyyYgZDaQMymyE-_zzyE1udlqj4Y0v26VuSkH27DS4d-OPOOCcK-8WpOrc608Vct3RUt4Zw5oO7JZIVKuAt7fSYLzjKpUXY-DQgzBO_cpGi0n/s3031/30may%20001.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1877" data-original-width="3031" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpG7-EN7l7veCvJL03onNOC1HiuWxTnGnWvWHqK4XyF6LH5Thx3VXrxuSdosU3gKj8qTZpjq_FtAYyyYgZDaQMymyE-_zzyE1udlqj4Y0v26VuSkH27DS4d-OPOOCcK-8WpOrc608Vct3RUt4Zw5oO7JZIVKuAt7fSYLzjKpUXY-DQgzBO_cpGi0n/s320/30may%20001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>The Thames Valley District School Board will be changing the names of Sir John A. Macdonald and F. D. Roosevelt schools. There have been <a href="https://london.ctvnews.ca/committee-recommends-name-change-for-two-london-schools-1.5917550" target="_blank">news articles like this</a> lately which you may have already seen. There's no comment section or attempt to seek different points of view. So I'll express my thoughts here. </p><p>First, let me say I'm not sure "cancellation" is the best word to use, as though humans, even dead ones, are like magazine subscriptions or hotel reservations. But it seems to be the word in popular use, so I'll borrow it. </p><div><p class="ydpbd0c5817MsoNormal">After the TVDSB cancels<i> </i>Macdonald, what will they choose for a new name? Landor Street School? That might do, unless someone finds out Landor is named after another person no longer deemed worthy. No, the school is likely to be renamed something Indigenous, like <a href="https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/as-another-school-takes-down-sir-johns-as-name-canadians-dont-support-rewriting-history" target="_blank">this one</a> in Brampton or <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/sir-john-a-macdonald-name-change-public-school-biidassige-mandamin-1.6321203" target="_blank">this one</a> in Pickering. </p>
<p class="ydpbd0c5817MsoNormal">Want more information? Check out the <a href="http://macdonald.tvdsb.ca/en/index.aspx" target="_blank">TVDSB website</a>, where you can also learn about Menstrual Equity,
PRIDE Month, Student Voice Conference for Black Students, and National AccessAbility
Week. To quote: "The purpose of the [School Name Review Committee] was to ensure school names across the District continue to reflect the Board's commitment to promoting human rights, equity and inclusive learning environments that honour the diversity of Thames Valley Schools." </p>
<p class="ydpbd0c5817MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">Of course, when I was in elementary school, </span>there wasn’t any internet and the school, prosaically called Central, didn’t have a website. But if it had, I suspect it would have reminded us about next week’s Field Day
and to bring our money for Hot Dog Friday. In those days, Play and Food were all we
needed to think about, once our homework was done. We've come a long way from the 3Rs.</p><p class="ydpbd0c5817MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">In case you've been living in the back of a cave, you probably know Macdonald is one of the historical figures held responsible for Canada's Indigenous residential school system. And FDR, whose name is also scheduled to disappear, agreed to incarcerate Japanese Americans during WWII. As the TVDSB site states, both men have ties to "racism and discrimination." F</span>or the record, I'm not in favour of child abuse or Japanese incarceration. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnrdEjWvNO4-cPixz02G_Si5SR_h-JCG6w2ZItRNBImU2u4Nrc8Q-rVy94asdyv7LGvFziWHB1o-QN1RGI2ON95h0fbRlDjWmSjqCWKGvQeO6HHZJxJ4qMiAgQK0Z7vzyn2pvkSfJX2wyKzsemukDODVQ8cYYJhB1Hjjt7WcE_0IgyEdRfGra0HMX/s4160/30may%20003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2173" data-original-width="4160" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnrdEjWvNO4-cPixz02G_Si5SR_h-JCG6w2ZItRNBImU2u4Nrc8Q-rVy94asdyv7LGvFziWHB1o-QN1RGI2ON95h0fbRlDjWmSjqCWKGvQeO6HHZJxJ4qMiAgQK0Z7vzyn2pvkSfJX2wyKzsemukDODVQ8cYYJhB1Hjjt7WcE_0IgyEdRfGra0HMX/w640-h334/30may%20003.