Almonte Heritage Redevelopment Group Buildings: Victoria, Thoburn Mill and 65 Mill Street

PATRICK LANGSTON Canwest News Service ALMONTE, ONT.

When Santa parks his reindeer atop Almonte’s 150-year-old Victoria Woollen Mill, he has to comply with the poop-and-scoop regulation. It says so right in the legal condominium corporation document extending annual landing rights to the jolly old fellow. All of which may make the venerable building at 7 Mill St. the only former textile mill in the world that’s being repurposed for stylish, riverside condo living, while guaranteeing Santa a touchdown strip.

Neighbourly gestures like these rooftop rights typify Almonte, a 20-minute drive west of Kanata, Ont., in historic Lanark County. With its vibrant arts community (the Puppets Up! International Puppet Festival is a must-see August event), gift and other specialty shops, picturesque setting including the Mississippi River coursing through town, and proximity to the big city, Almonte is on a growth track. But even while grooming itself for expansion, Almonte current population about 4,800 is determined to hold fast to its small-town charm.

Nowhere is this hybrid of past and future more evident than in the Almonte Heritage Redevelopment Group’s resurrection of old industrial buildings, like the Victorian Woollen Mill, into downtown residential and commercial space. The goal is affordable downtown housing and vibrant business space that’s essential if small towns are to short-circuit urban sprawl and highway commercial development that kill their centre cores. “We’re trying to create a neighbourhood in the style of Westboro or the Glebe, where you can walk out the door and pick up a loaf of bread or a book,” says Stephen Brathwaite, founder of the group with Greg Smith.

Since 1993, Brathwaite, a nationally recognized glass artist, puppeteer and self-styled redeveloper, and his Almonte partners have snapped up historic downtown properties for major makeovers. The Victoria Woollen Mill was the first. Backing onto a waterfall of the Mississippi River and boasting oiled wooden beams and deep-set windows, it now includes a ground-floor restaurant, art gallery and shops. The balance of the building is mostly occupied by businesses, but those units are now available as condos, 10 in all ranging from 900 to 2,000 square feet and priced at roughly $175,000 to $385,000. Thoburn Mill is another of the group’s “adaptive reuse” projects. It’s at 83 Little Bridge St. behind the Romanesque revival-style post office on Mill Street (built in the late 1800s and now home to engineering, law and other small businesses, the old post office has been usurped by a newer, box like Canada Post building, a product of the Eyesore School of Design, further down Mill Street). A mix of commercial and residential space, Thoburn Mill will include 13 household units once -rebuilding is finished later this summer or fall.

Its residential space is currently classified as apartments, but those will become condos ranging from 1,000 to 1,650 square feet and selling in the $210,000 to $350,000 vicinity. “I can walk to so many places,” says Margaret Brunton who’s rented her two-storey, open-concept apartment in Thoburn Mill since 2005 and is buying one of the condos. “The minute I step outside in the morning, people say: ‘Hello, Margaret.’ There are young people around. It’s like a little community.” She also praises the town’s natural beauty and how secure she feels in a place where everyone knows everyone else. Like others, Brunton’s unit includes a generous deck overlooking the Mississippi and its cascading spillway (that proximity to the river means that the building’s old, existing turbine will be restarted, which should make Thoburn Mill self-sufficient with green electricity).

Brunton’s current home is also atop the river walkway, a public area where a romantic young man apparently popped the question to his beloved within days of the snaking walkway opening a couple years ago. Almonte architect Peter Mansfield designed Brunton’s unit and most of the other spaces in the Thoburn and Victoria Woollen mills. He also planned the heavily glassed barrel-vault addition to Thoburn Mill. “It’s almost archaeological with all its different sections,” says Mansfield, referring to how the mill’s former owners added to it during profitable years.

“It was fun fusing contemporary building materials into the old warehouse structure,” he adds, referring to the glass and steel that define much of the building’s common areas, the massive wood beams traversing residential ceilings and the old brick walls that define some of the commercial space. Along with the Victoria Woollen and Thoburn mills, the Almonte Heritage Redevelopment Group rents apartments in smaller heritage buildings in downtown Almonte and has plans for residential lots and other projects around town. It’s also begun work on a larger historic building at 65 Mill St. Like other projects, energy efficiency ranks high on the list of planning priorities. According to the town’s chief administrative officer, Diane Smithson, the current population is expected to grow to about 8,000 by 2026. Ottawa Citizen

65 Mill Street

Calgary Herald

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Sat, Aug 08, 2009 · Page 96

Rosamond and Victoria Mill — Rosamond Journey from Carleton Place to Almonte

Memories of Madeline Moir – Pinecraft Proberts and John Dunn 1978

Where Was Pinecraft?

