Power of the Maitland: Book Launch

Goderich: Show your support by Donating

Photo by Kayla Jonas

From the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario 


To show support for Goderich the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario has re-scheduled it's quarterly meeting to be in Goderich on Saturday, September 24. Representatives of the ACO's twenty-five branches are expected, and plans to meet with the local heritage community the evening before are underway. Show YOUR support by donating

Goderich Edgefund

"GODERICH – Two of Canada’s leading experts in restoring heritage buildings say most of Goderich’s historic buildings damaged in last week’s tornado can be restored “to last into the next century.”" 

Read the full article about the Edgefund that has been set up to help pay for restoration to heritage building in Goderich 

Goderich: Tour of "The Ridge" - August 28th

The following is an e-mail from event organizers:

For anyone who is interested in heritage, this is a MUST SEE! The "Ridge" is an absolutely stunning home nestled high on the north bank of the Maitland River overlooking the Port of Goderich.

The view alone is worth the price of the ticket, although there is so much more to the tour. Get yours now before they're gone!

The following is an update of previously circulated info:

Please help us correct some mis-information just erroneously published:
1. "The Ridge" house (ca. 1828) tours of the Homan residence are, in fact, ONE HOUR TOURS
- plus additional time in the gardens, time for refreshments (included in the ticket price)
- even a 1928 video & a plethora of maps and photos in the carriage house following the guided tour.

Tours will commence every 15 minutes - on an advance ticket, reserved time basis. There are four guides that will help you through your visit, each in vintage costumes for the era being presented. Each tour group will consist of only 12 persons, to ensure that your time is personalized as much as possible.

Tickets are $50 per person; only 300 tickets can be sold to accommodate everyone comfortably. They are available in Goderich at the following businesses Huronia on Suncoast Drive as well as Banter, MacEwan & Feagan Insurance on South Street.


Keith has also collated a detailed & colourful history of this property that offers an illustrated overview of the fascinating story of "The Ridge" beginning with its 1828 origins under Baron de Tulye and the successor families that have lived there. Books will be available for purchase at a special reduced price at the tour.
All proceeds from the tour are dedicated to support the restoration of the COLBORNE CEMETERY GATES and "THE WALK IN THE PAST" events for students of Colborne PS,  as scheduled for September.


Reg Thompson will also host complimentary tours of the newly-plaqued heritage parkette at the nearby Dunlop Tomb site:

Reg, a County employee at the Goderich Public Library, has collated an extensive history of Dr. William "Tiger" Dunlop and his planned town site "Gairbraid".

Much new and informative detail about Dunlop, founder of Goderich, and his chosen estate location, is presented on these new illustrated plaques in the parkette surrounding the walled tomb of the Dunlop brothers, Robert's wife Louisa, and her McColl relatives.
Access to the Tomb site is from River Ridge Crescent, (formerly Tomb Road). Reg will be on site from noon until 4pm for those who wish to stop by.
For those who are interested in just supporting the cemetery gates project, there are 1879 historic poster maps of Colborne Township available at the Goderich Co-op Gallery - suitable for framing - at $20 eac
Please pass this information along to anyone you know who might have an interest in these rare heritage opportunities.

Slate Roof Art Sale

Submitted by Heather Lyons

Over 70 artists have contributed over 125 pieces of art created on slate from the c. 1880s church roof and spire at St. George's. Tickets to the October 29 event are still available by calling 519.524.9900 or dropping in at Elizabeth's Art Gallery on the Square in Goderich. Each ticket holder gets to take home one piece of art created on anauthenticated piece of Huron County history.

Left to Right: Anne Laviolette, Bayfield artist; shares her enthusiastic response (She has completed 5 pieces of work!) with Judy Cieslar, Gala Co-ordinator; Corinne Simser-Wagg, another contributing artist, and Ed Hoekstra, Bayfield, who is also participating on behalf of the Goderich Co-op Gallery.

New Book on Goderich Architecture caps Contributions of Bob Davis

The book “Archtectural Styles in the Port of Goderich”, is the work of a most talented “Heritage Goderich” volunteer – Mr. Bob Davis. A retired school teacher, he and his wife Sheilagh came to town seven years ago and he’s been educating himself about local architecture ever since. This hobby has evolved into several cultural heritage projects!

As a new member to the municipal heritage committee in 2005, one of his first challenges was to coordinate a wonderful map and illustration for the town’s first Doors Open event - when 18 locations participated. Bob Davis volunteered his skills and many hours over a two year period – in the creation of the town’s ‘Municipal Register of Significant Cultural Heritage Properties’. It is a valuable resource to municipal staff as well as to the general public. He worked with ‘Marine Heritage” volunteers and friends of the ‘Light’ to come up with a two sided interpretive sign for Lighthouse Park – and recently restored Lighthouse (a project honoured this year by a provincial Communities in Bloom preservation award!).

Bob’s creative skills were pivotal in the redesign of the “Port of Goderich Marine Signage Tour” brochure. Mapping it from a lakeshore approach, it leads you on a journey of local history. Fifty interpretive signs dot the lake bank, boardwalk and trails.

These signs have been an ongoing project that included the efforts of many volunteers over the past ten years. When people come to the Port of Goderich to enjoy the Harbour and Lake Huron…it is much more than a trip to the Beach or Marina! Bob’s skills also revived the “Heritage Hunt” contest of ten years ago and the new brochure has become a creative visual learning tool for local residents, “architourists” as well for students at the three schools here in town!

In 2006, Bob reorganized the historic buildings tour. With hundreds of historic properties and several ‘character areas’ in quite a compact space; he devised four separate self guided walks – each intersecting the historic downtown. They come in one packet and each are an easy 45 minute walk. These little self guided tours have become popular with ‘Nordic pole’ urban hiking folks, and have been used for school field trips! A ‘natural’ enhancement to a healthful walking experience…one can walk past lovely gardens, historic architecture and also learn something new about something old! It is hoped such resources will be attractive to tour bus excursions and continue a steady increase of ‘rurban daytrippers’ to the area!

On this recent project “Architectural Styles in the Port of Goderich” - Bob invited local architects to look at his draft hoping to catch any glaring errors we volunteers may have missed! They were pleased to see such a resource and impressed with his knowledge, organized layout and images. The “Heritage Goderich” committee is very grateful to all the heritage professionals and volunteers who share their special skills – but a very big thank you is due to Bob Davis for work he has done and continues to do! We are delighted that receipts of book sales go to the heritage fund to continue support of cultural heritage projects and improvements. The committee hopes many folks will want this book and will share the gratitude we extend to property owners - spanning 17 decades of caregiving! We salute the many distinctive residential and commercial buildings and features - here to enjoy at the Port of Goderich.

To order this book:

Send a cheque payable to: “Town of Goderich”, for $15.00 - and on the cheque note “Arch Styles Book” and mail to: Town of Goderich, 57 West Street, Goderich Ontario, N7A 2K5, Attention Heritage Goderich