Municipal Inventory of Cultural Heritage Properties - St. Joseph Inventory of Designated and Potential Heritage Properties

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1 Municipal Inventory of Cultural Heritage Properties - St. Joseph Inventory of Designated and Potential Heritage Properties Municipality of Bluewater, Ontario (Comprised of the former Geographical Townships of Hay and Stanley and the villages of Bayfield, Hensall and Zurich) Written by Jodi Jerome for the Bluewater Heritage Committee, 2014

2 Introduction Introduction When the Municipality of Bluewater amalgamated the townships and hamlets of Hay and Stanley and the villages of Bayfield, Hensall and Zurich in 2001, the result was a municipality rich in built heritage, culture and tradition. The Bluewater Heritage Committee has enlarged the work started by the earlier Bayfield Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (LACAC) and the Bayfield Historical Society. The plaquing program that began with the Bayfield LACAC has been continued by the Bluewater Heritage Committee, who have enlarged the original plaquing program recognizing, not designating, sites of significance throughout the municipality. At present, there are no designated properties in the hamlet of St. Joseph, that have been designated. But the streets of St. Joseph have many distinct homes with rich architectural designs and/or significant historical value. No properties, as of yet, have received a historical plaque from the Bluewater Heritage Committee, which relies on members of the public volunteering their home and/or farm for a plaque and splitting the cost for the plaque. Bluewater Heritage Committee Goals: -expand the recognition of potential heritage resources within the municipality -locate and publicly recognize the rich built heritage resources within the municipality -locate and recognize the significant natural and cultural areas within the municipality -locate and document plaques and monuments within the municipality -educate the municipality and general public about the richness and diversity of the heritage resources within the Municipality of Bluewater 2

3 Standard Criteria for Designated or Potentially Significant Heritage Sites Properties must possess at least one of the following criteria to be considered a property of cultural heritage value or interest: The property: Design or Physical Value is a rare, unique, representative or early example of a style, type, expression, material, construction method: or displays a high degree of craftsmanship or artistic merit: or demonstrates a high degree of technical or scientific achievement. The property: Historical or Associative Value has a direct association with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organization, or institution that is significant to the community; or yields, or has potential to yield, information that contributes to an understanding of a community or culture; or demonstrates or reflects the work or ideas of an architect, artist, builder, designer or theorist who is significant to a community. The property: Contextual Value is important in defining, maintaining or supporting the character of an area; or is physically, functionally, visually or historically linked to its surroundings; or is a landmark. 3

4 Designated Heritage Properties under Part IV of Ontario Heritage Act - St. Joseph There are no designated heritage properties in the former hamlet of St. Joseph in the Municipality of Bluewater, as of Designated Heritage Conservation District under Part V of Ontario Heritage Act - St. Joseph There are no designated heritage conservation districts in the former hamlet of St. Joseph in the Municipality of Bluewater, as of

5 Non-Designated Heritage Resources St. Joseph Part A: Buildings and Natural or Cultural Areas (An On-Going Work-in-Progress) 5

6 Municipality of Bluewater Heritage Property Register- Potential Properties Bluewater Highway - St. Joseph St. Joseph Memorial Park St. Joseph Memorial Park and Historical Walkway The park began with a request by Brother Andre ( ) for Narcisse Cantin to erect a statue of Saint Joseph, in the small village of St. Joseph. It was during his first of many visits to the village to see his friend Narcisse Cantin in 1917, whom he had met in 1908 at the St. Joseph Oratory of Mont Royal, Montreal, Que. He even picked the place for the statue by putting a pipe in the ground upon the site that In 1982, he was beatified by Pope John Paul II and was canonized as a Saint Brother Andre by Pope Benedict XVI in In 1972, a statue of Saint Joseph, patron saint of Canada, holding a small child was put in place where Brother Andre had requested, as was a provincial plaque honouring Narcisse Cantin, father of the St. Lawrence Seaway. In 1999, the St. Joseph & Area Historical Society enlarged the park to include a brick walkway, with stones honouring families of the area, signage featuring the stories and photos of early St. Joseph & the Cantin family as well as a trellised garden table. Heritage Attributes: Contextual value as a landmark and community park that commemorates the unique history and individuals of St. Joseph, the only French community in Huron County, home to Narcisse Cantin, father of the St. Lawrence Seaway and vacation home to Saint Brother Andre Bluewater Highway, St. Joseph (east side of highway) Bluewater Highway Built after 1897, when Narcisse Cantin began to develop and build the planned town of St. Joseph. Cantin bought the entire town site, to control the type, design and size of buildings erected. This house was built during that period. Red Brick House Heritage Attributes: Edwardian -2 storey Edwardian red brick residence with open side verandah, solid proportions, pediment in the gable on the side of the building. 6