Hodgins Bros. Ltd Thoburn Mill 1950s

More Tales from the Thoburn Mill

Is Samuel Shaard Lying in the “Cement” of the Thoburn Mill?

Tears From the Old Gears of the Mills

Bits and Pieces of William Thoburn and the House on Union Street

The Crater Lot on Mill Street — Peterson and Dr. Metcalfe

Graham Forgie and 65 Mill Street

Lost History — Snakes on the Wall — William Merrick Home

*William Merrick House c. 1821 – 129 Mill Street — Merrickville
The third and last home of the Village founder and pioneer industrialist William Merrick. It was later owned by industrialist and foundryman William Pearson and his daughter Mary Pearson.

CLIPPED FROM
The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada04 Apr 1931, Sat  •  Page 2

CLIPPED FROM
The Weekly Advance
Kemptville, Ontario, Canada30 Apr 1931, Thu  •  Page 2

Lieutenant Roger Stevens, a King’s Ranger from Vermont, was the first to arrive on this land and by 1791 had started construction of his mill on the swift moving waters of the Great Falls, the future sight of Merrickville. Unfortunately, it was the falls that got the better of Stevens and he died by drowning shortly after.

AFTER William Merrick had crossed his Rubicon, he built a log cabin on the north side of the Rideau on lot 8, Concession “B” of Montague,’ and here his wife and two children came to their new home, and here the other children of a family of five boys and two girla were born, the youngest in 1813. In 1821, Merrick constructed a larger and substantial house of stone.

In those days they built for permanency. The cellar-kitchen walls are three feet thick; ground- floor walls are two and a half feet; bedroom floor, two feet and at the gable floor one foot and a half. Attached to the house in the early days was a huge wood- shed in the loft of which were built four bunks containing hay or straw placed there for Native transients.

Apparently William Merrick was on friendly terms with the nomadic Indian hunters. When Merrick’s son occupied the house, the Natives would come seeking shelter, and would explain: “This is old Merrick’s House and we have a right to stay here.” Shelter was never refused to them.

The servants lived in the basement of the William Merrick house until 1830. Then they moved upstairs over the carriage room to quarters that included indoor toilets the non-flush variety– four in a row.

Mr. William Merrick died in Merrickville in 1844 in his 82nd year. There are today in the village substantial stone buildings erected by him, one which was the original part of the Percival Plow and Stove Companys plant. The grinding mills, a carding mill and saw mill were in operation n 1844 and bequeathed to his sons; two sons receiving property on the north ride of the Rideau, and two those on the south side, and the fifth, land in Kent county, Ontario. The two daughters, who married, received money as their share of their fathers estate.

Industrialist and foundryman William Pearson bought the house in 1869 and his descendants lived here for 90 years. His niece sold the house in 1959 to a couple who had thoughts of turning the place into a nursing home. In 1972, the Milnes and their two young children moved in and then it was up for sale in 1978.

CLIPPED FROM
The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada11 Feb 1978, Sat  •  Page 89

The House on a Beckwith Hill–The McTavish House and Ceiling Medallions

The Wall Mysteries of Lake Ave East -Residential Artists

The Carleton Place House with the Coffin Door

The Case of the Disappearing Back Staircase — Springside Hall — Finlayson Series

Merrickville

Tales of Miskelly of Merrickville

Merrickville – Some of the Men That Were

It’s the Merrickville News 1880

Mentions of Merrickville: Fire and Folks

The Wondrous Merrickville’s 11th annual House and Garden Tour

Posted on June 2, 2016 by lindaseccaspina

Ladies and Gentleman — Introducing The Blackburn Apartments

CLIPPED FROM
The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada02 Oct 1936, Fri  •  Page 17

