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Tour 1
1. #176 Bridge Street2. #175 Bridge Street3. #205 Bridge Street4. #224-230 Bridge Street5. #15 High Street6. #233 Bridge Street7. # 1 Bell Street8. #12 Bell Street9. # 26-30 Bell Street
10. #37 Bell Street11. St. James Park 12. # 45 Bell Street13. # 224 Edmund Street 14. #53 William Street 15. #267 Edmund Street
Glossary ofBuilding Terms &
Diagramssee page 15
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Tour 1
16. #225 Edmund Street17. #75 Bell Street18. #105 Bell Street19. #119 Bell Street20. Commons Park 21. #150 Rosamond Street22. # 150 Mill Street23. CPR Railway Bridge24. Mill Street, Hackberry Park 25. #69-71 Mill Street26. #146 Judson Street27. # 156 Judson Street28. # 45-49 Mill Street29. #38 Mill Street30. #159-167 Bridge Street
This Symbol indicatesthe buildings on this tour that are
designated as HeritageBuildings, under theOntario Heritage Act.
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The Town Hall andsurround ing riverfront area is
the site of the earliest commercialand residential development in the
Town of Carleton Place, which was originallycalled Morphy’s Falls. Bustling mills situated
here were the backbone of the pioneer commerce.This tour highlights the river, three surviving millbuildings, and the beautiful Town Hall.
The settlers who first received land grants withinthe present area of the Town of Carleton Placewere four members of the family of EdmondMorphy and three members of the William Moorefamily. The Moore family’s grant stretched frompresent-day Highway 7 to Lake Avenue, and thecentral part of town was allotted to EdmondMorphy and his three elder sons, John, Williamand James in 1819. The village, known forapproximately ten years as Morphy’s Falls, soonbegan its growth with grist and sawmillsharnessing the power of the Mississippi River.Town streets bear the names of these earlysettlers.
START: # 170 BridgeStreet, formerly The Moore House, circa 1850This log structureoriginally sat at thenorth end of MooreStreet opposite Lansdowne Avenue. Built as ahome by a son of the pioneer Moore family, italso served the community for many years as ageneral store. The building was donated to thetown in 2006 and moved to this location in thespring of 2007.
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1. #176 Bridge Street,formerly Patterson’s Furnitureand Undertaker, circa 1876 Remnants of the painted sign are stillvisible on the river side of this building. It issaid that the door on river was an access forFirst Nations Peoples who traded with localshopkeepers.
CAREFULLY CROSS STREET TO THE TOWN HALL.
2. #175 Bridge Street, Town Hall, 1897 Situated on the Mississippi River, this magnificentstructure is a fine example of RichardsonRomanesque by architect George W. King. Costing$26,000, it took two years to complete thisreplacement for the community’s first Town Hallviewed at #15 on this tour. The elaborate exterioris complemented by an equally fine interior.Venture inside to view the grand staircase, second floor opera hall and wooden panels andstained glass windows in the Council Chamber.Open Monday to Friday.
CROSS BRIDGE.
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THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER Looking both up- and down-
stream as you cross Central Bridgeis the Mississippi River. The name is
believed to have originated with theOjibway language, meaning great or long
river. The Mississippi River played a crucial rolein the original settlement of Morphy’s Falls, nowCarleton Place. Harnessed to power mills,transport people, lumber and goods in the past,it remains a draw for fishing and recreation.Upstream, the river gives access to the 12-milelong Mississippi Lakes system.
CENTRAL BRIDGE Originally a wooden bridge constructed in 1829Central Bridge has been upgraded several times.
This photo taken from the Town Hall in the late 19th centuryillustrates 3 buildings that were once located on the opposite side ofthe bridge. They were characterized by their “Boomtown” false frontfacades. This was a time of rapid growth and boomtown fronts givethe impression of prosperity without building a full two stories.Findlay’s Foundry is visible in the background.
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3. #205 Bridge Street, formerly Dr. Johnson’sHouse, 1902This elaborate Queen Anne Revival mansion wasbuilt in 1902 and designed after a property inScotland. The tower, gable, arched windows andarcade seem to carry on a conversation with theTown Hall opposite. In the mid-1940s, it suffereda fire that destroyed the roof portion but wasrebuilt in 1945 to reflect the original house.Original coach house is located at rear.
4. #224-230 Bridge Street, formerly The LelandHotel, circa 1850 The two stone buildings here were originally twoseparate hotels, The Leland and Drader’s Hotels.The third floor and a metal cornice were added inthe nineteenth century. Note the false window onthe third floor.
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5. #15 High Street, circa 1830sBuilt for John Bell in the 1830s, this is anexample of Georgian architecture. Note the frontdoor fan and sidelights, and on the west sidewall, the coffin door.
6. #233 Bridge Street, formerly The Bell House,circa 1830sConstructed in the 1830s, this house is anexcellent example of an early two-storeylimestone structure; the unusual bell-castmansard roof and dormers likely replaced theoriginal gable roof following a fire. Known as theBell House, it is associated with the prominentmercantile family of that name. Note the beautifulginkgo tree at the right corner of the building.
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7. # 1 Bell Street, formerly Bennett’s Meat Market, circa 1850
The hip roof and solid massing of this building place it in theGeorgian tradition. Theoriginal storefront
with center door, high display windows andcommercial cornice were removed in the 1950s.
8. #12 Bell Street, formerly The Tannery, circa 1860s Built originally as a tannery by Bryce McNeely, thisbusiness used water transportation to receive rawmaterials. The log addition to the Beckwith lime -stone building was added circa 1980.
