Castle Kilbride

Last updated

Castle Kilbride
Castle Kilbride in Baden Ontario 2007.jpg
Castle Kilbride, Baden, ON
Location Baden, Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Elevation354 metres (1,161 ft)
Built1877
Original useResidence of James Livingston
Website Historic Castle Kilbride
DesignatedMarch 1994

Castle Kilbride is the former residence of James Livingston, a Canadian member of parliament, and owner of flax and linseed oil mills. It was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in March 1994. [1] [2]

Contents

It was built in Baden, Ontario in 1877 and named after Livingston's birthplace in Scotland. The major feature of Castle Kilbride is the interior decorative murals in the style of the Italian Renaissance. The trompe-l'œil technique used in the murals gives the illusion of three dimensions. The building is also an outstanding example of an Italianate villa of its place and time, and at the time of its building was a tribute to the reputation of its owner as the so-called 'Flax and Oil King of Canada'.

History

The original owner of Castle Kilbride was James Livingston. He was born in East Kilbride, Scotland November 28, 1838. [3] James Livingston moved to Canada from Scotland around the age of 16. [4] Arriving to Canada impoverished , he migrated to Baden, and began working with his older brother John to earn simple wages to keep themselves. After a while the brothers pooled enough money to start a small flax farm.

In 1861, James Livingston married Louise Liersch. To make the processing of flax cheaper the brothers built a flax mill in 1863 and in 1864. Over the course of a little more than ten years James and John’s mill processed fifty-five tons of flax. Livingstone’s choice of crops was judicious; at the time there was a high demand for alternative textiles to cotton. This was due to the aftermath of Civil War in The United States causing massive devastation to the cotton industry. Flax was a particularly lucrative crop because of its multiple uses: flax crops can provide both hemp, for linen cloth production, and linseed oil.

The second mill that was built in Baden during the 1874 year was used to produce linseed oil. With the inclusion of linseed oil in oil paint production, demand for linseed oil increased, prompting the Livingston brothers to create the 'J&J Livingston Linseed Oil Company'. By 1881 the Livingston brothers had more than 3000 acres that were being used for flax farming, and owned a highly profitable operation.

In tribute to his success, James Livingston built Castle Kilbride. The house was built in 1877, which is also the year that James Livingston was elected Reeve of the Township of Wilmot.

James's older brother died in 1896 making him the head of the entire business. Eventually the operation of the Baden Linseed oil mill went to his son, John Peter.

Every year after James Livingston's retirement there was a picnic held for all of the company employees along with their families. Upon the death of Livingston, their son, John Peter, his wife Laura, and their daughter Laura Louise moved into Castle Kilbride. The Livingston oil company began to decline at the invention of latex paint.

Castle Kilbride was sold to the Township of Wilmot in 1993. [3]

Building

The construction of Castle Kilbride took about one year to complete, finishing in 1878. It was constructed by a local man, David Gingerich. The home consisted of three main storeys and contained over 10,000 square feet of residential space. The only major addition occurred in 1920, when a summer kitchen was added.

Typical of its style, Castle Kilbride includes several fanciful features. The front lawn, for example, is heart-shaped, in tribute to Livingston’s wife Louise. [5]

In 1988, the family sold the home’s belongings at auction before leaving it to sit empty for several years. In 1993, it was purchased by the Township of Wilmot, which undertook its restoration. In order to encourage preservation efforts, and in recognition of its interior decoration, Castle Kilbride was declared a National Historic Site in 1995. [3]

Today, Castle Kilbride serves as an event venue and museum, displaying original furniture and household items as well as contemporary artifacts. [6] In 2016 the grounds adjacent to the castle became home to the Prime Ministers Path, a series of bronze statues of Canadian prime ministers that invites visitors to explore the history of the country since Confederation. [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flax</span> Flowering plant in the family Linaceae

