Two achievements celebrated by the Gibson Gallery
It was a day where two achievements were celebrated by the Gibson Gallery.
The Gibson Gallery unveiled a new mural last Sunday (Oct. 4) and also marked the opening of its new transportation exhibit. The gallery is operated by the Fort Malden Guild of Arts and Crafts and president Dave Cozens pointed out it was the 130th anniversary of the opening of the building, which had been a Michigan Central Railroad station.
Cozens said the gallery board had two goals for the 130th anniversary – to create a historically accurate mural depicting what the station looked in the late 19th Century and to renovate the caboose into a “Transportation in Amherstburg” exhibit.
“We have completely renovated the caboose,” said Cozens. “The transportation exhibit is not finished today. It will be early next year.”
The mural has been completed and was painted by local artist Dylan White. It is on a sea-can on the west side of the gallery building.
“What he created out there is far beyond what I expected,” said Cozens. “It’s awesome.”
Cozens provided some history on rail service in Amherstburg and surrounding areas. He noted the Great Western Railway provided the first service to Essex County in 1854 with stops in Niagara Falls, Hamilton, London and Windsor.
The Canada Southern Railroad was the first train to Amherstburg, as it went to Gordon Station in 1872. The Gordon Station was roughly between where Texas Road and the General Chemical pumping station on Front Road North is today.
In 1893, the citizens and council of Amherstburg pressed for a train station closer to the town and taxpayers contributed $5,000 towards the project. The railroad station was built starting in 1895 and opened in 1896, 130 years ago. Over its time as a train station, it was operated by Michigan Central, Penn Central, New York Central and CNR.
Between 1890-1923, the “Plug” train provided three trips per day to Essex with the first train leaving at 5:10 a.m. and the last train of the day arriving in Amherstburg at 7:08 p.m.
The last passenger train left Amherstburg in 1923 and the last freight train left in 1978. In between, in 1969, Florence Gibson purchased the building and donated it to the Fort Malden Guild of Arts and Crafts.
Cozens said the building is owned by the guild while the land was the Amherstburg Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and now owned by the Town of Amherstburg. He thanked the caboose and mural committee for their work on the project with that committee including himself, Marsh Historical Collection collections co-ordinator Meg Reiner, Marsh Historical Collection and Gibson Gallery volunteer Ken Hutnik and University of Windsor student Halle Mailloux.
Reiner pointed out several stories related to train service. She noted people had to take a stagecoach from the Gordon Station to the Fox Livery on Richmond St., located where the Precision Jewellers building is today, before the construction of what is now the gallery building. That meant an extra layer of travel.
“Going on the train was exciting,” Reiner said.
People used to watch who was leaving and coming in on the train, Reiner noted. There were also several issues on “The Plug,” including a fire when the roof of the coach ignited.
Dennis White, Dylan’s father and an accomplished artist himself, said while Dylan had challenging days painting the mural on the corrugated metal surface, it turned out well.
“I’m very proud of his work. I’m very proud he is such a fine artist,” said White. “He was very honoured to do it.”
Essex MPP Anthony Leardi thanked the Fort Malden Guild of Arts and Crafts for its work in keeping the gallery going and allowing artists a place to exhibit their work.
“You are continuing a great condition,” said Leardi.
Leardi added the gallery is a place where artwork from artists in Amherstburg and surrounding areas to be shown.
Mayor Michael Prue added the history drew he and his wife to Amherstburg and since they have been living here, they have been impressed by the artwork around the town. He noted White recently had another mural unveiled at Richmond Terrace Long-Term Care Home.
“This is truly a historic piece,” he said of White’s latest work.
The Gibson Gallery is located at 140 Richmond St. in Amherstburg. Current hours are Thursday-Sunday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information, visit www.gibsonartgallery.com or call 519-736-2826.
Two achievements celebrated by the Gibson Gallery
By Ron Giofu
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