Historical society may find new home in donated heritage house

The Huntsville and Area Historical Society (HAHS) has been without an official home since Huntsville’s historic train station was closed in June 2016 due to air quality concerns caused by mould. HAHS had, in partnership with the Huntsville Lake of Bays Chamber of Commerce, the Huntsville Train Station Society and the Huntsville Art Society, transformed the station into The Culture Station, a hub for arts, culture and heritage.

Now, HAHS has been approached with an offer that, if it goes ahead, may provide the organization with a home of its own.

At the February 12 Municipal Heritage Committee meeting, town staff presented a report regarding the heritage property at 22 Hanes Street. The property is not designated heritage but it is on the Town’s register of heritage properties of interest.

The report notes that Morley College, owned by Elizabeth Morley, was built on the property in 1896 and burned down in 1899. According to Huntsville With Spirit and Resolve by Susan Pryke, “The village’s level of cultural sophistication rose tenfold with the establishment, around 1896, of Morley Ladies College, Conservatory of Music and Art, Elizabeth Morley, LLCM, taught music, French, mathematics, drawing, bookkeeping and literature from an impressive brick building on Hanes Street.”

In 1901, the property was sold to John Thomas-Fleming, a stone mason from Sinclair Township, who built the stone house which stands there today.

After it had changed hands several more times, Evelyn and Jack Gilchrist purchased the property in 1931. Evelyn Gilchrist was the granddaughter of Andrew Tait, president of the Huntsville Lumber Company which was established in 1892. Evelyn and Jack Gilchrist’s daughter Patricia Gilchrist inherited the property, and following her recent death it was willed to Patricia’s cousin, Sue Leslie. Both Patricia and Sue are great-granddaughters of Andrew Tait.

The Fleming Scott Gilchrist house ca. 1909 (Photo: Muskoka Digital Archives)

The staff report further states that there is no apparent municipal use for the home, but that both the Mayor and the Municipal Heritage Committee Chair have indicated a desire to save the heritage of the property. The owner has offered to donate the home in exchange for a charitable tax receipt and has asked that the property be designated as heritage. The report suggests that a non-municipal, registered charity may be interested in owning and refurbishing the property. “This would be a significant undertaking, with the potential of a significant reward,” staff noted in the report. “The small rooms would lend themselves well to a historic tour, offices, storage for the Huntsville and Area Historical Society or similar organization.”

Teri Souter, the Town’s Manager of Arts, Culture and Heritage, told committee, “we wanted to find a win-win where the property could be protected and restored but also where it wouldn’t cost the municipality a lot of money. We engaged with the Huntsville and Area Historical Society and they have expressed initial interest in taking on this project, providing a home base for themselves, a place where they could raise funds, et cetera. However, it is still before their board, it has not been finalized.”

Elizabeth Stokes Weber, president of the Huntsville and Area Historical Society, said that the organization is considering the offer. “The board has been approached and we are discussing the matter of options with the owners. We are excited that property owners are wanting to preserve Huntsville heritage and will assist as we can.”

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