Blackburn Apartments, Ottawa, Ontario- From 3D Warehouse CLICK HERE

Another very handsome suite of apartments has been added to Ottawa’s beautiful homes in the Henry Blackburn apartments, which are situated on Somerset street, between Metcalfe and Elgin. The building is greatly admired for its architectural perfections and the charming arrangements and decoration of the interior. The owner is Mr. Henry Blackburn, well known industrialist and philanthropist, who is receiving congratulations on this new evidence of his enterprise. The building is an imposing structure six stories high, of buff brick with stone ornamentation. The foundations are of cement and the ground floor, besides the imposing rotunda, gives accommodation to the janitor’s apartments and a garage large enough to house thirty automobiles. This has been arranged with a particularly convenient entrance and exit. The rotunda is most attractive with its finish in the Greek style, with an elevator service to each floor. Iron grilles finish the galleries on each floor around the rotunda which will be centered by a beautiful fountain. #Apartments #Blackburn #Building #Ontario #Ottawa #Somerset

Blackburn Building
Welcome to the Blackburn heritage building in the heart of downtown Ottawa CLICK HERE

Henry Blackburn, prominent Ottawa and Hull business man passed away unexpectedly at a local hospital this morning. He was in his 74th year. Mr. Blackburn was widely know n as a property owner both in Ottawa and Hull and also as a hotel proprietor. In ill-health for about two months, Mr. Blackburn had recently returned from the United States where he had taken a brief rest. This morning he was rushed to the hospital in Emond’s ambulance and died at 10.30 o’clock. A staunch Liberal, Mr. Blackburn was prominent in the party organization and was a close friend of Prime Minister Mackenzie King. Born in Chicoutimi. Que., Mr. Blackburn came to Hull as a young man and for years he was the owner of the Henry Blackburn Ginger Ale Company.

He later became district agent for the Brading and Capital Breweries, later taking over the district agency of the Molson Breweries of Montreal. At one time, Mr. Blackburn was part owner of the Standish Hall Hotel and owner of the St. Louis Hotel on Montcalm street. About five years ago he became owner of the Ottawa House Hotel, at the corner of Main and Bridge streets. He was also the owner of the Blackburn Apartments on Somerset street in Ottawa.

Of a retiring nature. Mr. Blackburn never sought civic or government honors although he had been requested on many occasions to be a candidate for the Hull mayoralty or to seek a seat in parliament. His philanthropic work, over which he had always avoided any form of publicity, was known to many organizations and individuals who had benefited by his generosity. In 1934 he inventeda new oil burner which was known as the “Blackburn oil Saver’.

The Ottawa Citizen

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada07 Jun 1943, Mon  •  Page 12

CLIPPED FROM
The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada02 Oct 1936, Fri  •  Page 17

CLIPPED FROM
The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada02 Oct 1936, Fri  •  Page 17

CLIPPED FROM
The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada02 Oct 1936, Fri  •  Page 17

CLIPPED FROM
The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada13 Sep 1963, Fri  •  Page 35

CLIPPED FROM
The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada03 Apr 2004, Sat  •  Page 51

Revisiting one of Ottawa’s grand buildings I first returned to the Blackburn apartments several years ago in a November dusk that made all of Somerset Street look tired and cold and ready to quit. The old girl looked like she had fallen a little and I thought I owed her a visit. After all, she was my first crush. So I slipped in behind the pizza guy as a barefooted tenant came to the front door. A 1980s wooden canopy ruined the lines of her Art Deco entrance, and the gorgeous original chandelier in the lobby was gone, apparently stripped by a former superintendent who sold off some of the vintage fixtures. The fountain had been dry and broken for years.

But I had not been wrong to fall in love with the Blackburn when I was six or seven, staying with my grandparents in what I considered to be the very height of sophistication. She had no particular services or gizmos, but she was one of those rare things in Canada: a building erected to be beautiful. Space was lavishly splashed around. My grandparents’ apartment had double French doors onto a small receiving room at the front door. Down a wide hall were two generous bedrooms, and an odd double bath with a toilet in one room and sink and tub in another. At the foot of the hallway was an arched alcove, apparently there just to add grace. One one side of the alcove was a sunny living room with a stunning deco fireplace. On the other, an equally large and sunlit dining room.

