Tearing Down Our History

Issue 90 The Hastings County Historical Society N e x t m • * * M e e t in g Tearing Down Monday, February 18th 8:00 p.m. Heritage Day Coffee - 7:30 p.m. Our History Quinte living Centre, Belleville From The Toronto Star sage quivering along our feel alive within their wall are part of the allure of old S peaker spine, that the footsteps buildings. That, and the Mrs. Vicki Benn n the seven didn’t belong to anything sense of our own past they Former Director of the years since her death, living. convey. But those Allan MacPherson House Ithe house had are not things to and Park in Napanee never felt so strange, so oddly which dollar signs Topic threatening. It was may be attached, Folk Medical Practices empty, and yet and so, too often, and Beliefs in Nineteenth that night he we tear down our Century Upper Canada heard footsteps. history. Visitors, Members & New Upstairs, down One old mansion Members are Welcome stairs, along the may not seem like maze of dusty cor a big deal, but sadly ridors he shone this is not an issue his flashlight And of just one place. The then suddenly he “Ours is one of Architectural reminded himself the worst heritage Conservancy that policemen The Police Station at Market Square, built in 1850, building preserva Of Ontario don’t believe in was once Belleville's town hall and market building. tion records of any Quinte ghosts. western nation,” A policeman regularly Old houses can do that says Alec Keefer, president Branch checks this house, once to you - especially when of the Toronto region will meet in Picton on home to a legendary 19th- they’re a century and a half branch of the Architectural Sunday century lumber baron. But old, have 35 rooms, no elec Conservancy of Ontario. February 17,1991. this time he knew, some tricity and it’s the middle Admittedly, not every Meet at the Museum at where down inside where of a wet and windy night. thing can or should be pre 2 p.m. to hear a speaker our sixth sense lives and Charm, romanticism, the served but, in Canada, we describe the progress of so often sends an eerie mes memories you can almost keep at best G.15 per cent The Loyalist Parkway. Continued on page 3 Refreshments will be served at Macaulay House in The Macaulay The Hastings Heritage Park. County Historical There is no charge, and Society everyone is welcome. P.O. Box 1418, For more information Belleville, Ontairo phone 969-0734 or 746-7221 K8N 5J1 A Gala Event In 1863 Hastings County n looking-for some large number of persons about 8,000 bushels, in lum thing else in the Daily from Ameliasburgh and b er about 120,000 feet T he Museum Leader, a Toronto Belleville had gathered to keel was laid by Mr. John 2 5 7 Bridge S t. Ea st Inewspaper of the periodwitness the launch, and Tate, and the vessel was Belleville, O ntario 1852 to 1878,1 have come probably there were not finished by Mr. Boprey. The K8N 1P4 across the news item that less than 500 to 600 per sails: and rigging will be fur follows. It was lifted by the sons present. The vessel nished by Mr. James fal Leader from the Belleville was gaily decked with coner, of Kingston. This is Intelligencer, and appeared colours (sic), and present the third vessel built by the in the Leader’s column enti ed a fine appearance as she Messrs. Bogart, and we tled “Marine Intelligence”. moved off the ways into understand so well satis That column reported daily her native element. Mrs. fied are they of this kind of the arrivals and clearings F.D. Conger, daughter of property, that they are con of vessels at Toronto, and A.L. Bogart, Esq., per templating laying the keel often the same for those at formed the christening cer of another this fall, which Oswego and Quebec It con emony, naming the vessel will double the capacity of tained other news of the “Jennie Conger” after one the “Jessie Conger”. Suc marine interest, as the fol of her daughters. About cess to their enterprise. lowing item demonstrates. one hundred ladies and gen tlemen were on board at When a sea route to China La u n c h in g on the time she was launched. A& w L' was discovered in the early Wednesday afternoon, a The “Jessie Conger” is a Sixteenth Century vast schooner owned by the snug trim craft, 88 feet keel, A.G.W. Lamont, quantities of porcelain trav Messrs. Bogart was 23 feet beam, and having a 19 Hill S t, elled to the west as ballast launched from the yard at hold 8 feet 6 inches. She is in holds of trading ships. the Ferry Dock, immedi 200 hundred tons burthen, Picton, Ontario ately opposite Belleville. A and her capacity in grain is 1990 December 20 Chinese Export