McDougall Cottage Historic Site

McDougall Cottage Historic Site. . , A Brief History of Galt , In 1816, prominent lawyer and businessman William Dickson (1769-1846) purchased Block 1 of the Haldimand Tract (94,305 acres / 382 km2). He named the area Dumfries Township, after his birthplace in Scotland, and promoted its settlement to Scottish emigrants, many of whom arrived in the early 1800s., The Town of Galt, the largest community in the township, was named in honour of John Galt (1779-1829), first superintendent of the Canada Company. The Company's purpose was to settle the Huron Tract, which included a large portion of southwestern Ontario. Galt became the economic centre of the new settlement and experienced considerable growth in the following decades. On January 1, 1973, the former communities of Galt, Preston, Hespeler, and Blair were amalgamated to create the new City of Cambridge. Cambridge became part of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo at the same time., A Home in Galt , McDougall Cottage was built in the mid 1800s, when Grand Avenue was a bustling industrial section of Galt. Its unknown architect may have designed a number of similar cottages in the area. Two Scottish families, the McDougalls and the Bairds, occupied this stone dwelling for more than a century!, McDougall Cottage Timeline , Around 1858 - The Cottage is built. The McDougalls from Kelso, Scotland - John McDougall (1802-1895) and his wife Agnes Allan (1801-1879) - move in. Some of their children and later descendants would also live in the Cottage. John works as a carpenter and pattern maker across the street, at the Goldie and McCulloch Company until 1887., The Cottage stays in the family more than four decades., 1901 - Newlyweds James Baird (1868-1959) from Dreghorn, Scotland and Margaret Amos (1873-1946), born in Ontario, purchase the Cottage. During their ownership the Bairds add the rounded portico with Tuscan columns, the glazed sun porch overlooking the river, and likely the hardwood floors., 1906/1907 - James' brother, Jack Baird (1862-1922) undertakes wall paintings on several of the front room walls and a trompe l'oeil ceiling. Some paintings are based on Jack's travels (possible harbour scenes of Halifax and Manila, Philippines); others depict local landmarks such as Soper Park on Dundas Street (by Gore Insurance)., 1959/1960 - The Cottage is purchased by Jack and Rose Johnson., October 1987 - The Cottage is purchased by the Cambridge Branch of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario (ACO)., 1988 - The Cottage exterior and interior wall and ceiling paintings obtain historic site designation., October 1988 - Tim Drennan purchases the Cottage and begins its restoration under an agreement with ACO Cambridge., 1992 - The Cottage is sold to Doug and Laura Harding., June 2001 - The Region of Waterloo purchases the Cottage jointly with the City of Cambridge and ACO Cambridge., 2002 - McDougall Cottage opens to the public as a Region of Waterloo museum.