9. # 26-30 BellStreet, RosamondMill Workers RowHouse, circa 1850 Built by JamesRosamond for his textile workers, this framethree-door row house features 6 over 6 Georgianwindows.
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10. #37 Bell Street,formerly Rosamond House,
circa 1838 The limestone portion of this
Georgian-style house was built in 1838for James Rosamond—one of the first
industrial developers in Carleton Place. In 1838,Rosamond built a mill along the river near James
Street, thought tobe the first textilemill in EasternOntario to operateby water power.Following a dis -pute over water
rights, Rosamond left Carleton Place in 1857 toestablish a woolen industry in nearby Almonte.This 21⁄2 storey house was modernized with thewooden addition. The bay window replaced theoriginal entrance and a main entry side porchwas added in 1901.
11. St. James Park Originally the site of the RosamondWoolen Mill, thenhome to a sawmillowned by theCanada LumberCompany, in 1911 the abandoned millwas demolished and replaced by theCarleton Place Hydro Electric Plant.The property is now a public parkfeaturing the International Peace Cairn,incorporating stones donated by countries fromaround the world.
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12. # 45Bell Street,formerly Hurd’sHall, circa 1850 Built in the mid-19thCentury and used as a
music hall and the Masonic Lodge, this is now aprivate residence. The verandah was added morerecently, and evidence of an outside staircase tothe upper open hall has been discovered.
13. # 224Edmund Street,Elliot Hall, 1923 This parish hall ofSt. James AnglicanChurch was builtin 1923 on landoriginally used by the Canada Lumber Company asa lumberyard, and has served as a venue for manyactivities including religious, social and culturalcommunity gather ings. It was named after thelongest-serving Rector, Rev. Canon Archibald Elliot(1890-1925).
14. #53 WilliamStreet, formerly St. James ChurchRectory, circa1900 This brick building,originally built at
the turn of the last century, was used as theRectory for St. James Church until the mid-1970s.Now it is a private residence and the largeverandah has recently been lovingly restored.
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15. #267 Edmund Street, formerly the TownHall, circa 1872 Built as the original Town Hall, the building wasconverted to a public school in 1880. Now thelower floor houses a local history museum, theVictoria School Museum, and the Canada Veterans’Hall of Valour. Hours open to public are postedon the door.
16. #225 Edmund Street,St. James Anglican Church,1882 Replacing an earlierwooden classical building
on this site, this vernacular gothic church withsteep roof, buttresses, pointed windows, cruci formplan and offset tower is a classic of its type. A particularly fine interior retains many of itsoriginal features.
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The east window has original glazing and storms.
Window frame is surrounded with ashlar sill and
lower frame with rusticated stones in the arch and
projected keystone and springers.
Buttress with rusticated
stone and ashlar topstones.
Sloped buttresses suggest
the medieval roots of the
neo-gothic style
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17. #75 Bell Street,formerly ElliotHouse, circa 1865
This brick house predates the church next door.The side entrance, bay window with elaboratecornice molding, projecting brick trim, simpleverandah with bargeboard, steep roofline andgingerbread make this house a fine example ofgothic revival architecture.
18. #105 Bell Street, formerly Dr. Wilson House,circa 1845 This is the finest 11⁄2 storey Georgian vernacularhouse in Carleton Place. The Loyalist door andexterior details remain unaltered except for the window glazing. The house was built by Dr. William Wilson, a surgeon and coroner for 40 years. The impressive entry features anelliptical transom, elaborate lozenge pattern insidelights and transom and paneled reveals tomatch the cross and bible door.
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19. #119 BellStreet, formerly
Murphy House, circa 1880Built in 1880 on crown land deeded to JohnMurphy in 1837, this house possesses aninteresting two storey porch with an ogeebalustrade on upper portion and turned columnson front with half columns attached to house.
20. Commons Park,formerly TheCommonThis triangular-shaped lot hasalways been
accessible to townspeople. The former St. Andrews Church, located at the corner ofWilliam and St. Paul Streets, is now a duplex.
21. #150 Rosamond Street,formerly Gillies Machine Works,1875Built in 1875 for John Gillies, thisbuilding was originally fourstoreys, with the dormers being a more recentaddition. Note the circular windows at the eaves andthe adjacent stone building, once ablacksmith shop. Originally Gilliesbuilt steam engines, millingmachines and woolen mill machin -ery. It was later purchased by Batesand Innes Mills, for a felting opera -tion. The bridgecon necting themills is calledGillies Bridge.
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22. # 150 Mill Street,formerly McArthur Mill, Circa 1871 This five-storey stone mill has a later brickaddition. Note the waterwheel machinery on thewest side, gears that ran the turbine fitted withreplaceable wooden teeth. Originally this woolenmill manufactured fine worsteds and tweeds andwas later purchased by Bates and Innes who madeblankets and cloth. It has since been a blue jeansfactory and now houses electronics related firms.
TOUR JUNCTION …
CONTINUE ON TO FINISH TOUR #1, BY PROCEEDING UNDER THE RAILWAY BRIDGE (10 MINUTES)
OR… SIDESTEP HERE TO THE NATURE TRAIL #1, PAGE 16,WHICH WILL LEAD TO TOUR #2 (SEE MAP ON OPPOSITE
INSIDE FRONT COVER FOR TRAIL #1, WHICH WILL LINK ONTOTOUR #2) (APPROXIMATELY 1 HOUR)
TOUR #1 CONTINUED
23. CPR Railway Bridge, formerlyB&O Railroad (Brockville andOttawa), circa 1859 Presently leased by CP Rail to theOttawa Valley Railway Company therailway was once a major employer
in town, as Carleton Place was a divisional pointand housed a substantial roundhouse andstation, viewed on Tour #2 (see Railway Tours A and B).