Porce lain a guest exhibit from Parks Canada follows a fas cinating story of Chinese Export porcelain from its manufacture in China to its discovery at many historic Heritage sites across Canada. Come and enjoy the many styles and patterns of the Chinese Showcase 1991 export porcelain trade. ‘Glanmore’, the Hastings County Museum, is pleased An Event To Celebrate! to present from Environ Saturday, February 16th ment Canada, Canadian 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Parks Service, The Chinese Join us in exploring our Province's rich and diverse history. Porcelain Exhibit from Jan Take the opportunity to meet people involved in preserving and 20 to March 23,1991. interpreting Quinte's Heritage The Hastings County Muse See a vast array of exhibits, demonstrations, and special um is open Tuesday through Sunday 1:00 - 4:30 presentations. p.m. For more information please contact the Hast belleville plaza ings County Museum at 9 6 2 -2 3 2 9 . 470 Dun das Street East, Bellville Tearing Down History from page 1 Historic Quinte of our buildings, compared even if the municipality does with 3.5 per cent in the US, this, it can just as easily take says Keefer. the historical designation Although there is similar away. awareness in Toronto, that’s Even if the historic des not true throughout the ignation is not removed, province. Virtually - even the owner can legally begin the government - agrees demolition if he waits 180 the province’s heritage act days from the date that doesn’t adequately protect demolition permit is our buildings. refused. In Canada, says Keefer, It is the very inadequate we just don’t seem to care 1975 Ontario Heritage Act as much. We don’t have a that has allowed so many keen awareness of our his historic sites to be tory. Our education system destroyed. fails to instill this sense of Presently there are plans pride, of interest. Now, of drafting changes to the there’s a lot of emphasis on act that would broaden and cleaning up pollution, recy strengthen provincial power, cling. But we need to real giving it the ability to des ize part of the idea of sav ignate a building and ensure ing the environment is not that a designated property The Billa Flint Home taking new bricks and build not be demolished without ing new buildings when we some system of consider Senator Billa Flint have old ones which could ation. 1805 - 1894 be used. It might also give an indi This building, erected in 1835, was the home of Billa We need better laws and vidual citizen the right to Flint. Along the shore once stood his saw mills, flour more money spent on her ask that a building be des mills, wharves, and stonehouses. His business enter prises contributed to the economic growth of Belleville itage and preservation. Our ignated historic. and many communities throughout Hastings County. system as it is now, has too These changes, howev Senator Flint was mayor of Belleville in 1866 and became many serious flaws. er, are still under review. It If an Ontario property will be at least a year before one of Canada’s first Senators in 1867. owner wants to demolish a they become law, and if they structure, there is gener do it will require the inter ally nothing that can be est of local residents to done to save it, not even if ensure that they are fol Renovation and it is a designated historic lowed. site. But 600 out of 800 Ontario Restoration Course To designate a building municipalities have not Algonquin College in Concurrent with the of historic or architectural appointed such an adviso Perth, Ontario, The School development of manual interest means to place ry body, says Beth Hanna, of Lanark County, has skills, students will acquire restrictions on its owners’ Ontario Historical Society recently completed its sec a wide variety of academic ability to change or demol President. “Unless local ond semester of a new Her skills, such as knowledge ish it. However, only a local people are willing to become itage Carpentry and Mill- of the history of building municipality is allowed to involved, we are still going work program that is unique technology and engineer designate a property. And to lose a lot of our history.” in Canada. ing principles involved in The two-year diploma pro domestic, public and com Take Note & Don't Forget gram provides graduates mercial architecture; com with the necessary skills munication, drafting and The next meeting is and knowledge to become mathematical skills; and Monday, February 18th renovation and restoration knowledge of the associat carpenters.

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