The Canadian architect Lucien Leblanc designed the six-storey, 30-unit building in the form of an “H” perhaps for the owner, Henry Blackburn, who, by all reports, was obsessed with it. He hired only the best masons, plasterers, and carpenters (relatively cheaply, one would think, in 1936) and, according to legend, spent hours every day at the building site. If he had a meeting to attend, work stopped until he returned. The devotion paid off. The Blackburn’s old suitors never forgot her. Apparently, Leblanc, who had since moved to Vancouver, arrived in Ottawa years later, saying he wanted to see her once more before he died. — Jenny Jacson ( see clipping above)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rdb466/with/5804895974/

Blackburn passed the building along to his descendants with a stipulation that it not be sold. It stayed with the family until two years ago. Mike Paoletti of Royal Lepage was the agent who tried to sell her. Several times he came close, but nobody bit. Finally, a little hooked himself, he and several partners bought it and he moved into one of the restored two-bedroom suites. His paintings fill the small receiving room and framed photographs of the building in her earliest days line his front hall. A few weeks ago, a tiny classified ad offered the building for sale by tender to be submitted by March 31. 1 had to see her again if I could, and I pleaded with Paoletti to give me just 20 minutes. Reluctantly, he agreed, as long as I didn’t go into great detail about the real estate deal itself.

As he warmed to showing her off, we talked for almost an hour. His kitchen held remnants of the speaker phone and dumb waiter from the building’s first days. He says it began as an apartment hotel with a basement kitchen that could send meals up to guests as required. A newspaper article in the Evening Citizen of Sept. 26, 1936, makes no mention of a kitchen or concierge. It does, however mention a roof garden. Yes! I thought, the roof! My grandfather was an austere man, not much given to indulging children, but every once in a great while he would say, “want to go up on the roof?” By that time it was nothing but wooden walkways on gravel and the wind was bitter but my heart thumped with excitement nevertheless. At seven, I though the Blackburn defined not just where one ought to live, but how. At 50, 1 think so still. Like Cleopatra, age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety.

Documenting The Lanark Village Caldwell Home –“The Hielans”

Homes of Almonte — Hugessen — Wheatley–Wylie

Bits and Pieces of William Thoburn and the House on Union Street

More on Springside Hall– Other Owners

My Old House — Part 2- Amy Thom

Part 1- read here- Found in the Floors of my Summer Kitchen — Amy Thom

Something we did in the house that I think is pretty cool…we didn’t want to ruin the trim work on the stairs which would of been so much work when it was done, so we knocked all the plaster off of and out from between the lathe, I sanded it and stained it and then clear coated it- it was original hand split lathe, I can’t imagine the work that went into doing the entire house! So we opted to keep this little bit of history and show case it in the house.

When we pulled up SEVEN layers of flooring, they were levelled with newspapers, some of which was stuck to the original floor…and I couldn’t imagine sanding it off, so we left it and sealed it into the finish.None of the floors are level of smooth in the sense that they have wear marks from decades of walking on them, and I thought it was amazing to see. Same with the stairs. Wes’s dad , Bert actually attended Sunday school in the house at one point I think he said. And in the pile of cans and bottles there is some definite religious colouring books that back that up.

Super modern houses are nice too- but who am I to erase all that history? I just love that our house had a story before we ever were born, and now our family will add ours.

Things Under the Floorboards — Warning– Sensitive Matter

What’s in Your Walls? A Concealed Shoe?

More on Springside Hall– Other Owners

Photo thanks to Jennifer Fenwick Irwin and the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum

For a long time we have all know there were other folks that lived in this house beside the Morphys, Crams and Reaburns, but we could not figure out who. Until this morning, thanks to the kindness of Jennifer and the museum. First of all it was The Raeburns not George Ray Burn in the article. Then we find out the other owners were the Morphy’s, Merricks, Johnsons and then the Crams, and finally the Reaburns. I have lived in Springside Hall since 1981.

Thanks Jennifer for adding on more info that was not known.

Moving Doorways– How Houses Change — Springside Hall Then and Now — Finlayson Series

The Hidden Dumbwaiter in Springside Hall –Finlayson Series

The Story of a Local Family -Finlayson- Richard Finlayson

The Case of the Disappearing Back Staircase — Springside Hall — Finlayson Series

A Houseful of Whimsy- Springside Hall 1982

Do You have a Hidden Room in Your Home?