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p class="ydpbd0c5817MsoNormal">But <a href="http://jennifergrainger.blogspot.com/search/label/Sir%20John%20A.%20Macdonald%20Public%20School" target="_blank">as I mentioned when they renamed Ryerson School</a>, we should take a look at everything these men did with their lives. Because <i>all </i>truth matters, not just part of it. </p><p class="ydpbd0c5817MsoNormal">I'll relist Macdonald's accomplishments here:</p><ul style="background-color: #f7ffe9; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>A leading figure in the discussions and conferences which resulted in the BNA Act of 1867 and the birth of Canada as a nation.</li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>As Prime Minister, the builder of a successful national government for the new country.</li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>The builder of a railway across the continent, a project many believed to be impossible. It was the largest engineering project of its kind in the world.</li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>Creator of the NWMP in 1873 to patrol the North-West Territories.</li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>Creator of Canada’s first national park, Banff Hot Springs Reserve, in 1885.</li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>Proponent of Indigenous people gaining the franchise without losing any of their rights under either the Indian Act or any of their treaties. (They did not gain the vote until 1960 under Diefenbaker.)</li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>Proponent of votes for women in 1885, the first world leader to do so.</li></ul>
<p class="ydpbd0c5817MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-CA"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6U7jS-uZ2kkfQNoQiJE5bJGgthvh5DcocHjbmMnQgn3m7Nar8mZXLz3wd8aJXF3ofRgXXG9mBgbrq3pUc4__STOu5Ioa04IgUtdXmHKJt7ngoEe2baYRlNPnefWTH4-uVEdwUbm_Vds12mco7t_KDNiKloJUFBWIUFVQ_E_dmqvSqZUoUzDHMmBz/s2734/30may%20004.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2734" data-original-width="2124" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6U7jS-uZ2kkfQNoQiJE5bJGgthvh5DcocHjbmMnQgn3m7Nar8mZXLz3wd8aJXF3ofRgXXG9mBgbrq3pUc4__STOu5Ioa04IgUtdXmHKJt7ngoEe2baYRlNPnefWTH4-uVEdwUbm_Vds12mco7t_KDNiKloJUFBWIUFVQ_E_dmqvSqZUoUzDHMmBz/s320/30may%20004.jpg" width="249" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-CA">As for Roosevelt, I'll bet some Canadians wonder why there's a school named after a US president at all. But, at mid-twentieth century, when the schools were built, the victorious world leaders of WWII were regarded as heroes, regardless of their faults. </span><p></p><p class="ydpbd0c5817MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">FDR, the longest-serving US president, was one of the major players in world events during the early twentieth century. He created the New Deal, a set of relief and reform policies designed to get Americans through the Depression. He reformed finance, communications, and labour laws. Many Americans fondly remembered his "fireside chats," morale-building radio addresses in which he explained his policies. And he did it all from a wheelchair. I'm not sure one - I'll call it a <i>mistake</i> - expunges everything else.</span></p>
<p class="ydpbd0c5817MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-CA"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-E3jJ_YgbvvKdSJKD5AwaNYDb_6SYbVwmLCgU7u_yy8-V8u4tZG7gIMo3rMbAZduRnk6njnf3g7V9uWqp8gYcHa0NCv4pN6IOLgK7G_KmOWzAWcYVGQj6tQc13oudZQnjqEMcYnM0afAlscfb4Pnr_Xj3HYvqxdpwAesetwr33OYvBPs8oJESBOuu/s4160/30may%20006.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-E3jJ_YgbvvKdSJKD5AwaNYDb_6SYbVwmLCgU7u_yy8-V8u4tZG7gIMo3rMbAZduRnk6njnf3g7V9uWqp8gYcHa0NCv4pN6IOLgK7G_KmOWzAWcYVGQj6tQc13oudZQnjqEMcYnM0afAlscfb4Pnr_Xj3HYvqxdpwAesetwr33OYvBPs8oJESBOuu/s320/30may%20006.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-CA">But increasingly, our world overlooks anything positive about deceased individuals
