Annual Jane’s Walk Festival reveals interesting facts about Amherstburg

Kandice Cramer, left; and Julie Feher gave a tour of the Carnegie Library.

The Town of Amherstburg is filled with historic gems, some might not be as well-known as others.

As part of this year’s Jane’s Walk, the Essex County Library gave visitors a bit of a behind the scenes look at the old Carneige Library.

Librarians Julie Feher and Kandice Cramer hosted the tour of the library that pre-dates the current building that was constructed over 110 years ago in 1913.

Amherstburg’s interest in the written word goes all the way back to 1821 with the creation of the Library Reading Association, and 60 years later Dr James Boyle was a major contributor.

“He was a generous, eccentric man. In 1882, he gifted his personal library of over 500 books,” explained Cramer.

In 1913, Rev. Thomas Nattress was the driving force in securing a $10,000 grant to help build the Carnegie Library. 

“At the time he was the chariman of the library board. He was very active in overseeing the construction and he was an avid member of the historical society,” said Cramer.

While the library has seen numerous renovations and uses, including a daycare in the basement in the 1970’s, the original architectural features are still very prominent.

A stone pediment in the front archway, original windows, half of the basement is below grade, over-sized stone chimney and 16-inch walls. There is also a bit of a mystery in the small staff kitchen in the basement.

“There is a dumbwaiter and we are trying to figure out where it goes but we can’t find it,” said Feher.

The annual Jane’s Walk took place in Essex County this past weekend with Talks and Tours at several locations in town and in all, there were 55 tours scheduled over two weekends which will see the event shift to the city this upcoming weekend. 

“Jane’s Walks are getting more popular. I think we are the second largest in the province,” explained Tammy Dewhirst, chair of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario Windsor-Essex chapter which hosted the local tours.

While some, including the library and the History of the Royal Canadian Legion, Fort Malden Branch 157 were more talking than walking, a few, such as the ‘After the Army’ gave visitors a chance to stretch their legs.

Hosted by guide Lynda Leopold, she gave an interesting and very factual talk on what Amherstburg was like during the 1850s, a time period that shadowed the creation of what was then a military town.

Host Lynda Leopold talks about Amherstburg in the 1850's

“Just like today when a big government thing comes to town, people think how they can make money,” she said of how the town came to be.

On her tour, Leopold stopped near the Gordon House and noted how important the Detroit River and the waterfront was when it came to business.

“This would have been a dirty, industrial area. The dock at the end of Murray Street provided the town with all their dry goods.”

At Fort Malden itself, she said that after the War of 1812, British retired soldiers known as pensioners moved to town. There were 82 families, 350 people in total and many of their original cottages are still being used as residences.

“This was a pretty quiet outpost for the next 20 years (after 1812). When they came it increased the population of Amherstburg by over 20 percent.”

Other points of interest to learn on the Jane’s Walk included “Bois Blanc Island” which was led by Cindy Prince of Amico, “Look again Outside”, led by Sophie Hinch of Art Wndsor/Essex in both French and English and author Debra Honor presented her book “The Lives that Touched Belle Vue out at the John R. Park Homestead.

Royal Canadian Legion Fort Malden Br. 157 was added to the Jane’s Walk this year with president Shawn Wilkie giving both a talk and an indoor tour Sunday morning.

Wilkie went over early veterans’ organizations and locations from places on Richmond St., Seymour St. and Gore St.

They formed as the Canadian Legion in 1927 and, with the Queen’s consent, became Royal Canadian Legion a few years later. The local Legion received its official charter in April 1930, with Wilkie accepting recognition for the 95th anniversary for at a recent conference.

The Legion operated out of the Waterworks Building, which was in the area where King’s Navy Yard Park is today, in the 1940s. The Stancliff residence was purchased in 1946 and that became what is now the Legion on Dalhousie St. It is the southerly portion of the current site, with the former Boblo Tavern purchased in 1981 next door and the site combined into one building.

Wilkie went over the passing of the torch of the Sgt.-at-Arms position, from John Nye to Richard “Dick” Girard to Girard’s son Tim. The Ladies Auxiliary was formed in 1957, he noted.

The Legion has a long history of helping organizations in the community and region, Wilkie added. He said last year’s poppy campaign raised $27,000 in Amherstburg to support veterans and their families.

Royal Canadian Legion Fort Malden Br. 157 is one of the oldest branches in Ontario with the #202 Fort Malden Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps that it helps support being one of Ontario’s oldest cadet corps. 

Wilkie also went over the memorabilia that is around the branch, either in display cases or on the walls. 

While there are Legions closing in the province, including three more in the next three months, the Amherstburg Legion stays open because of strong community support, he said.

The veterans who served are the reason Canadians have the freedoms they do, he added.

“These are people who gave us the God-given rights we have today,” he said.

Annual Jane’s Walk Festival reveals interesting facts about Amherstburg

By Fred Groves and Ron Giofu