What Did Adam Dowdall Find in My Carleton Place Yard?

The Sundial of Springside Hall

Then and Now Springside Hall 1920s-1930s Photos

Reusing the Past of Carleton Place — The Morphy’s and the McCann’s

October 13, 1977 George W. Raeburn of Lake Ave East— Artist and C. P. R. Man

My Neighbours –Photos of the Cliff- McCann House and Springside Hall

Update on the Time Capsule in Springside Hall

The Spirits Are Alive and Well

They Once Lived in My Home– The Cram Children — Margaret — Angeline “Babe” and Arthur

They Once Lived in My Home– Arthur Cram

The Morphy Cram House — Springside Hall

The Hi- Diddle-Day House of Carleton Place – Puppets on a String

Glory Days in Carleton Place– Linda Seccaspina

So Where Does the Water come from Under my House?

The Ghost Lovers of Springside Hall – A True Love Story

Do You have an Archaeological Find in Your Carleton Place Basement?

Feeling Groovy by the Lake Ave East Bridge

October 13, 1977 George W. Raeburn of Lake Ave East— Artist and C. P. R. Man

What if You Had a Fire and No One Came?

Just Another Day in Fawlty Towers — Part 2 — To Hell and Back

Just Another Day in Fawlty Towers

Dumbwaiter Calamities of Crockery

While You Were Sleeping —-The Storyland Bunny Moves to the Hi Diddle Day House

New Buildings in Almonte Summer of 1866

Judging by present appearances this summer will be a busy one for builders in Almonte. Among other erections under way and in contemplation are the following: 

almonte.com Methodist Church

The new Methodist Church, which will be of stone, instead of brick, and will cost $8,000 or $9,000. 

Church Street School— almonte.com

The Church Street School, at a cost of $3,175—contract price.

 Mr. J. K. Cole’s large new brick hotel and outbuildings, tenders for which will be asked next week. 

Mr. W. McArthur’s three-story brick building on Mill street, with two stores on ground floor, dwelling on second floor, and Oddfellows’ hall on third. Cost, about $6,000. 

almonte.com -Union Street Towards Methodist Church

Mr. T. R. White’s new frame residence on Farm street, which, when completed, will cost about $1,000. Next to Mr. White’s the cellar for a double tenement to be erected by Messrs. Shipman Bros, has been dug out. When finished it will cost about $1,500. 

Mr. Robert Patterson will erect a fine brick residence—two stories and mansard roof—on the lot next to Major Macdonell’s residence, Elgin street. It will cost in the vicinity of $1,500. 

Mr. Norman Stevenson has put up an office for Mr. A. Bell. C. E., opposite the Registry Office. 

Mr. Arthur O’Hara is erecting a frame dwelling for himself on the comer of Martin and Princess streets. It will cost about $800. 

 Mr. O’Hara also has a contract for the erection of a dwelling for Mr. P. Dowdall, shoemaker, in the Mitcheson section. It will be veneered with brick, and will cost close on $1,000. 

Mr. A. France has just completed a new frame dwelling-house north of Martin street.

 last one standing

Mr. J. Jamieson. M. P.. has men at work putting up five tenement houses opposite the High School. 

Mr. R. Cameron has been making preparations for erecting Mrs. Dowdalls new brick residence on Union street. It will cost $1,000. 

Mr. Andrew Bell. C. E., will erect a $2,000 solid brick residence this summer.

almonte.com

laying the cornerstone at St. Paul’s- almonte.com

 

In addition to the above quite a number of other new buildings are spoken of, and improvements to the extent of several thousand dollars are contemplated in connection with St. Paul’s Church

May 1866 – Almonte Gazette

Documenting 178 Flora Street Carleton Place

Hi Linda I grow up in Carleton Place I childhood home was 178 Flora St. We bought the home in 1965 when I was 5 and my Mother sold the home in 1998 a year after my Father had passed away. I had always what to know the history of the home- Lyann Lockhart

Kate TeleckiMy grandpa Stewart Drummond grew up in this house and attended cphs! My mom always told me the story of how he was the first kid at cphs to have his own bicycle and all the kids lined up to have a turn on it !