Flax, also known as common flax or linseed, is a flowering plant, Linum usitatissimum, in the family Linaceae. It is cultivated as a food and fiber crop in regions of the world with temperate climates. Textiles made from flax are known in English as linen and are traditionally used for bed sheets, underclothes, and table linen. Its oil is known as linseed oil. In addition to referring to the plant, the word "flax" may refer to the unspun fibers of the flax plant. The plant species is known only as a cultivated plant and appears to have been domesticated just once from the wild species Linum bienne, called pale flax. The plants called "flax" in New Zealand are, by contrast, members of the genus Phormium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Lothian</span> Council area of Scotland

West Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and was one of its historic counties. The county was called Linlithgowshire until 1925. The historic county was bounded geographically by the Avon to the west and the Almond to the east. The modern council area occupies a larger area than the historic county. It was reshaped following local government reforms in 1975: some areas in the west were transferred to Falkirk; some areas in the east were transferred to Edinburgh; and some areas that had formerly been part of Midlothian were added to West Lothian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regional Municipality of Waterloo</span> Upper-tier regional municipality in Ontario, Canada

The Regional Municipality of Waterloo is a metropolitan area of Southern Ontario, Canada. It contains the cities of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo, and the townships of North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich. Kitchener, the largest city, is the seat of government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilmot, Ontario</span> Township in Ontario, Canada

The Township of Wilmot is a rural township in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo in southwestern Ontario, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woolwich, Ontario</span> Township in Ontario, Canada

The Township of Woolwich is a rural township in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, considered as a municipality. The Township is located in the northeast part of Waterloo Region and is made up of 10 small communities, with Elmira, Ontario the largest and St. Jacobs, Ontario the second largest. The population at the time of the 2021 Census was 26,999, up from the 2016 population of 25,006. Waterloo Region is still home to the largest population of Old Order Mennonites in Canada, particularly in the areas around St Jacobs and Elmira. They are often seen on the local roads using their traditional horse and buggy transportation; many also use horses to pull the implements in their farm fields.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waterloo County, Ontario</span> Former county in Ontario, Canada

Waterloo County was a county in Canada West in the United Province of Canada from 1853 until 1867, then in the Canadian province of Ontario from 1867 until 1973. It was the direct predecessor of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wellesley, Ontario</span> Township in Ontario, Canada

The Township of Wellesley is the rural, north-western township of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. It encompasses 277.79 km2 (107.26 sq mi) and had a population of 11,260 in the Canada 2016 Census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bathgate</span> Town in West Lothian, Scotland

Bathgate is a town in West Lothian, Scotland, 5 miles (8 km) west of Livingston and adjacent to the M8 motorway. Nearby towns are Armadale, Blackburn, Linlithgow, Livingston, West Calder and Whitburn. Situated 2 miles (3 km) south of the ancient Neolithic burial site at Cairnpapple Hill, Bathgate and the surrounding area show signs of habitation since about 3500 BC and the world's oldest known reptile fossil has been found in the town. By the 12th century, Bathgate was a small settlement, with a church at Kirkton and a castle south of the present day town centre. Local mines were established in the 17th century but the town remained small in size until the coming of the industrial revolution. By the Victorian era, Bathgate grew in prominence as an industrial and mining centre, principally associated with the coal and shale oil industries. By the early 20th century, much of the mining and heavy industry around the town had ceased and the town developed manufacturing industries, principally in vehicle production and later electronics before these factories closed in the late 20th century. Today Bathgate is the second largest town in West Lothian, after Livingston and serves as a regional commuter town within the Scottish Central Belt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baden, Ontario</span> Suburban Community in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Baden is a suburban community and unincorporated place in Township of Wilmot, Regional Municipality of Waterloo in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. It was named after Baden-Baden, Germany; the approximate population as of 2015, as per township statistics, is 4,940.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Hamburg, Ontario</span> Unincorporated community in Ontario, Canada