and criticizes them on the basis of a few actions that don't meet today's standards. Folks have made up their minds. Selected the most convenient facts while ignoring others.</span><p></p><p class="ydpbd0c5817MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">So what exactly is the goal of the TVDSB? I think it's to look progressive, caring, and pro social justice. To advertise their virtue, in fact.</span></p><p class="ydpbd0c5817MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">But are they or anyone else solving the <i>real</i> problems faced by children today? The Roosevelt School neighbourhood looks a bit dodgy, not one of London's best. How does changing the name of the school make life better for the kids who live there? And does removing Macdonald's name from schools make life better on the reservations? </span></p><p class="ydpbd0c5817MsoNormal">Imagine injustice as a tree. It's big and solid, with a huge trunk and roots spreading far underground. It's been growing a long time and can't be cut down without effort. But the school board is hacking away at its twigs and leaves. They'll never get anywhere that way. The tree still stands. </p>
<p class="ydpbd0c5817MsoNormal">None of us can change the past. But we could all be a little less sanctimonious, less hard on past generations who weren't as enlightened as us - assuming we ourselves are enlightened. Past generations should be judged by the standards of their own time, not ours. </p><p class="ydpbd0c5817MsoNormal">As for Sir John, he built Canada, and so long as our country
stands, he needs no other memorial. </p><p class="ydpbd0c5817MsoNormal"><b>Update, April 26, 2023: </b>Roosevelt School has been renamed Forest City Public School. Macdonald, though, has yet to be renamed. Area parents chose Carling Heights Public School as the new name for Macdonald, after the neighbourhood the school is in, named after the once-prominent Carling family. But no, the trustees won't allow that name, fearing the Carling family won't be any more politically correct than our first prime minister. By the way, <a href="https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/trustees-reject-long-prominent-london-family-name-for-city-school" target="_blank">this article</a> says it cost $40,000 to rename a school. How can such an expense be justified these days?</p><p class="ydpbd0c5817MsoNormal"><b>Update, January 29024: </b>Just read <a href="https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/push-to-rename-schools-hits-bump-as-trustees-question-40k-cost-process" target="_blank">here</a> that Montcalm and Lord Elgin names are up for review. What did Montcalm do? Other than lose? As for Elgin, if that name is a problem, we may have to rename a county too. Folks, this is a massive waste of money. If it annoys you, feel free to contact the <a href="https://www.tvdsb.ca/en/our-board/trustees.aspx" target="_blank">School Board Trustees</a>. I have.</p></div>Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.com1London, ON, Canada42.9849233 -81.245276814.674689463821153 -116.4015268 71.295157136178844 -46.0890268tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4712133571153787239.post-58492301518297909732022-05-27T19:40:00.466-04:002024-01-02T20:30:13.769-05:00London Buildings: Georgian<p>Symmetry is one of the oldest continuously-used
principles in architecture. It's about harmony and balance, components mirroring each other across an axis. The word comes from the Greek <i>sym </i>(together) and <i>metron </i>(measure). Basically, it means that if you're looking at the front of a building, the left side should match the right. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Judging by the Taj Mahal, Sydney Opera House, Tower Bridge, or Chateau de Cheverny, symmetry has been architecturally important in all periods and cultures. That includes London, Ontario too. </p>Take Georgian, for example. So named because it originated during the time of the Georges, Britain's kings from 1715 to 1830, the style is characterized by a simple, balanced facade, with three, five or seven bays and a central doorway. The openings are rectangular and the windows (if they haven't been replaced) multi-pane. These buildings are usually brick or stone, making them look sturdy and secure. Although built in Upper Canada from the beginning, later buildings have a gentler pitch to the roof.