Small Barn at O'Leary Corner

I was up to O'Leary yesterday and while waiting for a client at O'Leary Corner public parking I took a closer look at this little barn which I previously dismissed as a more recently built structure, however, upon taking a closer look it's older than I originally thought.  The Shaws lived here where the O'Leary Road (the longest, straightest road on PEI) begins just off Hwy 2 (Western Rd).  To the left/west of the barns is St. Luke's Anglican Church.  When the intersection here was redesigned the house was demolished but the barn remain.  Below is the south/front facing side of the barn.

The barn features the typical arrangement of doors and windows on the main floor - the barn floor would be divided into section for the different animals, ie. cows, horses, calves.  Higher up on the south wall are three hatches to access the hay loft.  There's also high gable window to bring light in to the hay loft.

The barn roof is fairly steep with a 12/12 pitch.

Below: The front/south left door - this door was designed to be left open, inward, with a gate on the outside to allow the movement of air while keeping in untethered animals.

Below:  The cedar shingle roof is pealing away at the edges to reveal the roof boarding below.

 Below:  west/left side of barn.

Below:  The doors on the west/left side of the barn, which open out, have these iron hinges.

Below is St. Luke's Anglican Church, consecrated in October 1890.

 The barns are directly behind the church and hidden in this photo.

1872 Mansard House, Kensington

I was in Kensington the other day and noticed this lovely 1872 mansard style house for sale. I took the following photos.  The 2-storey house features a mansard roof - flat on top; three dormers on front, 2 on each side cut into the eaveline; double brick chimneys; eave moulding; double-hung windows; and a narrow sunporch on the north side of the house.

Here's the listing information:  http://www.realtor.ca/propertyDetails.aspx?propertyId=11292144&PidKey=-1297688337
Built in 1872, A well maintained immaculate 4 Bedroom Heritage Home in the Heart of Kensington located 10 minutes from Summerside and within walking distance to Schools.  The house is located on a large treed lot with a 37x19 detached garage/storage building.  Home boasts 12' high ceilings on the main level, original mouldings, and douglas fir/birch floors, 5 slate fireplaces on both levels, air exchanger through-out and a cozy bright 30x6 front porch.  

North Shore Hotel, Malpeque

     I was to the annual winter lecture series by the Architectural Institute and Conservation last evening at Beaconsfield Carriage House in Charlottetown.  The topic was Spotlight on Streetscapes of Malpeque presented by Sally Blake-Hooff, a former resident of Malpeque.   Below is an image of a hotel mentioned in the lecture.  Sorry - I don't have credit for the photo source below - it was from a local history I believe.
     The hotel was abandoned for years - many people wanted to buy it and move it off the Bearisto property but the owner wouldn't hear of it - finally it was torn down in the 1980's.  My friend Arnold Smith recalls walking through the hotel prior to it's demolition and was surprised that it had wooden bathtubs.     

Below is information from:    http://www.archives.pe.ca/peiain/fondsdetail.php3?number=1030124&lang=E&fonds=Acc4948

 Detail for fonds Acc4948 

     The Beairsto family lived in Malpeque, Prince Edward Island. George (1786-1864) and his wife Margret Riley Beairsto built North Shore House in 1810. Their son Benjamin Beairsto (1817-1894) married Anne McNutt (1823-1903) and became the second owner of the North Shore House hotel. In 1888, they added the third storey. Benjamin was a Justice of the Peace, and he performed many marriage ceremonies in his home. His son George F. Beairsto (1853-1923) married Emma Ramsay (1865-1962), and they were the third owners of the North Shore Hotel and farm. Their son Ralph Beairsto (1897-1972) married Bertha Buxton (1896-1949) and became the fourth and last of the Beairsto family to own and live at the North Shore Hotel and farm. After Bertie's death, Ralph and his mother moved to Charlottetown.

      This fonds consists of records belonging to the Beairsto family of Malpeque, Prince Edward Island. The records include Benjamin Beairsto's magistrate book (1851-1869) and a North Shore House Hotel ledger (1889-1903), the back section of which was used as a diary by Ralph Beairsto, documenting farm life (1933-1938). A small notebook diary for October 1920 to January 1921 has also been attributed to Ralph Beairso. The fonds also contains a post-1888 photo of North Shore House Hotel and a newspaper article about the hotel (1972). Also, the fonds consists of a book that appears to have been used by at least three individuals as a diary, including a young woman attending college in Charlottetown, an unidentified individual (April 1912), and another individual (April to June 1913, 1938-1940). The handwriting for the 1913 and 1938-1940 entries matches that found in other diaries in the fonds which have been attributed by the donor to Ralph Beairsto. The book also includes loose papers listing names, household and farm item, and prices. The fonds also includes a ledger listing names of individuals hired and method of payment (1893-ca. 1935) and as well as accounts (1935-1949). Finally, there are two crayon portraits [1880-1899] of the second generation to own and operate North Shore House, Benjamin Beairsto and his wife, Ann MacNutt.