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24. Mill Street,Hackberry Park This park beside theMississippi River wasthe result of an“Opportunities forYouth” project
completed by local youths. The stand of Hackberrytrees is the largest in Eastern Ontario and isbelieved to have been grown here for medicinalpurposes by First Nations People using seed fromsouthwestern Ontario. Enjoy the lovely viewupstream to the dam from here or downstream to view the CPR Railway Bridge.
25. #69-71 Mill Street,formerly MacDonaldHouse, circa 1850 and1880This stone home was built
as two separate buildings. Set back and to theright stands the original house with a centerdoor, a window on either side and gable chimneys;it was the home of Allan MacDonald, the firstwoolen mill owner. To the left stands the neweraddition with arched windows and offset door.
26. #146 Judson Street,formerly the home ofCaptain A. Roy Brown R.F.CThis two storey brickbuilding was the childhoodhome of A. Roy Brown, theWW1 flying ace whoreputedly shot down “TheRed Baron”.
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This plaque is located in
Memorial Park See Tour 2 - # 27
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27. # 156 JudsonStreet Stone portion was oncethe miller’s house.
28. # 45-49 MillStreet, formerlyThe Boulton BrownMill, circa 1823A significant dropin the river at thispoint provided anideal location for agrist mill built in1823. The buildingsfrom 33 to 41 MillStreet were all partof the mill com -plex. Dominated bythe 5-storey rollerprocess mill andelevator built in1885 by HoraceBrown, the mill was used until the 1960s whensections weredestroyed by fire.It now housesluxury condominiums. Across the street, locatethe mill stone found during the restoration of themill, carved of solidgranite; note thespiral pattern ofrecessed lines.
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29. #38 Mill Street,The Boulton BrownFamily Home, circa1820This was the hometo the mill ownersfor 150 years. The 5-bay, 2-storeylimestone structurehas a basementlevel which opened
directly onto a sunken garden. The second storeysun porch and kitchen wing were added in 1878.The most unusual feature of the house is the wayin which it encroaches upon the street.
30. #159-167 Bridge Street,The Taylor Block, circa 1888The largest commercial rangebuilding in Carleton Place, this three-storey brick structure is dressed withBeckwith limestone sills and lintels and toppedby a pressed metal cornice. The Taylor familyoperated a department store and garage fromhere and the painted signage on the Mill Streetside wall is still visible.
END OF TOUR #1
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Nature Trail 1
1. The Creek2. Gillies Island3. Smiths Falls limestone4. Sugar maple5. Hackberry tree6. Chip Island7. Stand of bur oak8. Water and land wildlife habitat9. Mississippi River
10. Cedar stand11. Arklan Island12. Upstream and downstream
17
START: # 170 BridgeStreet, formerly The Moore
House, circa 1824 One of the oldest remaining buildings
in Carleton Place, this log home wasoriginally built by J.P. Moore on the land
originally granted to his father, William Moore,one of the first settlers of the area. For manyyears this building housed a general store. Thislog structure originally sat at the north end ofMoore Street opposite Lansdowne Avenue. Thebuilding was donated to the town in 2006 andmoved to this location in the spring of 2007.
NOTE - IF YOU WISH TO LEARN ABOUT THE BUILDINGS YOUARE PASSING HERE, SEE TOUR 1 AND READ THESE IN REVERSE
START AT # 30 AND CONTINUE BACK THROUGH TO #23 )
Follow Mill Street east, past the Town Hall.Continue on Mill Street to the railway bridgesubway, go under the subway and turn right ontoPrincess Street walk one block to Franklin Street,turn left onto the Mississippi Riverwalk Trail; youwill find it just before the baseball diamonds.
1. The Creek, known only bythis name, visible here as itflows from a culvert, is partof the centretown storm -water management system
and is a tributary of the Mississippi River, joiningthe river 30 metres to the east. This area is afavourite habitat of bank beavers who frequentlyattempt to build dams across the creek. Beaverdamage leads to the growth of species such as theManitoba maples here, which,while invasive, add stability to river banks. Hard ware clothwire cages protecting treesfrom beavers are visible along much of the trail.
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2. Fromthis point, the rear of thehistoric Bates and
Innes Woolen Mill, located on the island variablyknown locally as Gillies Island or Bates and InnesIsland, is visible. The island is home to over 400hackberry trees, the largest concentra tion inEastern Ontario. Looking upstream along theMississippi River, stone weirs, erected toencourage pickerel spawning, can be seen.
3. Carleton Place has oftenbeen described as ‘foundedupon a rock’; the extensiveSmiths Falls limestoneplain, just inches belowthe surface, makes itspresence here in thislimestone outcropping.Trees in this vicinityinclude hackberry, ironwood, cedar,rock elm and sugar maple. Thefallen trees in the river create fishhabitat.
4. This old sugar maple is an example of a survivor;note the vigourous new growth from a damagedbranch. The longhole on the trunk isa feeding cavity, afavourite for pileatedwoodpeckers, whilethe small round holebelow is a nestingcavity, a possiblehome for a warblerfamily.
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5. This is a fine specimenof hackberry tree, growing
near a limestone outcropping in astand of cedars. A member of the elm
family, the hackberry prefers a dry, well-drained soil. Even though it isat the very edge of its range,the hackberry stand inCarleton Place survivesbecause the river, being openall winter, creates a micro -
climate. It is believed that the trees wereestablished here by First Nations People whoused the berries for medicinal purposes andbrought them from south-western Ontario.
