O'Leary Train Station Doors

     My brother bought these old doors which once belonged to the O'Leary Train Station.  The doors each measure 36" wide by 87" high by 2-1/2" thick.  He has them for sale - see his blog www.backroadfolkart.blogspot.com

Here's info about the O'Leary Train Station - still there on Main Street...

     Here's a photo of the O'Leary Train Station, on the left (the one on the right was the 2nd station, long since demolished), taken from Allan Graham best selling book, "A Photo History of Prince Edward Island Railway" page 79.  The book is now out-of-print but you may be able to find it in used book stores or online at www.abebooks.com  ISBN is 0-9687204-0-4.

Old barn, O'Leary Road, Unionvale

     Here's an old falling down barn and outbuildings on the Stetson homestead located on the O'Leary Road in the community of Unionvale (located between O'Leary and Woodstock).  
     I took these photos on February 2nd.

     The big barn roof was lifted off during a big wind storm about five years ago.  
     The O'Leary Road has some great old barns as you drive on it - I have to photograph them sooner than later - they're disappearing fast.  Just like the farms and farmers - there's hardly a cow or pig to be found in the countryside in western Prince Edward Island anymore.

Below:  likely a machine building located to the left/west of the old barn. 

     Below:  This is a great outbuilding - probably a hen house. Located to the right/east of the big old barn.

Milk Paints

     I was at Lee Valley Tools Ltd. recently and was reminded of the Milk Paints they have available.  It's a traditional styled, acrylic paint for indoor and outdoor use.  
     The product is made by General Finishes, East Troy, WI, USA  http://generalfinishes.com/ and can be purchased here in Canada from Lee Valley Tools Ltd. at their store locations or mail order.

Image and info below cf. 

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=70940&cat=1,190,42942

General® Milk Paint      While not actually derived from milk proteins, this paint has hues akin to those of traditional milk paints. It dries to a satin finish, and has a more homogeneous, opaque quality that would ordinarily require several coats as well as considerable rubbing-out to achieve.      Formulated to a thick, creamy consistency, the ready-to-use acrylic-based paint requires no mixing, is easy to apply with a brush, pad or spray gun, and cleans up with soap and water. Can be applied over most water-based or oil-based stains, and top-coated with General High-Performance polyurethane, pre-catalyzed lacquer or conversion varnish.      Suitable for interior and exterior applications, it is UV-resistant and dries in 2 to 4 hours under ideal conditions. Available in one-quart (946ml / 32 fl oz) containers; coverage is approximately 100 sq.ft. Made in USA.      There are other suppliers of milk paints - here's a another such link,  http://www.homesteadhouse.ca/

Former MacWilliams Hotel, O'Leary

     The other day I was in O'Leary and stopped to take a few photos of this old house on Main Street.  
     This was the home of the Pate sisters ( L.A.W. Norma June; Marcia, high school teacher; and C.W.A.C. Patricia Joan - all three were veterans of WWII ).  Norma Pate was the last to live here - she died a year ago (see Obituary below).  Last summer the contents were sold at auction.  Word around town is the house will be torn down when the estate is settled.

    The following information about this house comes from, "Threads of our Past: History of O'Leary, 1837-1992"  pages 52-53.
     "In 1915 Percy Turner had a home built to his specifications by Harry Williams who constructed a very fine house in O'Leary.  In 1917, Percy Turner sold his house to James Malcolm MacWilliams and moved to Charlottetown.  Later in Life, Mr. Turner became involved in civic politics and became mayor of Charlottetown for a short term.
    In 1935, Lulu MacWilliams, wife of James Malcolm MacWilliams, decided to venture into the motel business.  Because the MacWilliams house was so large, it easily served the needs of home and hotel.  The clientele consisted of commercial travelers who stayed only 2 or 3 nights.  The hotel could accommodate eight to ten people and would be completely filled by the first part of the week.  The hotel was comfortable, well furnished and had a pleasing atmosphere.  Guest would hurry off from the train at night to be sure to get a room here before it filled up.
    The hotel operated for 12 year until 1947  when it was sold to Jean Pate and her family."

