Thursday, December 22, 2011

Season's Greetings from Hunter River

Season's Greetings to all.  Below are photos I took around my home here in Hunter River, Prince Edward Island, on Old Christmas Day, January 7th, 2011
Below: The old Patterson Grist Mill.  To the right is the corner of the old blacksmith shop.

Below:  The old grist mill was restored a few years ago by the Parkman family.
A view of Bagnall's Pond on Hunter River taken from the covered bridge looking south towards the village.
 Below:  To the far left are the trees of my backyard.
Below:  The ducks can be seen all winter long on the pond.
Below:  a closer look at the mill. 
From the history of Hunter River: “James Patterson who came out from the old country and settled here in 1834, and who built a grist and lumber mill and store.  The mill was burnt but later rebuilt..." ; "On May 15, 1919, their visions were realized when the Hunter River Hydro Electric Company was established…Patterson’s grist mill was selected as the site…Mr. Wellington Patterson was engaged to operate it at no salary but with the luxurious privilege of free light for his mill and home.  It was Patterson who also installed and then maintained the street lights and, for a time, read the meters…"
Below:   the new covered bridge was built over the dam in 2007.  There is no tradition of covered bridges on Prince Edward Island.  This is probably the first.
The sandstones in the walls of the covered bridge were mostly salvaged from demolished 19th-century farmhouses.
When the mill was restored the owner, an electrician, put lighting rods on the old mill.
Below:  The Patterson farmhouse.  The following is from the History of Hunter River: “…the oldest house in the village of Hunter River.  The house was built on the property purchased from landlord Rennie by Mr. Patterson’s grandfather James Patterson who came out from the old country and settled here in 1834, and who built a grist and lumber mill and store.”
During the mid 1900's the house was operated as a Bed & Breakfast by Mrs. Patterson.  In 1970 the house was sold to the Makita's who also operated it as a B&B.  In the late 1980's the Richardson family purchased the house and for a time operated a dental office from the large porch built on to the south of the house.  Below is an old photo of the Patterson House from Barb (White) Morgan.

2 comments:

  1. IMO what sets Hunter River apart from the rest. Love the bridge although never have gone across it (figured it was a residence so didnt' want to trespass). Hopefully the house is still in good repair, hard to see from the road.

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  2. Sorry - off topic - but am seeking info on the White clan of Hunter River. My grandmother was Matilda Jane, born 1889, daughter of John & Martha, and sister of Elsworth, Alice, Wilford, and sundry others all born in late 1880s/early 1890s.

    Would love to hear from anyone knowing of this family and their descendants [especially those remaining in the area]...

    Lynn Fletcher
    fletcherweir@sympatico.ca

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