6. Chip Island, also known as Sawdust Island,with its cattails and red osier dogwood supports avariety of wildlife, waterfowl, and fish; the origin
of its name is said by locals tocome from the pieces of debriscreated by the upstreamsawmills which operated in the1840s to 1880s. Cattails are the
preferred habitat of red-winged blackbirds andprovide nesting protection for ducks and geese.Following significant damage by beaver in thisarea, many red maples are rejuvenating. Red osierdogwood has naturalized along the shore. Treesand shrubs replanted by high school studentsstabilize the banks.
7. Located here is a stand of buroak. Trees producing nuts andberries that support wildlife areknown as mast trees. Oaks areone of the best mast trees withtheir large crops of acorns, favoured by squirrels,bluejays, and other wildlife who often noisilycompete for the treats in the fall.
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8. This low-lying wet areareceived significantdamage in both the icestorm of 1998 and a 2006
windstorm; fallen trees provide habitat for avariety of both water and land wildlife. Pike enterthis area from the river to spawn in the spring.
9. This area is anexample of natureand developmentcoming together;following clearcutting of thearea, invasivespecies such asprickly ash quicklybecame established. In order to protect the riverfrom run-off, buildings in this area are requiredto be set back 30 metres, an enhanced storm -water management system is put in place, andthe stonedust trail provides an additionalfiltration medium. The Mississippi in this area isnoted for its Class 1 bass habitat, and is favouredfor fly-fishing.
10. This cedar standprovides good cover fordeer and other wildlife inwinter. When harvested,100% of a cedar tree canbe used, as lumber, fence
posts, oil, and for floral arrangements. Becausecedar decomposes very slowly, it was the wood ofchoice by early settlers in this area forconstruction of log homes, barns, whole-log andsplit-rail fencing, many of which can still be seenin the countryside.
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11. Viewed across thewater is Arklan Island (note
that the name is a reworking of thename of the County Carleton Place is
situated in – Lanark). Thestone walls in this areaformed the flume andfoundations for CarletonPlace’s first hydro electricpower plant.
12. Upstream from the rapidsat this point is excellent fishhabitat, providing plenty ofcatch for the popular sport offly fishing. The rapids are goodpickerel spawning grounds, and downstream ishome to bass and bullfrogs. Fallen trees in thewater create fish habitat. The storm watermanagement pond on the land side of the trail isa result of working with the developer of the homesin this area to establish an enhanced system whichcaptures 80% of all particles in runoff; thisreduces sediment to the river which will over timedestroy fish spawning grounds. Often largesnapping turtles are found inhabiting this area.
THIS IS THE END OF THE NATURE TRAIL. FROM HERE YOU MAYRETURN BACK THROUGH THE TRAIL TO THE MOORE HOUSE ORYOU MAY CONTINUE TO JOIN THE MIDDLE OF TOUR # 2 WITH
THE OPTION OF TAKING THE TRANS CANADA TRAIL.
TO CONTINUE TO TOUR #2:
FROM HERE FOLLOW THE TRAIL BESIDE THE STORMWATER PONDTO STONEWATER BAY ROAD. FOLLOW STONEWATER BAY WEST TOMCNEELY AVENUE. TURN LEFT ONTO PATH ON MCNEELY AVENUEAND FOLLOW IT TWO BLOCKS TO COLEMAN AVENUE. HERE YOUWILL FIND AN INFORMATION CIRCLE AND THE JUNCTION FOR
THE TRANS CANADA TRAIL.
TURN RIGHT HERE ONTO COLEMAN AVENUE TO JOIN TOUR #2
START AT RAILWAY TOUR B - RAILWAY STATION, AND THENPROCEED TO A - WOOLGROWERS, THEN TO BRIDGE STREET
HISTORICAL BUILDINGS TOUR EAST SIDE #12
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Tour 2
1. #154-160 Bridge Street2. #150-152 Bridge Street3. #142 Bridge Street4. #136 Bridge Street5. #130 Bridge Street6. #124-128 Bridge Street7. #106 Bridge Street8. #66A Bridge Street9. #20 Bridge Street
10. #10 Lake Avenue 11. #24 Lansdowne Avenue12. #7 Bridge Street
TOUR JUNCTION Railway Tour A & B
13. #27 Bridge Street14. #31 Bridge Street15. #39 Bridge Street16. #43 Bridge Street17. #53 Bridge Street18. #20 Albert Street19. #17 Albert Street20. #72-77 Bridge Street21. #81 Bridge Street22. #93 Bridge Street23. #107-109 Bridge Street24. #111 Bridge Street
Glossary ofBuilding Terms &
Diagramssee page 15
Tour #2
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Tour 2
25. #121 Bridge Street26. #37 Franklin Street27. Memorial Park28. #17 Franklin Street29. #139-147 Bridge Street30. #149 Bridge Street31. #155-157 Bridge Street
This Symbol indicatesthe buildings on this tour that are
designated as HeritageBuildings, under theOntario Heritage Act.
1
Bridge Street HistoricalBuildings Tour
WEST SIDESTART : #170 BridgeStreet, The MooreHouse circa 1850 One of the oldestremaining strutures inCarleton Place, this logbuilding was constructed
at the north boundary of the Moore lands originallygranted to William Moore, the first settler in thearea. The first Moore home, now demolished, waslocated at what is now the corner of FranktownRoad and Highway 7. This second Moore familybuilding housed a general store as well as livingquarters, and was located on Moore Street oppositeLansdowne Avenue. It was donated to the town in2006 and moved to this location in the spring of2007. This site was once Oscar Okilman’s store.(pictured here)
1. #154-160 Bridge Street,circa 1883This block of yellow paintedbrick stores has housed avariety of businesses as wellas residences. Note the
stone quoins, sills and voussoirs. The differencesbetween the upper cornices indicate that thebuilding was built in two or three phases.