     This magnificent house was built by Henry Wellington "Little Harry" Williams (1866-1934) - he was one of the best carpenters in Prince County in the 1890's and early 1900's.  
     "Little Harry was born in Poplar Grave, P.E.I. - he came from a family of distinguished master carpenters and shipbuilders.  His grandfather, Edward William, was a ship carpenter at the Port Hill shipyards and his maternal Ellis relatives were long involved with shipbuilding in England and in Port Hill.  Little Harry apprenticed under builder George Gard of Alberton before moving to Massachusetts where he worked and studied architectural design.  He married married Effie Ellis (1870-1957) of Conneticutt in 1893.  They later returned to Prince Edward Island and built many impressive buildings in Western P.E.I." cf. http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=19165
     To see more of Little Harry's work see a previous entry in this blog...  http://peiheritagebuildings.blogspot.ca/2011/09/st-johns-anglican-church-ellerslie.html

     My Great-Aunt Orilla MacNevin (1915-2001) worked here as a maid in the late 1930's.

========================================================

NORMA PATE OBITUARY.

Born: Boston on June 24th, 1925  Passed on: February 27th, 2013

At the Palliative Care Unit of Community Hospital, O'Leary, on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, of Norma June Pate, O'Leary, aged 87, veteran of World War, having served in the RCAF (WD), both in Canada and England. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, June 24, 1925, daughter of the late Peter and Jean (Parsons) Pate. Norma is survived by her brother Peter (Marion) Pate, Ottawa, ON., and sister Betty Pepich, Chicago, Illinois. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.  Predeceased by her parents, sisters Marcia and Patricia and brother-in-law Eugene Pepich. Resting at the Ferguson Funeral Home and Chapel, O'Leary, with visiting hours Saturday, March 2, from 6 to 8 p.m. Funeral service Sunday, March 3, at 2 p.m. in the chapel. Comrades of O'Leary Royal Canadian Legion will hold a service of remembrance for their late comrade Saturday evening before visitation at 5:45 p.m. Interment to follow at a later date in the Bloomfield United Church Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials, in memory of Norma, to the CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind) would be appreciated.  www.fergusonsfh.com

cf. http://www.inmemoriam.ca/view-announcement-351198-norma-pate.html

Matthews House, O'Leary

     This was the home of Lloyd (1916-1999) and Velda (1920-1974) Matthew, located on the corner of Main Street (O'Leary Road) and Gaspe Road on the east side of O'Leary.  
     Five years ago this house was destined for demolition and in very poor condition, then along came a new owner who did a complete restoration, returning to its' original splendor!

      Lloyd's father George built this house, he was a lawyer and had his law office on the second floor.

     Here's Lloyd's obituary...http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mnrrvn/Matthews-Lloyd-George.html
     Lloyd G. Matthews passed away peacefully on May 20, 1999 at the Community Hospital, O'Leary, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. He was born March 5, 1916, the son of George and Emma (Carruthers) Matthews, O'Leary. Like his four brothers, Lloyd served his country overseas during the Second World War. ( Lloyd and his four brothers served oversea in WWII - miraculously, they all returned home )
     In 1935, he opened "The Little Gypsy Tea Room" in O'Leary. He also operated a shore store in Tatamouche, N.S. and in 1947 he joined his cousin in opening a Clothing and Footwear Store in O'Leary. In 1958, he became Post Master at O'Leary Post Office, a position he held until his retirement in 1980.
Lloyd was very active in community affairs having served as president of the Royal Canadian Legion, O'Leary, a Scoutmaster, a member of the Corinthian Lodge, a charter member and fomer president of the O'Leary Lion's Club, a director of A.M.R. and a founding member of Maple House Inc., a sheltered workshop for adults. He was a faithful member and strong supporter of O'Leary United Church.
In his leisure years, he became a skilled craftsman and made many unique articles for the craft industry. For several years he thoroughly enjoyed spending the winter months in Florida as well as other travel and camping experiences during the summer months.
     Precious memories of Lloyd will include his friendliness, his interest in people, his keen sense of humor and his many acts of kindness to family and friends. In the last year of his life he continued to be exceptionally alert and demonstrated his usual keenness of mind as he became computer literate.
     He was predeceased by his first wife, Velda, in 1974. From that marriage he leaves to mourn two daughters: Lloydia Scavuzzo, Summerside, and Nadine (Dale) Dennis, Knutsford; and one son, Kevin, Knutsford. He was a loving grandfather of Melissa (Ashley) Keenan, Crystal and Denice Dennis, Linda and Derek Scavuzzo, and Molly Matthews and great-grandfather to Ashton Keenan and Leah Esser. A son, Gary, predeceased him in 1974.

