Lunchtime wanderings

I love working alone in a big old stone building all day. But do I start to talk to myself, and ask myself questions (out loud) and so I try to get out for a walk at lunch everyday! I'm working on the "north side" of town, but live on the "south" side of town, so I'm discovering new things...

A renovation that shows a bit of the building's history...



A beautiful, unique home having it's crazy roof held in place while the porch is rebuilt..




A neat old fence post finishing off a wall of stone...



A great old two story back porch...



...and this interesting row of bricks, set on an angle, where the wall meets the foundation. I like it!

Franktown Road

The big old red brick home up on a hill always caught my eye as I drove along Franktown Road. I don't know it's history - it's been a rental for many years. Last month this big sign was installed in the front yard: MOVE IT! SALVAGE IT! DEMOLISH IT!...as if they are all exciting options.

I know who owns the house. I know the plan - a huge number of townhouses squashed onto the lot - I know I can't move it or salvage it and I know I don't want it demolished.
It looks very solid. Has two staircases. Original trim, including a gorgeous newel post and a fancy spandrel in the parlour...

It has the curved window tops and the carved limestone lintels that Carleton Place is famous for.


The brickwork seems in good shape, and it has it's old hand pump in the backyard.

Who's going to save it?

The Parsonage House

Another of Carleton Place's beautiful old homes is slowly dying. This pretty yellow frame house is on the north end of Bridge Street. It's been empty for many years, caught up in a war over Heritage Designation. It was originally the parsonage house for the Methodist Church across the street.


Peeking down the side of the house, you can see what were probably the original shutters...


The trim is so pretty, but every time I drive by, another chunk is gone...


The railing on the upper porch is almost entirely gone now.


Quite a bit of the original fence is still there though...


And the old coach house...


And above the front door the beautiful stained glass transom, proudly declaring it's title!

Something Missing

This is a little park area between our Town Hall (on the left) and our Youth Centre (on the right). It has a fountain, benches, and a few historical plaques along the river. To get the whole space in the photo I had to set myself up in a parking lot, so excuse the dumpster!

While filing at the museum I came across these photos of the same space from the early 1980's. It blew me away. I had no idea two houses (one gigantic...) used to be there. No idea. Were they there before the Town Hall was built? Who would allow two building to be built so close to each other in the first place? And why aren't they there anymore????

I know I've shown photos of the Bates and Innes Mill before, but here it is again. So pretty. And still for rent, most of it...



I found this old advertisement on ebay:



Isn't it great? I'm not sure what he's doing with that rope while dressed only in his long-johns, but I do love the image!!

Oh! And here's a finished view of the house in "Progress" from 20 October, 2009 (I can't figure out this "link" thing). Not beautiful or inspired, but finished. More than I can say!

St. James Cemetery

St. James Cemetery is on the 8th Line of Ramsay Township, just north of town. It dates back to about 1834, the date of the founding of the Parish.



I've always liked the steps leading you over the fence. It's fun to climb over. Not sure if you are supposed to have fun in a cemetery, but oh well!


This cemetery was founded on what is known as "Clergy Lands." This was land granted to Protestant Churches under the 1791 Constitution. Eventually, the granting of these lands became a political issue and the lands reverted to the Crown. In 1856 the parish of St. James purchased the land for 100 pounds. For many years, the land supplied the wood for heating the Church and Rectory.



The vault above was constructed in 1903, and for many years it was used by all the denominations in town, being a place to store your dearly departed until the spring thaw....

Forgotten on Franktown Road

Driving north along Franktown Road, just coming into town, I pass this empty, abandoned house. I admit, empty, abandoned houses always catch my eye....but this one did for another reason.....


It has a second, empty, abandoned house attached to it at the back! This house in the rear appears older, more typical to the area. Very much like our house.



Driving around the corner gives another view...


It certainly is empty. Can anyone fill me on this house's history??

Tin Roof

A lovely little bit of tin roof and siding on Beckwith Street.

C.P.R.

I walked the old CPR tracks for quite a while the other day, taking photos in case the tracks disappear one day while I'm not looking! I didn't find any treasures, but I did notice these white ceramic insulators up on the hydro pole. They caught my eye because insulators usually are made of glass.




And then, lo and behold, while browsing at the Gore Street Flea Market in Perth, what should I find? Two CPR white ceramic insulators! Only $1 each!

CPR

In 1882 the new Canadian Pacific Railway Company moved its eastern Ontario machine shop operations from Brockville and Prescott to Carleton Place. Railway car shops were built here and employed up to 200 men.

14 Argyle Street's own Thomas Burgess worked for the CPR.


When we moved here 13 years ago, trains still went by our window several times a day and we would pause our conversations until the whistle had stopped blowing! No point in trying to be heard!

A year ago (or is it two??) the trains stopped, the rails started getting rusty, and now there is talk of pulling up the tracks. Sad.

It has been so cold here lately. I really don't know if I can stand it much longer! But look at how beautiful this is:

Water levels dropped overnight and suddenly the Mississippi is full of dripping diamonds! Wow.
The iron bolt in the rock may or may not be old, but it reminds me to imagine the days when the river had so many docks on both sides - busy with industry and tourism....

These photos were taken along the trail behind the arena. Quiet and peaceful and COLD.

Forgotten Carleton Place

Every day at the museum, I come across photographs that make me realize all the things that have disapeared in Carleton Place. So many lost buildings. So much lost history.

I'll try to keep some of the remaining history alive by taking photos. Remind people of what is still there....

One of my favourite blogs is "Forgotten New York" http://www.forgotten-ny.com ...well, this will be kind of like "Forgotten Carleton Place"!





The beautiful double door above is on the north side of the old mill building by the back bridges. Originally McArthur Mill (c.1871), later Bates and Innes.

The internet is amazing!

Well! I have been volunteering at the museum in Carleton Place on Monday mornings. It has renewed my interest in researching houses in town, and in taking more "before and after" photos. This morning I googled Carleton Place images, and while scrolling down found this photograph of a woman named Charlotte Burgess (nee Weekes).

Recognize the name? She and her husband Thomas owned our house from 1886 until 1902. I wrote a post about them a while back. I didn't have the complete story though. The 1901 Census did not list all of their children.

This is Charlotte and her husband Thomas Taylor Burgess.

From the Perth Courier: "Married at the residence of the bride's father, on the 23rd Jan. 1877, by Rev. A.L. Peterson, Mr. Thomas Burgess of Carleton Place, to Miss Charlotte (Weekes), third daughter of Mr. E.F. Weekes of Lombardy."

They had seven children: Mary Jane, Lawrence, Maud, Bella (1887), Florence (1885), Loretta (1881) and Melvin (1890).


Here is Thomas again. He was a section foreman for the CPR. His brother Nathaniel lived with his family just around the corner on Brick Street.

So cool.