2. #150-152 BridgeStreet, circa 1870This fine building of irregu -lar courses of Beckwithlimestone with prominentquoins, sills and voussoirswas home to a dentist, stationer, bookshop andsoft drink bottler, then served as a bakery almostcontinuously since 1882, as well as a barber orbeauty shop since 1905. Note the sign painted onthe south side of the building, the tin gable roof,balanced chimneys and small attic windows.
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3. #142Bridge Street,Queen’s Hotel,circa 1870This three-storey brick
hotel, the oldest hotel still in operation inCarleton Place, shows signs of a former second-storey roofed porch over the front entrance ofcarved wooden pillars. Segmental-headedwindows with wide brick arches and stone sillshelp the building retain its late 19th centurycharacter.
4. #136 Bridge Street,circa 1870This building was once thehome of Dunfield SoftDrinks, which bottledcream soda and ginger ale.A detailed brick and metal cornice on the upperfaçade with a heavy balustrade gives theimpression of a larger building, as the roofactually slopes down half a storey towards therear. Note the large advertisement painted on theside of the building.
5. #130 Bridge Street, circa 1870,reconstructed circa 1920The upper storey half-round windows,unsympathetically filled with modern rectangularpanes, are an eccentric detail on a rather plainfaçade.
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6. #124-128 BridgeStreet, circa 1870The single door in this brickbuilding with stone accentsled to residences above.Note the pressed tin finialat the lower cornice. All ofthe original shop frontwindow and door detailsremain on this façade.
7. #106 Bridge Street,circa 1889This red brick 31⁄2-storeyQueen Anne Revival househas a picturesque andcomplex façade; note theelaborate and detailed woodon the balcony and bargeboard. It was built byDr. R. Preston, Reeve (1884-1886) and Mayor(1890-1892) of Carleton Place, MPP (1895) andMP in 1920s. Look for the window on second levelwith an ogee arch topped by a plain pedimentwith dentils, and the brick near the front doorsigned Susie Willoughby, daughter of themanufacturer of Willoughby brick.
8. #66A Bridge Street,circa 1860This is another fine exampleof a two-storey brickcommercial building with animposing façade, enhancedby stone quoins, sills and
voussoirs. The original large storefront windowhas been filled. The front of the building is a halfstorey higher than the rear. Now a residence, thisbuilding once housed a clothing store, and formany years was the Colonial Coach Bus Stop andRestaurant.
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9. #20Bridge Street,circa 1850Reconstructed in1987 on the original
footings and according to the original design,the first wood frame building was erected in the1850s with the storefront added in 1870. Ofhorizontal clapboard with vertical trim at thecorners and windows, it contains a patternedhalf-round stained glass window in the secondstorey of its Boomtown façade which survivedthe 1986 fire that destroyed the building.
10. #10 Lake Avenue Abner Nichols, Mayorof Carleton Place in1899 and owner of theNichol’s Sons lumbercompany once locatedat the corner of Moore,Lake and Bridge Streetsbuilt this solid turn-of-the-century house. The interior boasts double-tread stairs and triple-fold-back doors betweenthe parlour and living room of mahoganizedwood.
11. #24 LansdowneAvenue, Leach School,circa 1870Built of Beckwithlimestone in the 1870sby marble works owner,Mr. Leach, as hisresidence, this buildingalso served as a two-room school for manyyears. It was known as the Leach School.
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YOU HAVE REACHED THE TOUR JUNCTION
1) SIDE TOUR: RAILWAY TOURincludes the Canadian Cooperative
Woolgrowers (with railway memorabiliaand original roundhouse) and the CPR Railway
Station. The old rail line, now Coleman Street,is part of the Trans Canada Trail to Ottawa.
A. Canadian Cooperative Woolgrowers, circa1890 Constructed of limestone, this large buildingserved as a round house and shops for theCanadian Pacific Railway until 1939, employing asmany as 200 workers. Following the moving ofthe operations to Smiths Falls, the building waspurchased by the Canadian CooperativeWoolgrowers in 1940, and the scrap iron fromthe tracks and turntable was sold for the war effort.
B. #132 ColemanStreet, CPRRailway Station,circa 1922 This limestone
building, erected in 1922, was the third railwaystation to serve the community. Typical of sevenstations built in the Ottawa Valley during thisperiod with its deep-set windows and doors andwide over-hanging roof, it is the only one tosurvive demolition after passenger train serviceended in the early 1990s. It now houses themunicipally owned Train Station Daycare.
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TOUR JUNCTION: FROM HERE YOUCAN CONTINUE EAST ON COLEMAN STREETTO THE TRANS CANADA TRAIL AND A LINK TOMISSISSIPPI RIVERWALK, (SEE NATURE TRAIL #1)APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES TO RIVERWALK TRAIL.