Maplewood Manor, Alberton

     About a week ago demolition began on the old Maplewood Manor in Alberton.  The Manor opened in the fall of 1967 taking in 51 local seniors.  The 42-year-old brick structure with a flat roof saw many local seniors go through its' doors.  I had the privilege of working at Maplewood Manor the summers of 1981 and 1982 on summer student employment projects. The first year Garth MacKay, Darlene Wallace and I assisted Doris Buchanan, the Recreation Director, with a variety of senior activities.  The second year, Donna Broderick, Susan Foley and I had the job of collecting, compiling, writing and self-publishing a booklet called, Down Memory Lane, of stories and poems of Maplewood Manor residents and seniors from surrounding communities.  
     Below is a publication produced by the Maplewood Manor History Committee in 1987.

     There's hardly a day goes by that I don't think of the seniors I got to know at Maplewood Manor more than 30 years ago.  I was amazed with their stories of long ago, ie. men and women recalling childhood school poems as if it were yesterday; the stories of a sea captains widow who sailed with her husband and saw ghosts; a well-known local historian; a man who carried rural mail for more than 50 years; a man who wanted (and eventually had) 8 nurse pallbearers take him to his grave; a mother of 19 children; at the time most residents were born in the 1880s; many were farmers, fishermen and housewives, whose grandparents were early pioneers and settlers to the area.

     Below: A pen & ink drawing I drew for our booklet Down Memory Lane of the two houses torn down to make way for the old Maplewood Manor.

    Below - pages 1 & 2 telling the story of the two houses demolished in the mid 1960's to make way for the new manor.

The Bennett House -

     Henry and Hannah Bennett bought thirteen acres of land from a Mr. MacRae in the mid-1800s where there was already built a barn and an unfinished house.  Mr. Bennett, who was a shipbuilder, had plans to finish the house but he died shortly after acquiring it.  His son, Charles, put doors and windows on the place and completed the house to live in it with his wife, Margaret Thompson.  The Bennett home, which was finished in Ash, contained all handmade furniture from New Brunswick.  Much of this furniture can be found in West Prince including the Bennett’s staircase.  This staircase was in the Alberton Museum when exhibits were displayed at Oulton’s Barn.

     The Bennett property was situated between the Bonyman’s and the Purdy’s.  Mrs. Hedly Palmer, daughter of Charles and Margaret Bennett, was born there and lived at home until she was married.  She recalls her mother’s “beautiful lilac trees” which ran along their walkway.  Also, The Purdy house next door was almost like home to her as the families visited back and forth all the time.

     The Town of Alberton bought the Bennett place from George Bennett, Charles’ son in 1965.  The house, which was torn down, was over one hundred years old. 

  Above: the Dr. Purdy house, Church Street, Alberton

Page  - 2 -

The Purdy House -

     We, a son and daughter, are guessing about some of the dates.  We’re told that the plan for the house, in question, was drawn by Mr. M.R. Leard, was bought from the builder and owner John Wilkinson in the early 1900’s.

     IT was a very large house with nine-foot ceilings.  On the ground floor were two rooms with wide doors folding into the wall between the parlour and the sitting room.  In the living room there was a black slate fireplace and mantle piece where large chunks of coal were used.  On the other side there was a dining room with hardwood floors, a table with extension leaves that eventually seated eleven family members and usually one or more guests.  The kitchen section was smaller than the main house.  It contained a pantry and two what we called “back places”.  One, where a back stairway was built leading to two rooms, one for a bath, and one for a hallway with two steps leading to the hall of the main upper floor which contained three large bedrooms and one smaller one.  A lovely stairway went down to the hallway on the lower floor and the front door entrance.

     The house was insulated with saw dust throughout, and heated by a huge hot air coal furnace.

     Our father, a dentist, lost all his dental equipment except the chair, when his office on Main Street was destroyed by fire in 1919.  He then set up an office using the parlour of the house.  Dr. Purdy also went to Tignish one day a week to see patients.