Gail GrabeWe lived in the Bungalow beside this house for about 11 yrs. (69-80), the Hamiltons lived in that home, our young children played together.

Angela Hurdis BeazleyHi there, we currently live in this home. We purchased it about 10-11 years ago with my parents as joint project to renovate.My husband, myself and our children have lived here now for about 7 years.We don’t know about the history of the home but we did purchase it from the Hamilton’s. My parents & husband did a lot of renovations to take the house back to its original state with a modern look to it.We are looking at having some landscaping done this summer to give it a better curb side appeal.We would also love to know any history of the home as well.

Kyla BaronHey Kate, Sorry this is late. My Mom doesn’t know much at all. She said they were just told that was where her grandparents lived, the rare time they drove by it. Uncle Bill probably knows more (Grace Drummond). What we do know is: Great Grandpa Drummond was a wealthy man and owned tenant properties (Mom doesn’t know how many or exactly how he came to have that money). Sometime during the Great Depression, the farmer who worked the property on County Rd. 29 defaulted on the mortgage (held by Great Grandpa Drummond) and so, the Drummond family moved there, selling the Flora Street house at some point. We don’t know how old our Grandpa Stewart Drummond was when they moved to the farm on 29 but he spent the majority of his life there. His father owned many horses and the barn there was originally built as the stables to house them. Our Grandpa Stewart hated horses and when his father died, he got rid of them and over the years, lost all the money his father had. Mom says he never talked about his father so she doesn’t know much more than that. She said it’s possible that her Great grandparents (our Great – Great grandparents) might have built that house but she doesn’t know for sure. Sorry we can’t be more help!

Ray PaquetteLinda Seccaspina When I was in Grade 9, ca. 1954, Arthur and Catherine (MacGregor) Cousens lived in part of this house but as he was often moved in his work, I believe they were just renting the north part of the house. I have no idea who owned the home at the time….

Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum

Did you know?

James E. Bennett built three houses in the Flora Street area.  One of them is occupied by his grandson Bill and his wife Lois.  Behind the house were stables where up to five horses were housed.  They were used as delivery horses for the meat market, and they knew the routes as well as the men who drove them.  One old horse, the story goes was so familiar with the routine of the business that when Findlay’s Foundry whistle blew at 12 noon, the horse headed for Flora Street with or without the driver.  “You better be on that cart when the whistle went, or the horse went home without you”, was the saying of the day.  In the morning a delivery man went door to door picking up order for meat.  There were no telephones, and this was the way the business ran.  The lady ordered from the delivery man, he rushed back to the store, filled the order and rushed back out to deliver it so she could cook it for the noon meal.

Abner Nichols once owned a saw mill along the Mississippi River at the bottom of Flora street. Nichols was also in the timber business and owned a planning mill on the corner or Lake Ave and Moore Street in 1896. The Nichols home was the first home of a family that produced three mayors of Carleton Place over three generations. Nichols was also Carleton Place’s first Reeve, and served as Mayor in 1894 and in 1899. Later the house served as the rectory for St.James Anglican church.

Katie ChallenMy husband, daughter and I recently moved into “Butcher” Bill’s and Lois Bennett’s house on Flora Street. We’ve heard so many lovely stories about them since coming here. I’ve been doing a bit of research on the Bennett family…what a legacy! We’re currently working on cleaning up the garage, which apparently housed the delivery horses for Bennett’s Meat Market.

Related reading

Old McRostie Had a Farm in Carleton Place …..

The Floating Bridge of Carleton Place — Found!

71 Lake Ave West — The McGee House

Thanks to Photo from Amanda Armstrong-From the photo collection of Margaret Martin- 71 Lake Ave West-Next to the Tubman funeral home.

Notice the fishing license sign on the house.

Shane Wm EdwardsI think this house was near the corner of Lake Avenue West and Napoleon Street.

Ted HurdisThat’s right it is the old Mcgee house.

Neil LarmourJennifer Richardson Lang didn’t you live in the back apartment at one point?

Jennifer AnnYes Neil Larmour Your right.

