A short while ago I
mused about the old frame hospital in Picton. Personal histories, but always with a touch of architectural history creeping in. I was curious about the origins of the hospital, opened during WWI. The oldest parts of the sprawling complex it later became displayed a domestic scale, and a couple of details had survived.
I decided to contact Prince Edward County's old house guy, Phil Ainsworth. It's no surprise that he had information - and a surprise - which he generously shared. And he issued a challenge of sorts.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhSnBZMqpU3OOTA18En7SIjuXOALdFj03kjvTaCODYe-ft2_jxdKn0XHU-uut-ILstTanxDVpP1PQbl4ni_hJ7U6zbNSijkXb-aZJLun1j20isEZivlBQx7QgMMRpAJPNpOcTnq92_tp8/s320/Hill+Street+house+-+Phil+Ainsworth+photo.jpg) |
courtesy of Phil Ainsworth |
Despite my assertions (based on newspaper coverage of the 2011 closing, which included a look-back to the opening, as they do) that the house was the home of George Oscar Alcorn , Phil recalls it differently. And he should know.
Turns out the house was the Holmes house by the time of its transition to hospital. Phil Ainsworth did a history of the Picton Library for
County Magazine's Winter 2008 issue, and 'met' Eleanor Holmes, who lived here, and worked as Picton librarian for many years.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbRI1j9U3AEkRg047HtKqFnRByjrx7jA00v68bhF74yv3YCBz8-syxpV6Z5BC8_zPeAqTTGK6-JkiajLFBMiU3iZT8V9zaAHRzDLNmtFOBlutrBu3GSaXU0bIY0hZiQ-qPQn8g0kBUhtU/s200/IMG_1800.JPG)
Phil gave me permission to use his photos. I am delighted to share them here. The pinkly fading Kodachrome photo shows the very porch roof I spotted as I visited the empty building. The verandah looks more inviting with its wooden balustrade. The post card Phil shared shows the porch post I spotted at the corner of the verandah door in the ell. Today it's slightly buried in subsequent layers of siding.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhypel28h2xmLUjILsFdLQ4iOCitH7vsLpspxHRcMeAIuRe0iBUBYhg-BwfZsHN07wQpwbcgmHe6YIETHFlh1RHPO5pXFVSaN2R71sc_1AusYPtDi3rDprjCYlVoCb3C7Fv4YGB2GK77pc/s320/Picton+hospital+-+Phil+Ainsworth+postcard+collection.jpg) |
courtesy of Phil Ainsworth |
And the challenge I mentioned? Phil suggested I contact Krista, PEC archivist, to track down the house history. He's a regular there. Phil's hobby business is doing house histories, a "labour of love-of-history." He's got five on the go at the moment, but if you want to know your County house story, you can contact him through
County Magazine.
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