<div><div><br /></div><div>The building below was built for Josiah Blackburn, owner of the London Free Press. An addition to the east was built for the building's current owners, London Squash & Fitness Club. <br /><div><br /><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqz1chfQiddY0TupJTIHHqVnDSwmgJ7yZsoEvwgebxKvihEuN1QxwFmuAVFnE8bngi1UtqSvJ5VUnDxb8FUuViNA7jbL-yT-XA54c8fmWNH7oAb6dUVtaNVScHuCAjxAJjs4pqlqSdoYh8rD4PPub0dapZzfFKldhxdS3zV70le-6GqEJx2_YHglBP/s2149/76%20Albert%20St..jpg%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1879" data-original-width="2149" height="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqz1chfQiddY0TupJTIHHqVnDSwmgJ7yZsoEvwgebxKvihEuN1QxwFmuAVFnE8bngi1UtqSvJ5VUnDxb8FUuViNA7jbL-yT-XA54c8fmWNH7oAb6dUVtaNVScHuCAjxAJjs4pqlqSdoYh8rD4PPub0dapZzfFKldhxdS3zV70le-6GqEJx2_YHglBP/w640-h560/76%20Albert%20St..jpg%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">76 Albert Street, London, ca. 1865</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div> <br /><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p class="MsoNoSpacing"> Below is "Wincomblea," built by wholesale and retail grocer Finlay McFee. The land was purchased from H.C.R. Becher, after whom the street was named. It's been apartments since the 1930s, a time when many large houses were converted due to a housing shortage. Even the large chimneys are symmetrical.</p></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_mpNDcJ9KqvG6mTolh2GkRXHyBz8jkYZCK3XvaovnZZmLLHG21BYs3Pzs1RyIUY0kLfx6UKYcEdBUsOvdT724e4cTynnUZ7GCbaqoLVzpKPnLY2WxQzVsMbZ_1h8Mfx52W0gHZJoUsJtM1Ku7nRI3zBSDv6VymRN50Y3rz3f_QfXHqdbRj923r2lAAc/s2945/Georgian.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2124" data-original-width="2945" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_mpNDcJ9KqvG6mTolh2GkRXHyBz8jkYZCK3XvaovnZZmLLHG21BYs3Pzs1RyIUY0kLfx6UKYcEdBUsOvdT724e4cTynnUZ7GCbaqoLVzpKPnLY2WxQzVsMbZ_1h8Mfx52W0gHZJoUsJtM1Ku7nRI3zBSDv6VymRN50Y3rz3f_QfXHqdbRj923r2lAAc/w640-h462/Georgian.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">40 Becher Street, ca. 1856</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNoSpacing">Georgian doesn't have to be two stories. This one and a half storey pioneer home has been repurposed as a business. Note the ramp for accessibility; this was a doctor's office until recently.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9dc5tSPxvTXQW4iPdnRqdNpNP3ZGqNqX8Xkt7Pj7PrQPH2AfvCmCb6R-kzohjcOocMBNmrYVeaOi2WvMN21JFcIepqAxnhDK7f4jOAOHRzjKM2EL27k3F8ioCblmjzjnNEygf_Qoccg7GMLBZ7-7pCbIL1A6VTQFyXHAIOVSIsXrGM4gcFTReIEBEX2M/s3149/Georgian%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1824" data-original-width="3149" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9dc5tSPxvTXQW4iPdnRqdNpNP3ZGqNqX8Xkt7Pj7PrQPH2AfvCmCb6R-kzohjcOocMBNmrYVeaOi2WvMN21JFcIepqAxnhDK7f4jOAOHRzjKM2EL27k3F8ioCblmjzjnNEygf_Qoccg7GMLBZ7-7pCbIL1A6VTQFyXHAIOVSIsXrGM4gcFTReIEBEX2M/w640-h370/Georgian%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">357 Southdale Road East, ca. 1840</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNoSpacing">After going out of style for decades, Georgian returned in the first half of the twentieth century as Neo Georgian or Georgian Revival. The return probably reflected a wish to return to earlier, simpler forms after the exaggerated opulence of the late 1800s. </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">The example below has five bays and an impressive classical doorway with pilasters on the door surround and horizontal fluting on the lintel. These multi-pane windows are eight over eight. Built by Harry Sifton, founder of Sifton Properties, it's currently a lovely pastel yellow and one of the loveliest homes in Old North. