Ancestral Roofs

"In Praise of Older Buildings"

Sunday, December 24, 2017

Hastings Hello

Moira
A nice thing happened the other day. Nancy and John Hopkins, editors of the popular Hastings County based Country Roads magazine, which celebrates life in Hastings County, sent out a cheery seasonal newsletter, and included a link to this blog.

Cannifton

Queensborough


River Valley

Halloway


Johnstown


 So by way of thanking them, and welcoming any new Hastings County readers, I'm popping up a few photos of my adoptive county, appropriately under snow. Hello Hastings, and Happy Holidays, she added, alliteratively.

8 comments:

  1. Hi Lindi. What do you know about the house on Grills Rd? That's the early brick house in the fourth photo down. Can you point me to a source that might give something of its history? I'm interested in these houses with stairs up to a front door on the second floor, which I think is as originally built in this 1803(?) house on Grills. I know of only one where I am, down in PEC, built of limestone, which was what got me interested. -- Alex

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  2. Hi Alex, great to hear from you. All I know about this beauty is a passage from a 1990 ACO Quinte tour guide. I'll just quote from it (and hope that the details are still correct, after 38 years.)
    "The Hartman-McComb House. This property was received from the Crown by Philip Hartman in 1789.He was required to "settle and improve said lot without delay." The present house was built in 1807 with bricks made in a kiln 500 feet behind the house, evidence of the kiln still remains. There are also remains of a lime kiln on the farm.
    The house has five fireplaces and two bake ovens. The main kitchen fireplace was uncovered by the present owners, Mr. and Ms. Delbert McComb. The fireplace opening measures 7 feet in width. The two kitchen fireplaces still have the original cranes and trammels. There is a cast iron fireplace on the second floor.
    The original survey marker lies between lots 22 and 23.
    The Sidney cheese factory was built on the property in 1871.
    The white house on the south side was built in 1847."
    There you have it, such as it is. If you find out more, let me know!

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  3. Thanks! The house I know like it (with external stairs sideways up to front door and hallway on the second/main floor, and kitchen below at ground level) is in N Marysburgh and is somewhat earlier. This arrangement (rare in these parts?) is quite intriguing.

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  4. I'm trying to figure out what N.Marysburgh house that is. Are you thinking of the Alexander Shannon place on Waupoos Island? An ancestor of mine, Martha Pierce, was married to Shannon and they are said to have moved into this "then empty" stone house in 1836. (from the heritage designation bylaw.)

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  5. Yes, the Shannon house. Reputed to be eighteenth century (like 1760!). There’s not much that’s original left inside, but the main entrance door (i.e., the formal one, and not, presumably, the one most used day to day), with side lights, is upstairs on the lake side. I’m always on the lookout for anything similar. I know the Pierce house on the island too, now called the Kearney house, named after later inhabitants I think.

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  6. One of these days I need to get to Waupoos Island...

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  7. Once our boat goes in, we must bring you over. (Have said this before!)This year for sure!

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  8. And you can be sure I will happily accept that invitation, Alex.

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