     Benjamin Bearisto 1817-1894 married Anne McNutt 1823-1903 - they were the second owners of the North Shore Hotel.  In 1888 they added the third floor to the building.  Benjamin was a Justice of the Peace and performed marriages in his home.  Info cf. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mnrrvn/McNutt-Anne-1823.html

"My Garden" by Mrs. MacMillan 1968 - Part 1

     Here's a little publication called "My Garden" by Mrs. MacMillan of Cornwall.  She had wonderful gardens once enjoyed by so many Islanders and Visitors.  Following an attempt to find more information about Mrs. MacMillan on the Internet with no success I decided to scan the publication I have and post it on this blog in four or five parts  for everyone to enjoy.
     Her gardens no longer exist - lost to time.  See also:   http://peiheritagebuildings.blogspot.com/2011/06/beechwood-gardens-ferry-rd-cornwall.html

Working to Save Island Lighthouses

     This morning on the local CBC Radio program "Island Morning" Matt Rainie interviewed Natalie Carragher who's getting together a group to save and restore the Blockhouse Lighthouse at Rocky Point. 
     Here's the article which appears on the CBC website today:  http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2012/01/09/pei-lighthouse-deadline-584.html

Lighthouse deadline approaching

CBC News Posted: Jan 9, 2012 10:13 AM

      Dozens of lighthouses on P.E.I. could be demolished after they are decommissioned by the federal government if no one steps up to care for them before May 31.

Natalie Carragher at the Blockhouse

Lighthouse ( Julia Cook/CBC Photo )

      More than 40 lighthouses and range lights on the Island are being decommissioned. Fisheries and Oceans Canada has set the end of May deadline for groups to come forward and take charge of them, but most of the buildings still don't have anyone to care for them after the government shuts them down.

     Natalie Carragher of Rocky Point is with a group looking to take charge of the Blockhouse Lighthouse at the mouth of Charlottetown Harbour. Carragher used to play around the lighthouse when she was a child.

     "It's just as beautiful as it's always been," Carragher told CBC News.

     "You can see for miles and miles. It makes sense why they would have posted a lighthouse here back in 1851."

     When she heard the lighthouse was being decommissioned, Carragher put a community group together to make sure it wasn't torn down.

    "Have already sent the petition in, have heard back and it is eligible for heritage status, so that's where we are right now," she said.

    Carol Livingstone of the P.E.I. Lighthouse Society is concerned many Island lighthouses, including ones at Indian Head, Cape Tryon, and North Rustico, will not find a champion like Carragher.

     "There are been others across the country that have fallen into disrepair," said Livingstone.

     "I'd hate to see that be the fate of these lighthouses, but I fear that's what it probably will be."

     Any lighthouses not claimed by community groups or municipalities by May 31 will either be put up for sale to the public or torn down.

 

 

Heritage Lighthouses petition process

(Note: CBC or this Blog does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external links.)

http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/progs/lhn-nhs/pp-hl/page02.aspx

     You are encouraged to participate in the designation of heritage lighthouses! Residents of Canada can nominate a lighthouse for designation under the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act by forwarding a petition to the Heritage Lighthouse Program by 29 May 2012. 

The Old House beside Wheatley River

Just drove by this old homestead this afternoon and saw that it had recently sold by Peters & Lank Realty / Royal LePage.  This house has been well photographed over the years appearing in my Tourism images and calendars.  Here's what I found on a Google Images search.

Here's a few photos I took of this property in September 2003.

The property is located near the intersections of Roads 224 (Glasgow Rd), 243 and 258 and sits beside the Whealtey River.

Above: the kitchen has a wrap around verandah.

1912 Stanley Bridge School

     I was out by Stanley Bridge yesterday and took this photo of the old 1912 Stanley Bridge Schoolhouse near the intersections of Routes 6; 224 and 254.  The schoolhouse was close to the road with its driveway off Rte. 224 - it was moved back on its Lot in September 2011 to make way for a new street called Schoolhouse Lane which takes you through rolling fields to a new development up in to the back of fields behind - see photos of development below.

Above: the Stanley Bridge Schoolhouse at its new location at the back of its lot sitting on posts - note the new road on the left.

Above: the northwest view of the schoolhouse.  The schoolhouse is unique no the Island as it is a story-and-a-half with dormers that break the eave line.  It has typically banked 6-over-6 windows on the main floor classroom and narrow 4-over-4 windows on the north/front.

Above: the north view / main entrance to the schoolhouse.

Above: the north east view of the schoolhouse.

Above: looking west towards the schoolhouse from Schoolhouse Lane.

Above: looking east on Schoolhouse Lane to the new multi-unit residential development.

Above & Below:  the buildings in the new development which backs on to Andersons Creek Golf Club:  http://www.andersonscreek.com/index.php

     Through the 1990's and 2000's the Stanley Bridge School was a must visit craft shop who specialized in the sale of local quilts and handcrafts.  With a downturn in the economy and fewer Americans visiting they closed two years ago.  The following is their ad which appeared in the 2007 PEI Visitors Guide.

     The following is from the History of Stanley Bridge by the Stanley Bridge Community Historical Society. 1997.  Page 124.

...The month of April 1911 was a memorable one for the residents of the District as the schoolhouse burned.  The janitor, Henry Atkins, had lit the fire in the early morning and returned home for a short while.  Upon his return, he discovered the school on fire.  Presumably it started in the attic...The District voted $1,000 for the erection of a suitable building, "the size of which would be a two-story building measuring approx. 25'x40', or a little bigger if necessary".  The new school was built by Charles Ramsay of Malpeque - later of Summerside.  It was opened for classroom instruction in January 1912 with two teachers, James (later Cardinal) MacGuigan and Ella Martin both of Hunter River.  Except for the purchase of a new blackboard for $5 in 1916, few changes were made...In 1948 the school was relocated to its present site...The Stanley Bridge School #91 officially closed in June 1976.  It is presently (1997) owned by Georgene Enman of Granville who operates a Craft Shop during the summer months.

cf. Page 114