7 Municipality of Bluewater Heritage Property Register- Potential Properties Bluewater Highway, St. Joseph Bluewater Highway Built after 1897, when Narcisse Cantin began to develop and build the planned town of St. Joseph. Cantin bought the entire town site, to control the type, design and size of buildings erected. This house was built during that period. Heritage Attributes: Vernacular -white sided 2 storey house of Victorian design - it may be brick beneath the siding. Unique front tower and asymmetrical entrance. -ornate brackets on the upper part of the front bay window tower and the side door. -ornate wooden lintels over the windows White Frame House 7

8 Plaques, Statues, Cairns & Public Art St. Joseph 8

9 Plaques, Cairns, Statues & Public Art Plaque: Narcisse M. Cantin Location: Bluewater Hwy, west side of Bluewater Highway (aka Hwy 21) at Road 84 - in St. Joseph Memorial Park Unveiled: 1972 Narcisse M. Cantin Plaque (photo taken by Alan L. Brown, October 2004) Text: Descended from a long line of French-Canadian shipbuilders, Cantin was born on a nearby farm which his grandfather acquired about An energetic entrepreneur, inventor and cattle trader, Cantin began work here, in 1897, on a city named St. Joseph from which he hoped to construct a canal linking Lake Huron and Erie. Undaunted by his inability to raise sufficient funds for this project, he initiated and, between 1900 and 1930, tirelessly promoted the concept of a Great Lakes seaway system which 'would take passengers and freight from all ocean ports on the globe direct to all the principal ports of the Great Lakes'. Statue: Saint Joseph, Patron Saint of Canada Location: Bluewater Hwy, west side of Bluewater Highway (aka Hwy 21) at Road 84 - in St. Joseph Memorial Park Unveiled: 1972 Statue of Saint Joseph History: Saint Joseph was a favourite saint of Narcisse Cantin, who when visiting the St. Joseph Oratory of Mont Royal in Montreal met Brother Andre in Saint Joseph was also Brother Andre s favoured saint, whom he devoted his life to and who he credited with the 1000s acts of healing he performed. Cantin and Brother Andre became friends and in 1917, Cantin brought Brother Andre to the settlement that Cantin had named after their favoured saint. On that visit, on this location, Brother Andre urged that a statue of Saint Joseph be erected. He drove a metal pipe into the ground at the location to mark its eventual location. It was not until 1972, that his wish came true. On the front of the pedestal upon which Saint Joseph stands is a plaque about Brother Andre. 9

10 Plaques, Cairns, Statues & Public Art Plaque: Brother Andre Location: St. Joseph Park - Hay Township Unveiled: 1972 Brother Andre Plaque Text: Memorial to Brother Andre of St. Joseph s oratory on Mount Royal at Montreal, whose virtues and good works, known throughout the world, inspire the dedications to St. Joseph, Patron Saint of Canada. This exact spot was chosen for a memorial by Brother Andre in October of 1917 during his first visit at the home of Napolean - a Cantin, the son of Narcisse M. Cantin, founder of this village. At that time, Brother Andre expressed the wish that some day a memorial be placed here to honour St. Joseph. This statue was donated by Father A.J. Robert, pastor of St. Peter s Church, near St. Joseph. Erected by the family of Mrs. Valerie M. Chaporte-Cantin in memory of their late father Napoleon A. Cantin. Built and landscaped by Antoine La Porte October