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUwXNT1rsqT0XK6nIb-imPvoiQ-RvezNqb_fNGF6u1CAtX4NUsxhJDMQXezKUqCJ5kqCrgTR2GSIy7W47QTY-qRzp2wFBvzOuGjW8dNZoWg8zM5VldCTMCd7ZXZ_H5xM8FjrkTHbY71OtLAuTML9FcfdQe_DV2iIu5Y2h_2Lx8dYc5MiHKRMbNCLj4Ig/s1872/401%20Huron.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1436" data-original-width="1872" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUwXNT1rsqT0XK6nIb-imPvoiQ-RvezNqb_fNGF6u1CAtX4NUsxhJDMQXezKUqCJ5kqCrgTR2GSIy7W47QTY-qRzp2wFBvzOuGjW8dNZoWg8zM5VldCTMCd7ZXZ_H5xM8FjrkTHbY71OtLAuTML9FcfdQe_DV2iIu5Y2h_2Lx8dYc5MiHKRMbNCLj4Ig/w640-h490/401%20Huron.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">401 Huron Street, 1937</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><p></p></div></div></div></div>Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.com1London, ON, Canada42.9849233 -81.245276814.674689463821153 -116.4015268 71.295157136178844 -46.0890268tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4712133571153787239.post-78030642920280262032022-04-25T16:00:00.010-04:002022-04-29T13:53:15.716-04:00Kent Brewery should be preserved<p>York Developments proposes to construct <a href="https://london.ca/business-development/planning-development-applications/planning-applications/84-86-st-george-street" target="_blank">this highrise</a> at the southeast corner of St. George and Ann Streets. The building, in the shape of an H, would be as high as 22 storeys at its east end and cater mainly to students. The ground floor would contain commercial space and, supposedly, a craft brewery. </p><p>Aside from the proposed development being the silliest-looking building ever designed - what's with the Tic Tac Toe theme? - there are many reasons not to build here, as indicated by City Planning Department:</p><p>1. The development does not conform to the 1989 Official Plan.</p><p>2.The development does not conform to the 2016 London Plan, due to the proposed density on the site. </p><p>3.The development is not consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement of 2020 which promotes intensification and redevelopment in appropriate locations while conserving heritage resources.</p><p>4.The development is near a rail corridor (the CPR) and does not have enough mitigating measures to protect against a possible train derailment, let along everyday annoyances such as noise and vibrations. York has suggested a crash wall would be integrated into the building design ... somewhere. </p><p>5.The development would mean the demolition or removal of structures on the city's heritage inventory. </p><p>Let's take a closer look at the more important buildings on the site:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaCNtgpAoQPlSakziH2sCQA_rxOEWCzeugQmbOkmOktJ7wEaTzGqG8_9_28ZZ_fSj3aKYNJjneLRXfwh8B9xKpkq9pUcaPgDUC-0o5iNLUyfwdgtQkLkyMQ86zx6lo1NWiAVXkB002pujiOOXSg5nr5Lg566DeeqmtLZCnGmua525WGCXcU-Yvgu1G/s3321/197%20Ann%20St%20Old%20Kent%20Brwery.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1806" data-original-width="3321" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaCNtgpAoQPlSakziH2sCQA_rxOEWCzeugQmbOkmOktJ7wEaTzGqG8_9_28ZZ_fSj3aKYNJjneLRXfwh8B9xKpkq9pUcaPgDUC-0o5iNLUyfwdgtQkLkyMQ86zx6lo1NWiAVXkB002pujiOOXSg5nr5Lg566DeeqmtLZCnGmua525WGCXcU-Yvgu1G/w400-h217/197%20Ann%20St%20Old%20Kent%20Brwery.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">March 2021</td></tr></tbody></table>197 Ann Street, the Kent Brewery, is on the city's register of Cultural Heritage Resources. One of the first breweries in London, it was built and originally operated by Marshall and Hammond. Later it was operated by John Hamilton from 1861 to 1887 and his son Joseph from 1887 to 1916 when it closed due to Prohibition. One of the oldest brewery buildings in Canada, it's also one of the oldest industrial structures in the neighbourhood. By the way, it was named after Kent, England, from where the brewery imported its hops.* Cool, eh?<div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGDFkXjLyecR9pQADDe675w1FcqhNO8yjm6gqX0OxIgpv6P5WZ6D-Q9jZZXZZdF9mmBa_orAZsLZDeT7L2j5vkqR9ueGHyFuuJraKxCgSWfLC8OaRvf1DaB-RzBC5PRwJM8-vyQ5oRJneBigA1E9qADMRrMUZCD3QUFfIXe-9_x3UdNJ677ITNlSw8/s2512/183%20Ann%20St.