New Hamburg is a community of approximately 11,953 in the township of Wilmot, Ontario, Canada. It is in the far western part of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, near the regional border with Perth County. It is adjacent to the community of Baden, which sits to its east and is also a part of the township of Wilmot. The nearest cities are Kitchener, Waterloo, and Stratford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Dundee, Ontario</span> Unincorporated community in Ontario, Canada

New Dundee is a small community of 1,119 people at the time of the 2016 Census, in the township of Wilmot, Ontario, Canada. It is located southwest of Kitchener.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Balerno</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Balerno is a village on the outskirts of Edinburgh, Scotland situated 8 miles south-west of the city centre, next to Currie and then Juniper Green. Traditionally in the county of Midlothian it now administratively falls within the jurisdiction of the City of Edinburgh Council. The village lies at the confluence of the Water of Leith and the Bavelaw Burn. In the 18th and 19th century, the area was home to several mills using waterpower. In the 20th century, the mills closed and the village now forms a residential suburb of Edinburgh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hawkesville, Ontario</span> Unincorporated community in Ontario, Canada

The village of Hawkesville in Ontario, Canada is a small community in the township of Wellesley in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo. Several Mennonite families are located nearby. Hawkesville is noted for its custom-built furniture industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ayr, Ontario</span> Unincorporated community in Ontario, Canada

The community of Ayr, Ontario, Canada is located within the Township of North Dumfries in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo in Southwestern Ontario. Ayr is located south of Kitchener and west of Cambridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haysville, Ontario</span> Unincorporated community in Ontario, Canada

Haysville is a village in Wilmot Township in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The Nith River flows through the village. Local students go to Waterloo-Oxford District Secondary School in Baden and Forest Glen Public School in New Hamburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Livingston (Canadian politician)</span> Canadian politician

James Livingston was an Ontario businessman and politician. He represented Waterloo South in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1879 to 1882 and in the House of Commons of Canada from 1882 to 1900 as a Liberal member.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conestogo, Ontario</span> Unincorporated community in Ontario, Canada

Conestogo is a community in the Canadian province of Ontario, located in the township of Woolwich in Waterloo Region. The population in 2016 was 1,270.

William James Scott (1812–1882) was a Scottish-born farmer and political figure in Canada West. He represented South Waterloo in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada from 1858 to 1861 as an independent Conservative. In Scotland he was referenced as Lord Campfield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doon, Ontario</span> Suburban community in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

Doon is a suburban community and former village which is now a part of the city of Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Doon was settled around 1800 by German Mennonites from Pennsylvania, and after 1830 by Scottish immigrants. The area is located at the confluence of Schneider Creek and the Grand River. The post office was opened in 1845. A large flour mill, oatmeal mill, distillery and sawmill were built on the Doon River over the following years. The Perine brothers established extensive linen works and flax mills near the settlement. By 1870, there was a single church, Presbyterian, a variety of tradesmen and a population of 200.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacob Staebler</span>

Jacob Merner Staebler was an insurance broker and politician in Ontario, Canada. He served as mayor of Berlin in 1891.

References

  1. ↑ Castle Kilbride [ permanent dead link ], Directory of Designations of National Historic Significance of Canada
  2. ↑ Castle Kilbride . Canadian Register of Historic Places .
  3. 1 2 3 "Canadian Castles Part 3: Castle Kilbride". History to the People. Archived from the original on 15 January 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
  4. ↑ "Castle Kilbride Baden- Restoration". Waterloo Regional Heritage Foundation. Archived from the original on 2 March 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
  5. ↑ "Livingston Dreams: A historic bridal fashion show at Castle Kilbride" (PDF). Castle Kilbride. Retrieved 29 September 2012.[ permanent dead link ]
  6. ↑ "Castle Kilbride". Virtual Museum Canada. Archived from the original on 15 January 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
  7. ↑ "Prime Ministers Path". www.wilmot.ca. 8 November 2019. Archived from the original on 25 June 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2020.

Bibliography

43°24′15″N80°40′17″W / 43.40417°N 80.67139°W / 43.40417; -80.67139

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.