Bill BrownLois McGee lived there. Always remembered her sitting on the front porch and said hello to all that walked by. She knew me well as she was part of the Executive of the Marching Saints – I was a Saints Drummer. Fond memories

Stephen GilesThe house actually belonged to Lois’ mother, who was a friend of my grandmother. Her name was Bertha Kerr. Bertha lived on the ground floor and Lois and her daughters Bonnie and Lynne live on the second floor

Amanda ArmstrongYour grandmother likely knew my grandmothers as well then  Bertha is a great aunt of mine, and her sister Ida Hueston is my 2nd great grandmother 

Shannon ToshBertha was my great grandmother Amanda 

Linda Gallipeau-JohnstonRemember lots of times in the summer when everyone was out on the verandah when we were walking home from school

Wendy LeBlancMy great grandparents Robert and Sarah Neelin lived there after they moved from their farm near Munster in the late 19teens or early 1920s. The Museum has a lovely photo of the house in its earlier days

Marlene Donoghue

It was a beautiful landmark, too bad time wasn’t good to it. I remember on my way to high, Lois sitting on the porch. Bonnie was in school with, still on my friend’s list!–

Jennifer Fenwick IrwinHere is the photo from the Museum’s collection. No date however.

Stephen GilesI just read the article “The Grand Old Ladies of Carleton Place” which details the birthday of Mrs.Huckshaw, the mother of Bertha Kerr (husband of Ashley) who resided here in 1950.–The Grand Old Ladies of Carleton Place

Penny TraffordBonnie ToshBonnie Tosh This was just after the fire in Dec. 1968-1969.–Ashley & Bertha Kerr owned, single home, then made into 2 apartments; then Lois McGee had ownership. The front porch was always a gathering place for neighbors & friends. The women who sat on the porch daily (which was directly in front of Napoleon St), were called the bravest women in town-because cars would race down the street & slam in their brakes at stop sign, some coming close to not stopping. There were 2 times I remember where cars did not stop & straight through porch & slam into front of house. (Always happened late at night, except once in years prior that was during day & next door neighbor save Lois from being hit.)After many many years, it was sold to John Kerry (who purchased Fleming Funeral Home, changed to Kerry’s).He renovated & added another apartment.Like · Reply · 6 mins..Bonnie ToshBonnie Tosh And Stephen Giles knows almost as much about this house & our family as I do.Thanks to him & Bill for their kind words.

Shannon ToshI remember being on the porch sitting with my grandmother all the time..pretty much every night in the summer

related reading:

107 Lake Ave West – Documenting Carleton Place Homes

Before and After on Lake Ave West — H. D. Gilmour

Threads of Morals on Lake Ave West

The Forgotten Cemetery at the End of Lake Ave West

Ed Fleming — The First Funeral Parlour in Carleton Place

The Last Man to Let you Down? Political Leanings at Local Funeral Homes?

“Sufferin” Sinders! What was Happening on Lake Ave West Today?

Whatcha’ Talkin Bout Willis? — This Old House in Carleton Place

Snippets of Bell Street we Should Not Forget

This would be at the former train crossing going down to the back bridges– See the Gillies Mill in the background—Llew Lloyd-sent this photo- View from Bell Street 1957 Carleton Place

I found this photo and wanted to make sure it was documented so in an article from Howard Brown I found some other things I had no idea about either

Llew Lloyd This picture predates the development of all the property on the river side of Bell street from the Anglican Church to the CPR bridge . It was a great time to live in that area. This picture also predates the two apartment buildings built between this property and the park across from the Anglican Church. The whole shoreline was our playground.

Stephen Giles Now there are three Houses built in the property

Sherene Baird Flint Use to love hearing the train blow it’s whistle as it went over the streets in that part of town!! It was great as an alarm to get up in the mornings to get ready for school!

The stone home on Bell Street was occupied by Miss Evelyn Wilson was built by her grandfather, Dr. Wilson. In 1834 the first Anglican Church was erected. It was a frame structure and in 1881 was replaced by the present stone building.

Rosamond built and lived in the stone home once owned by the Muirhead estate. He operated a woollen factory across the street, but had some dispute abort the lease on his property and in disgust left Carleton Place and established his business in Almonte.

Between the Muirhead home and Bridge Street there were the following businesses:

john McEwen’s weaving room, a confectionery store, a hotel first owned by Kelly, and secondly by McCaffery and third by Wilson. Waugh’s harness shop, Galvin’s Tailor Shop Willams and Halliday’s Drugstore. Gover’s Shoe Shop, a barber shop, and the Arcade on the corner of Bridge and Bell. Across the Anglican church, Campbell and Morphy owned a store and the post office occupied part of this store.

