Haslam Farmstead, Springfield

     Just up the road on Route-2 on the same side as the Hagan farmstead, going west, is this lovely Island farmhouse in the center gable style with a kitchen wing to the rear/south.

     I use to always notice this house as the owner made birdhouses in his retirement and sold them at the end of his driveway.  I've noticed in recent years the house is in need of repairs especially on the  left side of verandah as it's starting to settle.

     The house has many great details: a well proportioned verandah with gingerbread trim; a steep-pitched center gable (typical of the 1880's); a gable window with trapezoid style trim above; running eave gingerbread trim; 2-over-2 single hung windows; brick chimney; and window header detailing.

Hagen Farmstead, Springfield

     The house below is located on south side of Route-2 Highway in the community of Springfield.  In the mid-to-late part of the 1900's the Hagan (Atlas spelling) family lived here.
     All winter long I've been driving by and thinking one of these days I have to stop and take a few photos. 

Note the light in the photographs which were at 7:15 in the morning.

     Note the window on the left side, second floor, in the middle. The wall is built-out at 6" to accentuate this window which is likely be located at the top of the stairs.

     Arnold Smith, a nearby resident, told me that when the parents got older they built the section to the right of the verandah for their living quarters - an addition that was sympathetic to the original 2-storey, hpped roof structure.

Below: Note the gambrel roofed barn in the background.

Below: the west side of the large barn.

Haslam's 1857 "Stone Cottage" - Demolished 2011

I was by here yesterday and was surprised to see the house demolished.  I didn't have my camera so I went back up this morning to photograph the site - I took these photos from Rte. 2 highway in Springfield - a bit blurry for the distance as my zoom was maxed-out.

Below:  It appears an area was dug-out of the side of the hill to discard materials.  I'm assuming the beams and stones will be salvaged and for sale.  The house had been for sale to be moved since the fall of 2006.

The destruction of this house leaves the number of Island Sandstone houses down to six - they are located in the following communities: Hamilton; Hazel Grove; Harrington; Brackley (rebuilt); Clyde River; Lower Montague.

Below:  A photo of Stone Cottage I took in January 2007 when I photographed and prepared architectural as-found drawings for this house for the Heritage Division of the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs.

Below:  Photos I obtained from the Sinclair family.

“Stone Cottage”

c.f. “The History of Springfield 1825-1985”, Page. 183

            “The next property of 150 acres was bought by Thomas Haslam in 1844 from the Fanning heirs.  He transferred it to his sixth son, Robert, in 1850.  On this property, Robert Haslam built a stone house with blocks hewn from a stone quarry under the hill at the back of the farm.  “Stone Cottage” is now over 130 years old and is still the only stone house built in Springfield.  Robert Haslam beautified his farm property by planting hawthorne and spruces hedges.  At his death his son, Fred W.E., took charge at the early age of seventeen years.  Mrs. Robert Haslam and her daughters lived in “Stone Cottage” and Fred W.E. built a second house previous to his marriage.  Shortly after his death, the Misses Haslam went to Charlottetown to live and sold the farm in 1947 to Samuel G. Gillespie Sr., who moved here from Alberta with his family.  Samuel Jr. and his wife and family occupied Stone Cottage.  Samuel Sr., his wife and mother lived in the other house.  After Samuel Sr. died, the house was sold to Howard and Chrissy (Biggar) Parkman and moved to the corner lot at the junction of Rattenbury and Town roads.  It was later purchased by Vernon Paynter.  Samuel Gillispie Jr. returned to Alberta with his family and settled in Morrin.  The present owner of the “Stone Cottage” property is Eric Sinclair.”

Thomas Haslam was a native of Queen's County, Ireland. 

            In 1826 a new road to Princetown from Charlottetown was completed.  Thomas Haslam moved in January 1828 to establish an inn at a suitable location in Lot 67.  The deed for this property was dated December 22, 1828 and signed by Misses Fanning, co-heirs of Lot 67.  

            In 1834 Thomas Haslam had erected a second house.  The commodious, 12-roomed structure was built by his future son-in-law, Thomas Essery, a native of England.

            A millsite, owned and constructed by Thomas and his sons, was located on the millstream of the Dunk River at County Line, east of Emerald.    In 1809 the river at that point was fifty feet wide.  Huge felled trees were hauled by oxen through solid woods to the millsite to provide lumber for building of the second house on the homestead.  The mill was in operation for many years until it was destroyed by fire sometime after 1863.

            In 1837 Thomas Haslam was appointed Ranger and Inspector of every part of the forest and wilderness of Lot 67.  He had the authority to mark the best pine with the King's Arrow. 

            By 1841, Thomas Haslam had bought nine hundred acres from the Fanning heirs and settled his sons around the homestead.  The seven farms were all within hailing distance, and when one brother needed help he would shout to the nearest, and each would relay the message to the next.  The countryside was so quite that sounds carried far.  In short order all would arrive to help with the job on hand.  It was told that these brothers would be in the woods before dawn, waiting daybreak to start the work of clearing land.