An Update to the Kennedy House — Harold “Ozzie” McNeely

The former Kennedy House on High Street

As you know Thomas Quinn of Ferguson’s Falls led the four teams required to move this house down the frozen Mississippi River and Lake to its present site. Tragically there was a devasting fire that consumed a lot of this house in August of 2021. It is said at present that it is a complete tear down.

Firefighters with Ocean Wave Fire Company and the Mississippi Mills and Beckwith fire departments battled a fire that destroyed a home on High Street in Carleton Place Aug. 22. The home sustained over $500,000 in damage due to the fire, which originated in the basement.–READ HERE

Today I talked to Harold “Ozzie” McNeely and he told me when he was growing up the move of this house was always in conversation. They used to go up to Ferguson Falls for business (live stock) and he remembers being shown as a child where the house once existed in that village. One of his teachers in High School was a Kennedy who owned the house as they too often spoke about this house. Ozzie said the house that was moved was very small and unlike the size it was at present. The home had an addition built on to the main small house in later years.

He said it took awhile, about a week, to move down the ice with teams of horses and the house’s port of entry to Carleton Place and High Street was Nichol’s wharf which is now Centennial Park. From there teams of horses and sleighs pulled the house to its present location through the snow.

I would like to correct some misinformation regarding the Kennedy house. My Dad, Douglas Kennedy , did teach at CPHS until 1955 when he went to Lisgar Collegiate in Ottawa to teach.
There had not been any previous Kennedys in the house as he bought it from a Miss Campbell in the early 50’s.
My siblings and l grew up in that house and were saddened to hear of the fire and the possible demise of our childhood home.
Evelyn Kennedy Julian

Corrected thanks Evelyn!

Nichol’s Wharf-Photo from the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum — read-Before and After at Centennial Park

Thanks Ozzie, and he also told me there used to me a small tunnel under the RBC bank was and where the safe was. Also, the Queen’s Hotel had/ has two basements and there was one tunnel to bring the beer out to the back parking lot.

The rollers that moved the house-Findlay recorded the event of his findings and this actual document is at the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum.

INTERESTING HISTORY

To read the stories click:

The Name of the Man that Moved the Kennedy House

The House that Skated to Carleton Place — Kennedy House

Back in 2015, Carleton Place Coun. Linda Seccaspina profiled the unique story behind the home on her blog.

Known as the Kennedy House, at the corner of Flora and High streets, the home wasn’t actually built in Carleton Place. It was moved down the frozen Mississippi River from Innisville to Carleton Place during winter around 1900 by a large group of horses and men.

“Thomas Quinn of Ferguson’s Falls led the four teams required to move this house down the frozen Mississippi River and lake to its present site,” she stated in her blog post.

Carleton Place was the home’s third location. It was originally built in 1845 on land in Ferguson’s Falls–.READ HERE

Sue Quinn
13h  · 

Thought I would share the photo of Thomas Quinn who led the charge to move the house. He is my husband’s great uncle.My husband is named after him.
One of Tom quite young and in the second photo he stands far right photo likely taken in the 30’s /40’s I’m guessing.

Putting Together Pieces About Historical Homes– John Moore’s House –Napoleon Street

The Derry Farm of Angus McDiarmid

The House on the Cliff and the Old Bridge

The Pakenham House—- Thomas Lowe House

In Memory of the House

Bill Brunton

16h  · 

Well here’s a big change to the Neighbourhood I grew up in. This is the corner of Flora and High Streets. I remember delivering the Paper to that place in the 70’s, then some Friends bought it a lot later on. It’s strange seeing a big piece of equipment sitting on what used to be a house.

February 3, 2022