Ordnance and Engineers Building

Ordnance and Engineers Building. . , During the construction of the Rideau Canal between 1826 and 1832, this structure was built as the headquarters for the Royal Engineers and Ordnance Department The three-story structure, built by the contractor Robert Drummond was completed in 1827 using stone available on site as a replacement for a log building at the corner of Rideau and Sussex Streets in Ottawa. The first floor was used primarily as a workshop for various skilled craftsmen employed by the Royal Engineers., Also the first floor was utilized for storage of building supplies, such as iron and other heavy materials. The second floor served as offices for 13 military and civilian engineering staff who were preparing engineering plans. They included such persons as John Burrows (clerk of the works), James Fitzgibbon (master carpenter), William Tormey (master blacksmith) and William Clegg (clerk of check with general clerical duties for the Ordnance. The third floor served as storage At the completion of the Rideau Canal in 1832, the building remained as part of the British military apparatus until its transfer in 1856 to the Province of Canada West. By 1856 the British military no longer needed the Rideau Canal and its buildings due to improved relations with the United States, the building of railroads and the growing importance of the St Lawrence canal system. In 1868, the structure was transformed into a private residence., In 1901 a rail line from Ottawa to Hull, Quebec was constructed across the Ottawa River. The tracks ran along the back wall of the building. The thunderous vibrations caused by the train ultimately led to the building being uninhabitable. In 1912, the building was demolished.