     The house was on a brick foundation and had a closed in porch which was glassed in on one end and across the front.  It had a fourteen inch shelf to hold Mother’s ever-blooming plants (until frost time).  They were topic of conversation as guests and patients entered.

     We had real nice neighbours.  On the left were Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bennett and family.  On the right the Honourable Ben and Mrs. Rogers and family, then Mr. and Mrs. Rankin and family, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Gard and Mr. And Mrs. Alton O’Brien and family.  Across the street was the Methodist Church now the United Church and in the parsonage next to its a different minister and his family moved in every four years.  During the winter months when some one from the parsonage would come to visit they would say, “I really came to get warm.”  Our house was an all around warm one. 

     Above/Below: the only page in the Maplewood Manor 1967-1987 booklet telling the story of a resident and their home.  I knew Louisa Fish, she was a happy person and blind when I knew her.  She came to the Manor when she was about 94 or 95 - Louisa and her brother Will lived here following their parents death.  

     I wish I quizzed Louisa about her old farmhouse - she would have had great stories to tell.  I seem to recall she had an old family trunk that she treasured and had in her room.

Baltic, Lot 18

     Thanks to my brother my collection of old Island community histories continues to grow.  Yesterday he brought me a copy of "|History of Baltic Lot 18" by the Baltic Lot 18 Women's Institute.  Wow, the Women's Institute of Prince Edward Island surely compiled and saved alot of our community history for Islanders.  This book was published around 1975-76
     Here's the book cover along with a few interesting photos from within.  As I always say, these community histories are a great source of vernacular and other architecture.

     Page 13. The school in Baltic was established in 1848 .  In 1872 the school shown above here was built.  They were No. 99.

     Page 16.  Reminiscences of the Baltic School and Community 1915-1916 by Jean MacFadgen

     At the beginning of the school term, the middle of August, after I received my First Class Certificate from Prince of Wales College in 1915, I went to the pretty undulating countryside, sparsely wooded, of Baltic, Lot 18.  The one-room school was similar to all on P.E.I. at the time, rectangular in shape and one door, opening into an entry, before the main portion was reached.  The seating was double and an elevation of possibly ten inches was across one end, upon which was the teacher's desk and chair.  Behind this were the blackboards and maps which could be rolled, as needed.  The long pointed rested on the sill with the chalk and brushes.  The top of the ot-bellied stove be used for heating water.  The coal was kept  in a building adjoining "the boy" and "the girls", outhouses behind the school.

Page 20.  Above.

     Page 24-25.  Mill Dam Baltic, above.  Baltic once had one of the first six grist mills on P.E.I.  This was around 1825.  Others were at Hamilton, Long River, Rustico.  An added feature at the Baltic mill was an outhouse with twenty holes, which gives some knowledge of the number of folk who did business there, and whose every need was considered.  George Bearisto built and operated the first grist mill in the Baltic area...  There were many owners over the life of this mill - they were George Riley, James Bernard, Charles Burt, George Burns, Frank Hillman, V.L.A., Alexander MacKenzie, Bruce MacKenzie, and William Hunter.
     In 1965 the mill site and house were sold to L.D.C. ( PEI Land Development Cooperation), a year later the buildings were demolished and the pond became a public area for fishing.

     Page 47.  The Champion House above is a simple gable style house with a shed roofed back porch.  The front entry /door bay is unusual.  It is built in a bay shape with five sides, the door in the middle and long narrow single-hung windows on each side, just like a bay complete with hip roof.  It appears the front door has narrow shutters on each side.  The roofs are cedar shingles and you can see a ladder leading to the chimney on the left side. 

City of Charlottetown: Repairing Historic Windows

     This is a great little booklet about your historic windows and how to repair or replace them.  It is available online at The City of Charlottetown's website.  It was compiled and written by Darrin Dunsford, William Chandler Architects Inc.
http://www.city.charlottetown.pe.ca/pdfs/WindowGuidelines.pdf

Public Archives 2014 Almanac & Miscellany Celebrating 1864

     There's a new Almanac from the Public Archives - here's information and the link.

January 16, 2014 

http://www.gov.pe.ca/newsroom/index.php3?number=news&newsnumber=9405&dept=&lang=E

Public Archives provides a glimpse of the Island’s past

Tourism and Culture

A new almanac from the Public Archives and Records Office will provide readers with an overview of life on Prince Edward Island 150 years ago and will be a great addition to the 2014 celebrations, says Minister of Tourism and Culture Robert Henderson.