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2339" data-original-width="2512" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGDFkXjLyecR9pQADDe675w1FcqhNO8yjm6gqX0OxIgpv6P5WZ6D-Q9jZZXZZdF9mmBa_orAZsLZDeT7L2j5vkqR9ueGHyFuuJraKxCgSWfLC8OaRvf1DaB-RzBC5PRwJM8-vyQ5oRJneBigA1E9qADMRrMUZCD3QUFfIXe-9_x3UdNJ677ITNlSw8/s320/183%20Ann%20St.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">March 2021</td></tr></tbody></table>183 Ann Street, the Queen Anne style house next door, was the brewer's residence, making this a rare example of an early brewing site where both the brewery and the brewer's home remain. (The only other example in Canada is apparently Alexander Keith's in Halifax.) Yes, the Labatt and Carling families lived next to their breweries but those homes are gone. This house was built by Joseph Hamilton in 1893, replacing an earlier frame building on the site in which his father lived and died. This beautiful brick home is an indication of the brewery's success. <br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6f5hvXDV8-64A0PQmwObNbKdPgVhhdqDK_QNcmAui6Azj5il86H4cMKMk2MSsoWR_nsVKUmWmzFjhnnls8BvqeMNa87G0RQRiSWghwyxZTKGvl6NTQ2scq4ESmrWcZ_nYDhen59Wd0rSWGe86uNZXuib45f_CraTT8kAH0VgXR0KCI61DWd078aMY/s2343/March%202021%20021.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1647" data-original-width="2343" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6f5hvXDV8-64A0PQmwObNbKdPgVhhdqDK_QNcmAui6Azj5il86H4cMKMk2MSsoWR_nsVKUmWmzFjhnnls8BvqeMNa87G0RQRiSWghwyxZTKGvl6NTQ2scq4ESmrWcZ_nYDhen59Wd0rSWGe86uNZXuib45f_CraTT8kAH0VgXR0KCI61DWd078aMY/w310-h218/March%202021%20021.jpg" width="310" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">March 2021</td></tr></tbody></table>Tiny 179 Ann Street, also a Hamilton family home, is the next building to the west. Built before 1881, it was home to Joseph Hamilton from 1887 to 1890. A typical late 19th-century worker's cottage, it features a bay window on the east side.<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Ann and St. George is not an HCD. And, <a href="https://jennifergrainger.blogspot.com/2021/11/why-bother.html" target="_blank">as I've mentioned before</a>, London City Council has been known to vote against Planning Department's recommendations. The City often touts the official plan but doesn't follow its rules. So the developer might be asked to merely retain facades. Or be given the go ahead to move the structures. Or to demolish them completely. </div><div><br /></div><div>But the structures don't appear in poor condition and still have apartments. Undoubtedly, 197 and 183 should be designated. They might be moved, but shouldn't be moved far, since they're still on their original site. And 197 might make a great craft brewery again, being a short distance from Richmond Row, Party Central. </div><div><br /></div><div>The preliminaries, including possible designation, begin tonight, April 25, when Planning and Environment Committee meets. Stay tuned. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Update, April 26: </b>Last evening PEC voted to grant a heritage designation to the former brewery buildings. And York Developments offered to relocate at least the main brewery building itself. </div><div>According to <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/former-brewery-on-site-of-proposed-student-tower-gets-heritage-designation-1.6430443" target="_blank">this</a>, two PEC councilors don't think heritage counts for much. Surprise. In the end, the committee voted to send York's application back to city staff. But the designation does mean York Developments will have to try harder to incorporate the buildings into their plans. </div><div><br /></div><div>* For more information on this and other local breweries, see Glen C. Phillips, <i>On Tap: The Odyssey of Beer and Brewing in Victorian London-Middlesex. </i>Sarnia: Cheshire Cat Press, 2000.