OR, RETURN TO THE INTERSECTION OF LAKE AVENUE ANDBRIDGE STREET, TO CONTINUE WITH THE BRIDGE STREET EAST
SIDE TOUR
Bridge Street Historical Buildings TourEAST SIDE
12. #7 Bridge Street, The Mississippi Hotel,circa 1872Built and operated by Napoleon Lavallee, thisonce magnificent hotel boasted a two-storeywrap-around gallery, imposing central staircaseand a fourth floor with mansard roof which wasdestroyed by fire in 1959. Carleton Place TownCouncil held its meetings here while the newTown Hall was being built, and the hotel was amecca for business travelers throughout the OttawaValley. Stompin’ Tom Connors wrote his song: “BigJoe Mufferaw” while staying here in 1967. TheHotel fell into disrepair and was finally closed inthe early 1990s. A new owner undertook majorrenovations, re-opening in 1995 as The GreystonesInn. Now known as The Carleton Heritage Inn, ithouses a pub, a formal dining room and banquetrooms, and still operates as a hotel.
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13. #27 Bridge Street,circa 1870
The original dual entrancesformerly led to butcher and grocery
stores, but the entire building has housedthe operations of Carleton Cleaners since
1959. The elaborate pressedtin cornice and large cornerfinials are significant featuresof this two-storey brickbuilding.
14. #31 Bridge Street,circa 1870Since its construction,this building hashoused a hardwarestore, a tailoring
business, a Chinese restaurant, a grocery storeand the Mac Williams Drug Store. Now arestaurant, the fine interior is noteworthy for thetin ceilings that curve down the walls to eyelevel, and the original oak cabinetry, custom-built for the pharmacy that existed here formany years.
15. #39 Bridge Street, St. Andrews Church,circa 1887Fanciful towers and turretsadd interest to the imposingSt. Andrews PresbyterianChurch, built in the ScottishBaronial style in 1887.Contrasting decorativecourses, and window anddoor details are constructedof dark Beckwith limestone.
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16. #43 Bridge Street,Leslie Building, circa 1895Although the Leslie Family owned thelot since 1860, they did not build thisbrick commercial building with itsexceptional tin façade until 1895. It has been
home to cabinetmakers,furniture and undertakingbusinesses throughout itshistory. The eight-column
colonnade supports an intricate entablature andremains a showpiece of Ontario architecture.
17. #53 Bridge Street,Masonic Temple, circa1911The Masonic templehas been home to St.John’s Lodge since1911, which celebrated160 years of history in Carleton Place in 2003.The brick building is ornamented by marblekeystones, pilasters, entablature and pediment.Before The Carleton Place Canadian newspaperopened its offices in the 1930s, the buildingcontained a Nickel Theatre and a confectionerynext door.
18. #20 AlbertStreet, circa 1922This Tudor revivalbuilding with its half-timbering and stuccowas the site of theBell Telephone
Exchange in Carleton Place for many years.Telephone service came to town in 1895, andfollowing the arrival of dial service in November1964, the building became the home of I.O.O.F.,and now serves as a retail space.
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19. #17 Albert Street,formerly Zion Church, rebuilt
in 1910 following a fire This restrained and simple gothic style
limestone church, built by architectArchibald McArthur, was the former home of
the Zion United Church. Two copper canisterscon taining coinsand news paperswere found in 1988dating back to1869 and 1910. Thegothic arch of thelarge window is mirrored by the windows andvents in the steeple tower.
20. #72-77 Bridge Street,circa 1860sAs with many commercialbuildings, these have housednumerous businesses,
including the Herald Newspaper at #77. A plaqueon the upper storey indicates the building asbeing home to the L.O.L. No. 48. The alleywaygives access to the rear of both buildings, andthe wooden beam to the right of the alley,perhaps a gate at one time, shown in the circa1930 photograph, is still visible.
21. #81 Bridge Street, Old Post Office, circa1891The Building was designed by famed OttawaParliament Peace Tower architect, Thomas Fuller(1823- 1898), who designed 78 Post Offices forthe Dominion of Canada from 1881-1896. This 21⁄2storey building, constructed of New Brunswickred sandstone details and Perth stone sittingatop a Beckwith limestone foundation, is a fineexample of Fuller’s work. Note how the thirdlevel massive dormer repeats the semicircular
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arches of the doubleentrances and continues in thedownstairs windows. This buildingserved as the Post Office and CustomsServices for the community until the newpost office was built in 1970. It now housesoffices and private apartments. The stone stairson the left are worn with the steps of thousandsof visitors over the past century. Cast-ironbalustrades lead to the semi-circular doors, whichare ornamented by large clock voussoirs radiatingoutwards with round décor in stonework.
The Clock Tower:Added to thebuilding in 1913,the weight-drivenclock, manu -factured by JohnSmith and Sonsof The MidlandClockworks,Derby, Englandwas given intothe care of JamesDack , jeweller.
Howard Dack, his son, had the honour of startingthe 150 lb. pendulum. The massive 800 lb BrassBell was manufactured by John Taylor ofLongborough. The four stained-glass facesmeasure 5’6” in diameter. Since the building wasretired as a post office, the clock has slowlyfallen into disrepair.
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22. #93 Bridge Street,Royal Bank of Canada,
circa 1911This building, originally the Union
Bank of Canada, isconstructed of concrete
blocks fabricated to resemblestone. Columns with ioniccapitals support an entabla -ture with dentil work. Traces of two styles offormer lettering remain above the columns.
23. #107-109 BridgeStreet, Keyes Block,circa 1880This two-storey brickbuilding features stonequoins at the lowerstorey and a covered
balcony across the second storey. The upperstorey windows have a Tudor style ogee arch andstorefront windows on the ground floor retainoriginal copper mullions. 109 Bridge Street hasan unusual skylight in the store which allowslight to pass from the upper storey if it isopened.
24. #111 Bridge Street,rebuilt following fire circa1897This restored storefront sitsbetween two doors givingaccess to rooms above. Twoelaborate cast iron columnssupport the upper façade. The curved brickworkfrieze above the windows and the corbelled brickcornice extend over 14 bays in the second storeyof the entire block. The building, now a pub andrecently an office supply store, accommodated adrug store from 1905 until 1969.