“This new almanac gives a month by month accounting of important events that occurred here on the Island in 1864 and explores different themes including land issues, major towns and even fashion,” says Minister Henderson. “It is an excellent resource for history buffs and for anyone that has an interest in learning about life on Prince Edward Island in the mid-1800s, or keeping a diary of events and activities in 2014. It also aligns perfectly with one of the primary goals of the 2014 celebrations – honouring the past.”

One thousand copies of The Public Archives 2014 Almanac and Miscellany Celebrating 1864: A look at Prince Edward Island in the Year of the Charlottetown Conference will be published by the Queen’s Printer. Copies will be made available for borrowing from all public libraries on Prince Edward Island and will be given out at special heritage events throughout the year. A free, downloadable, electronic version of the Almanac is also available on the Public Archives and Records office website.

“Staff at the Public Archives conducted an intensive search of records to locate references to the Charlottetown Conference of 1864 and other important events held throughout that year,” said Provincial Archivist Jill MacMicken-Wilson. “The intent of the project is to make Islanders and visitors more aware of the important events of 1864 and the celebrations of 2014, and to perhaps introduce Islanders to the lost practice of record keeping in almanacs.”

Not only does the almanac provide a glimpse of the Island’s history, but it also gives individuals an opportunity to keep records of events in 2014. A monthly 2014 calendar is provided in each chapter as well as several blank pages for record keeping. There are also advertisements from 1864, diary entries, photos, clippings from various publications and other items from the Public Archives.

To celebrate, the Public Archives is holding a draw to give away 200 hard copies of the 1864 Almanac. To enter simply send an email containing your name, address and phone number to almanac@gov.pe.ca. The draw will be made on Heritage Day in February.

To download a pdf or e-book version of the Almanac, visit www.gov.pe.ca/archives.

      Also see Guardian newspaper article online...

http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/News/Local/2014-01-16/article-3578799/New-2014-almanac-celebrates-1864-Charlottetown-Conference/1

P.E.I. Lighhouse Society - NOW ONLINE!

http://peilighthousesociety.ca/

===================================================

See recent article in the Journal-Pioneer newspaper -

http://www.journalpioneer.com/News/Local/2014-01-15/article-3577829/Lighthouse-Society-now-online/1

Lighthouse Society now online

Eric McCarthy / Published on January 15, 2014

WEST POINT -- 
      As a well-known historian on Island lighthouses, Carol Livingstone has been called upon to help public school and university students come up with material for class projects. 

       Carol Livingstone, left, and Kilmeny Boates leaf through Livingstone’s large supply of lighthouse photos.   They picked from that collection in selecting photos for the P.E.I. Lighthouse Society’s new website.

     Livingstone’s resource service might soon be in less demand, but not because lighthouses have lost any of their lure. Now, much of the resource material is available online at the Prince Edward Island Lighthouse Society’s new website. Livingstone and Kilmeny Boates got the site up and running just before Christmas. 

     The site is registered at four domain names, www.princeedwardislandlighthousesociety.ca or .com and peilighthousesociety.ca or .com.  “It’s worth our investment to nail it down,” Livingstone said of the identity.

     The site contains photos and information on 63 lighthouse and range light structures spread out along the Island’s 1,100 kilometers of jagged coastline. The close to 900 photos include interior and exterior photos of the structures as well as some shots of the local scenery and historical photos of lightkeepers who maintained the lights before electricity was installed. Prince Edward Island is believed to have the highest concentration of lighthouse structures of any province or state in North America. Approximately 35 of those structures are still listed as active aids to navigation.

      Livingstone, a past president of the Lighthouse Society, provided most of the photos for the website from what Boates described as her “mountains and mountains of photos.” She’s been in them all and knows their history and unique features.

      Boates first became involved in lighthouse research while working on an internship in 2010. “It fast became a passion,” she admits.

     Descriptions and dimensions of the structures, their history, driving directions, special activities and events that occur on the sites and whether they are publicly or privately owned is some of the information provided.

     Livingstone, the “Lighthouse Lady,” and Boates will continually add information and photos and are interested in hearing from anyone who has material to share.