</div><div><br /></div>Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.com1London, ON, Canada42.9849233 -81.245276814.674689463821153 -116.4015268 71.295157136178844 -46.0890268tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4712133571153787239.post-89156001094794618122022-04-11T08:01:00.006-04:002022-04-25T16:29:20.207-04:00On The Road Again: Another Move For London's Fugitive Slave Chapel <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwrBdVXQcgwVx6DTVA7fJCPKWIxcmObTvoIMtDJHxGqXHlwXcsqjIKwoH-LFHsm2bSjb2WnsEhBqfRfMQBPOGHCjKlxTryFaJ8OpoK17DJSPGuLAxiAPeMD8JPQHPUdfTHrupRsab1unlZR74XzaedTu2asakdTyeRvY-F_qZMiInkKA1H8dynhifF/s4160/April%2010,%202022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2039" data-original-width="4160" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwrBdVXQcgwVx6DTVA7fJCPKWIxcmObTvoIMtDJHxGqXHlwXcsqjIKwoH-LFHsm2bSjb2WnsEhBqfRfMQBPOGHCjKlxTryFaJ8OpoK17DJSPGuLAxiAPeMD8JPQHPUdfTHrupRsab1unlZR74XzaedTu2asakdTyeRvY-F_qZMiInkKA1H8dynhifF/w640-h314/April%2010,%202022.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />I've written about London's Fugitive Slave Chapel <a href="http://jennifergrainger.blogspot.com/2013/03/275-thames.html" target="_blank">here</a> but to give readers a short recap: The tiny building shown on the right was built by London's fugitive slave community in about 1848, was threatened by demolition at its original location on Thames Street, and was moved in 2014 to its present location beside its daughter church at 432 Grey Street, SoHo. Despite the efforts of the Fugitive Slave Chapel Preservation Project, it's been decaying ever since. <p></p><p>According to the BME Church of Canada, the restoration project stopped due to COVID, but that's not true. The project stopped long before the pandemic arrived. From the rumours I've heard, the real problems were financial issues and - whether it's polite to mention it or not - a personality clash among committee members. The project that began so well seemed destined to fail altogether.</p><p>Now the word is that the chapel will be gifted to Fanshawe Pioneer Village. Various community groups are hoping to raise $300,000 for the move, restoration to the building's mid-1800s appearance, and an education scheme about the building's history and the origins of London's black community. The addition of the chapel to FPV will add another dimension to its portrayal of local history. </p><p>I'm a bit conflicted about the move, though. Arguably, the chapel belongs next to its daughter church. The people who built the chapel also built the church so the connection makes sense. Furthermore, in recent years I've sensed that many Londoners want to move any unwanted building, such as <a href="http://jennifergrainger.blogspot.com/search/label/Byron" target="_blank">this one</a>, out to Fanshawe, making the pioneer village a bit of a dumping ground. And usually without suggestions as to where funding for the move will come from.</p><p>The debate, as I see it, is whether our community should wholeheartedly embrace and promote the habit of relocating buildings for the convenience of today's needs, or leave them in situ. The chapel was first moved from Thames Street so its original site could become a parking lot. When a building is moved, does it not lose some of its authenticity? Is its cultural significance not at least partially bound to its setting? Perhaps a building should only be moved under exceptional circumstances. Moving costs money and risks damage to an already fragile structure.</p><p>But in this case, with the BME Church apparently uninterested in its preservation, to leave the chapel where it is means further deterioration and the risk of losing it altogether. This little building means a great deal to lots of people. At this point, moving it for the second time is the best that can be done. </p><p>Those wishing to donate to this excellent cause may do so <a href="https://www.lcf.on.ca/chapel-project" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jenny Graingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230086205964696464noreply@blogger.com1London, ON, Canada42.9849233 -81.245276814.674689463821153 -116.4015268 71.295157136178844 -46.0890268