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25. #121 Bridge Street, circa 1880This recessed double-door entrance storefrontwith its marble base below the large windows andits tin ceiling above the entrance is typical of late19th century commercial architecture.
26. #37 Franklin Street, ZionMemorial Church, circa 1888Situated across from the CarletonPlace Library and Memorial Park,this Romanesque stone church,originally the Methodist Church,built in 1888, was destroyed by
fire except for the bell tower in 1954 and rebuiltshortly after. Lawn bowling was played from theturn of the century until the mid 1970s in thearea to the east now occupied by the ChurchManse.
27. Memorial ParkThe tranquility ofMemorial Park with itscenotaph and gardenspaying tribute toCarleton Place’s wardead, belies its origins as the bustling marketplace for the community. The Public Library builtin the 1970s took the place of the formerCarleton Place Skating Rink, a wooden structurewhich housed a natural ice rink, until the NeelinStreet Arena was constructed.
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28. #17 FranklinStreet, circa 1880Formerly a three-storeybuilding with mansardroof, the Bank ofOttawa was locatedhere from 1883 to
1903. Following a 1939 fire, the building wasconverted to a single storey, retaining roomswith 11-foot ceilings and ornate plasterwork. Ithas a hopper roof which slopes downwards in thecenter, containing a central drain which passesthrough the interior walls. This roof rests on theformer second storey floor joists.
29. #139-147 BridgeStreet, Bell Block,circa 1880 and 1904Although all thesestorefronts wereoriginally built in thesame year and all areof brick, note the differences in windowtreatments, facades and cornices owing to partsof the block being rebuilt following a fire. Acarriage way was originally located at #147 andits limestone quoins are still visible.
30. #149 BridgeStreet, circa 1882An extremely wideand complex uppercornice constructedof wood, withintricate end pieces,
tops this two-storey brick building. The entranceis off-centre with a side door giving access tosecond floor residences. The building housedshoe stores, notably Allan Shoes, until the late1960s.
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31. #155-157 Bridge Street, circa 1880The decorative cornices at the roofline of thisbuilding and the fine second storey windows withcoloured brick detailing make this building one-of-a-kind in Carleton Place. The street levelfaçade was altered during 1960s renovationswhen a carriage way on the north end was alsofilled in.
32. #159-167 Bridge Street,The Taylor Block, circa 1888The largest commercial rangebuilding in Carleton Place, this three-storey brick structure is dressed withBeckwith limestone sills and lintels and toppedby a pressed metal cornice. The Taylor familyoperated a department store and garage fromhere and the painted signage on the Mill Streetside wall is still visible.
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Our Walking Tours could nothave been possible without the
collaborative efforts of thefollowing groups and individuals:
The Carleton Place Urban Forest/RiverCorridor Committee
The Carleton Place Marketing and PromotionsCommittee
The Carleton Place BIAThe Carleton Place and Beckwith Historical SocietyThe Town Of Carleton PlaceMotion Creative PrintingThe Carleton Place Municipal Heritage CommitteeValley HeartlandThe Katimavik Students 2007
The following contributed Modern and HistoricalPhotographs:Victoria School Museum Collection; National Archives ofCanada; Lux Photographic Services; Wendy LeBlanc;Manda Blakeley; Mary Jane Lancaster; Rick Kwissa; RyanHearn; Judy Pallister; Gloria Putnam.
Design, Research, Copy & Content:Mary Jane Lancaster - Motion Creative Printing – Design& Printing; Manda Blakeley, The Carleton Place Marketingand Promotions Coordinator; Wendy LeBlanc - Councillor;Larry Gray - Author; Cathie McOrmond - BIA, Chamber ofCommerce Manager.
Special Thanks To Duncan Rodgers - Town Clerk, for hisknowledge of the history of Carleton Place. Hisexceptional attention to detail was most appreciated.
Finally a BIG Thank You to the People of Carleton Place-Past and Present. Without those of you who carefullypreserve family memorabilia and photographs, ourhistory would be lost to us all. Conserve your old familyphotos and please allow our museum to retain copies ofthose photos. It’s our history. It’s OUR TOWN!
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Nature Trail 2
1. #150-152 Bridge Street2. Emily Street Cairn3. #56 Front Street,4. Riverside Park5, Hawthorne Mill6. The Carleton Place Canoe Club7. Centennial Park8. The Carleton Place Water Works9. Gabion baskets
10. Tree varieties11. The town dock12. Waterfowl13. Flood plain14. Town boat launch
This Symbol indicatesthe buildings on this tour that are
designated as HeritageBuildings, under theOntario Heritage Act.
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Nature Trail #2, Riverside Park Tour.You may want to take a
picnic lunch and spend the day at the beach.
START: #170 BridgeStreet, The MooreHouse circa 1850The Moore family,immigrants from CountyArmagh in Ireland, weregranted the area now
bounded by Highway 7 and Lake Avenue in 1818;this log home, one of the oldest structures inCarleton Place, was built by family members ofthe original settler, William Moore at the northernedge of the land grant near a spring-fed creekwhich now runs underground in this area. Formany years, this building housed a general store.This log structure originally sat at the north endof Moore Street opposite Lansdowne Avenue. TheBuilding was donated to the town in 2006 andmoved to this location in the spring of 2007. Apublic dock allowingMississippi Lake access toBridge Street businesses,is located at the northwest end of the parkinglot behind the Moore House.