After Mr. Rosamond moved to Almonte, Dr. Hurd who had married one of the Rosamond daughters, lived in the stone home. He erected the long frame building across the street. His office and Sinclair’s office was on the ground floor, while he rented the hall above for concerts and penny readings. Between this building and Bridge Street was Tanner McNeelys home and back of it on the bank of the river still stands his tannery.

Ad from Carleton Place newspaper 1873 from .. Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum

The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
17 Jun 1989, Sat  •  Page 109

The Most Photographed Home in Carleton Place- Bell Street

Jules “Julie” Pilon of the Leland Hotel– Weather Man

Down by The Mississippi River with The Jessops

Recollections of the Peden Store

Was the Devil in Peden’s Store? When Matches First Came to Carleton Place

Bell Street– Carleton Place Ontario

Some Hazeldean Secrets.. Remember Chequers?

Once upon a time if you wanted to eat out past the city and county lines you might have gone to Chequers just before Stittsville. The building still stands today as Cabotto’s

Originally a log farm, the gingerbread trimmed home formerly known as Chequers, Luigi’s etc etc.. on Hwy. 7 near Stittsville had quite the history. In 1824, the east side was farmed by Edward Bassett while the western side was acquired by William Kemp in 1828. William Kemp’s widow, Margaret, operated Kemp’s Tavern from her log farmhouse on the same site. The house was a lively centre for livestock auctions and fairs, where farmers and teamsters rested, fed and watered their animals along the road from Ottawa to lumber towns along the: Madawaska, Bonnechere and Mississippi rivers.

When Fenian raids from the American branch of the Irish Revolutionary Brotherhood were expected in 1866, Kemp’s became the mobilising centre where volunteer recruits formed the “Carleton Blazers” and were supplied with uniforms and arms. The raids later occurred near the American border but didn’t get this far north.

In 1868, Margaret replaced the old log tavern and built a three-storey gabled mansion. Her son John employed James Scott of Richmond who helped replace the family’s log home with the stone building which cost $5000 for the 16 room home. Her guests, however, stopped arriving after the railway bypassed Stittsville in 1871 and the stagecoach found itself out of business. While it was threatened by the Carleton County Fire of 1870, the house survived intact.

Over the intervening years, the quarry stone home has been an Anglican retreat house, and a dairy farmhouse. All of the buildings in Stittsville were destroyed in 1870 during the Great Fire, except for the stone house on the road to Hazeldean, known as Kemp’s Tavern.

There has to be scandal somewhere in any story and this was a dilly. In 1910, a Carp physician Charles McGee purchased the property with plans to make it into a country estate. But in 1911, he sold the property to James Bradley who ran a prosperous dairy farm on the site until 1947. If you read the article above McGee had some marital trouble, and it was said McGee and his wife separated because of religious differences, but it looks like more than that when guns are involved.

Eventually the stone building was purchased by the Anglican Diocese for use as a retreat house. The house was later used as a farmhouse and a Catholic retreat before being opened again as a restaurant in 1977.

In 1977, John McCuaig restored the 119-year-old home to its original Gothic Revival elegance before opening Cafe Luigi. McCuaig brought its casement windows, wood doors and graceful snake design banister back to mint condition. He also retained the staggered window arrangement which has three vertical panes on the first floor, a two-pane window on the second floor and a single pane window on the third floor.

‘It was purchased in 1982 by Jose and Denise Perez, who lived with their children above the elegant restaurant. It has been a restaurant since the early 1980’s, first known as Café Luigi’s and then as The Chequers before becoming Cabotto’s. Thanks to those who’ve returned Mrs. Kemp’s tavern to the hospitality industry after more than a 130 years.

October 27, 2011:

Hi Al: I am presuming that this picture might be of the Carleton Blazers but I'm not certain if there were different regiments in Munster. I note the captain is a William Garvin (see his location on 1879 map, above). 
(My Garvin connection is to John Garvin & Jessie Hogan). 

I don't know who any of the other men are in this picture. Maybe some of our readers will be able to name these men.

... Linda Falls Bytown.net

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