1. #150-152 Bridge StreetThis fine building of irregular courses, ofBeckwith limestone with prominent quoins, sillsand voussoirs has been home to a bakery almostcontinuously since 1882, and a barber or beautyshop since 1905. Note the sign painted on theside of the building, as well as the tin gableroof, balanced chimneys and small attic windows.
TURN RIGHT ONTO ALLAN STREET.
TURN LEFT ONTO VICTORIA STREET
TURN RIGHT ONTO EMILY STREET
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2. EmilyStreet, MorphyFamily Historical CairnIt was at this site that theMorphy Family had an acre ofland that was reserved for the
Family Burial Grounds. Edmond and severaldescendants rested here until the 1960s whentheir remains were reinterred in the UnitedCemeteries in Beckwith.
TURN LEFT ONTO REAR STREET
TURN RIGHT ONTO FRONT STREET
3. #56 Front Street, JosephYuill House, circa 1850s Thisstone home is an excellentexample of a nineteenth centuryresidence showing the influencesof Loyalist architecture with its
symmetrical design of balanced windows, trims,and chimneys, and Gothic Revival roofline withcentral gable. The verandah-portico entrance,normally associated with more substantial estatehomes, is a regency period feature found on fewstone houses.
TURN LEFT ONTO FRANK STREET
TURN RIGHT ONTO JOHN STREET, WALK 3 BLOCKS
4. Riverside Park, purchased bythe Town in 1904, is a multi-use area of 24 acres borderingthe shores of the MississippiRiver. Beautiful trees and lawnareas with benches and picnic tables providequiet spaces for relaxation. The sand beach withsupervised swimming, fun splash pad, andplayground equipment make for hours ofentertainment. Sports-minded visitors can fish,swim, play baseball and soccer, ride bicycles,launch a boat, and take in a canoe club regatta.
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5. To theeast of the
beach area inRiverside Park is a large mill complex,
known as the Hawthorne Mill, which producedwoolen fabric and goods until the late 1950s. Forthe past half century, the building has housedhigh tech firms, including Leigh Instruments,Spar Aerospace, and DRS.
Of Note: Steamboat rides from the town dock nearthe Hawthorne Mill were popular with CarletonPlace citizens from 1880 to 1910, for both pleasureand transportation of goods. The paddlewheelboats, with names such as The Carleton, Lillian B.,Belle, Enterprise, Mississippi, and The Ripple, pliedthe waters between Lake Park Lodge and Innisvilleon the Mississippi Lake and Carleton Place.
6. The Carleton Place CanoeClub, established in 1893, waspart of the American CanoeAssociation in its early years.In 1900, it became a founding
member of the new Canadian Canoe Association,and is now the only surviving club from thatgroup. The original boat house was theblacksmith shop of the Caldwell Lumber Company.Two members of past Canadian Olympic teams hailfrom this club.
7. Across the river from the Canoe Club isCentennial Park with its sand beach and largeplaying field; one of the joys of all swimmers, butparticularly children, is to locate ‘The Big Rock’,an enormous boulder some 25 feet from shore. Tothe west of Centennial Park is O-kee-lee Park, anatural environment area named for the call ofthe red-winged blackbirds that frequent the park.
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Paths allow visitors to get aclose-up view of a variety ofupland and wetland habitats. O-kee-
lee Park can bereached from the TownHall by travelling north overthe bridge on Bridge Street,turning left onto High Street,
proceeding four blocks west and turning left ontoJoseph Street.
8. The Carleton Place Water Works,built in 1914, still serves the needsof the town, purifying water takenfrom the Mississippi River andpumping it to a large underground reservoir andthe community’s water tower. A small amount ofchlorine piped to the mouth of the intake pipe inthe river discourages the growth there of zebramussels that have invaded the river in recent years.
9. Gabion baskets, which replacedold concrete walls, are used tostabilize parts of the shoreline. Thebaskets do not extend to the floor
of the river, but are suspended over the water ontop of a sloping shelf of crushed granite riprap.This provides homes for small fish, crustaceans,and if the spring waters are high enough,spawning grounds for walleye. Vegetation nowgrowing alongside the baskets in the water actsas a natural buffer and home to frogs and turtles.
10. The trees in Riverside Park reveala variety of species and stages ofgrowth. Very old sugar maples andwillows stand side-by-side with
twenty-year old ash, oak, spruce, and tamarack,along with much younger trees enclosed in wirecages for protection from beaver damage. Long-
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term planning for urbanreforestation ensures a good
tree canopy for future generations.
11. The town dock, andfurther to the west, the town
boat launch offer facilities forboaters and sportsfishers alike. Favourite fishingspots for the young and the young-at-heart fromoff the dock or in a boat, the area is best knownfor its bass, perch, and pike.
12. From any point along the shore, butparticularly at the western end of the park,
birders are treated to close-up viewsof many waterfowl including greatblue herons, common loons, commonmergansers, goldeneye, bufflehead,Canada geese, and mallards. Inautumn, the upper river is teaming
with birds on their migratory trips to the south.
13. The heavily-treed,lower-lying area near thewest end of Riverside Parkis located in the floodplain and experiencesfrequent floods in spring.In years gone by up until the 1950s, in this areaof the river, ice cutters removed large blocks ofice that were then stored in sawdust in a nearbybarn; the ice was distributed door-to-door andsold to the townsfolk for use in iceboxes beforerefrigerators became widely available.
14. From the town boatlaunch at the end of LakeAvenue West, boaters haveaccess to the beautifulMississippi Lakes system,
some 12 miles long, and covering 5600 acres.
Nature Trail 2
