Barnum House facts for kids
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| Established | 1958 |
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| Location | Grafton, Ontario, Canada |
| Type | Historic house museum |
| Designated: | 1959 |
The Barnum House is a very old and special building in Grafton, Ontario, Canada. It was built a long time ago, between 1817 and 1819, by a man named Eliakim Barnum. He was a United Empire Loyalist, which means his family stayed loyal to Britain during the American Revolution.
This house is important because it's the earliest example of a style called Neoclassical architecture in Canada. It was also the first house museum to open in Ontario, back in 1940. Today, the Ontario Heritage Trust owns and takes care of it. In 1959, Barnum House was named a National Historic Site of Canada.
Contents
History of Barnum House
How the House Started
The land where Barnum House stands was first used in 1811. Eliakim Barnum's brother-in-law, James Norris, built a house there. Sadly, during the War of 1812, British soldiers were staying in Norris's house. It accidentally burned down.
After that, Eliakim Barnum bought the land from Norris. He then built the beautiful house we see today. It was finished between 1817 and 1819.
What is Neoclassical Style?
When Eliakim Barnum designed his house, he was inspired by buildings in the New England states of the United States. These homes used a style called Neoclassical architecture.
This style tries to copy ideas from ancient Greek buildings. You can see this in the house's design. It has a central part that looks like a temple, with wings on each side. The outside walls have decorative columns and arches. All the small details are very elegant. Inside, the fancy woodwork, especially in the living room (called the parlour), also shows this style.
Eliakim Barnum's Life
Eliakim Barnum moved to Haldimand Township in 1807 from the United States. He settled near Lake Ontario, along a main road connecting important towns.
Eliakim quickly became successful. He ran a tavern and a place that made drinks. He also bought a lot of land. In 1830, he opened a mill to grind grain.
Barnum also helped build the community of Grafton. He helped start St. George's Anglican Church and the first school in the area. He was also a local judge and a leader in the military.
Eliakim Barnum lived a long life, passing away in 1877 at 94 years old.
Changes Over Time
After Eliakim died, his youngest son, James, took over the house. James later closed the grain mill. This showed that the family didn't rely on farming as much anymore.
James passed away in 1907. The house stayed in the Barnum family until 1917. Then, the Prentice family bought it. They lived there until 1939.
In 1939, the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario bought the house. They carefully fixed it up to look like it did originally. In 1940, they opened it as Ontario's first house museum.
Who Owns Barnum House Now?
In 1958, the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario gave the Barnum House to Haldimand township. The township ran it as a community museum.
Then, in 1982, the Ontario Heritage Trust bought the house. This is a government agency that protects important historical places. They took over running the museum.
Between 1989 and 1991, the Ontario Heritage Trust did a big restoration of Barnum House. They wanted to make sure the house would last a long time. They fixed the foundation, replaced the roof, and restored the windows. They even found the original paint colors and wallpaper for the inside! They also added a new two-story part to the house for a gallery and learning center.
For some years, the Ontario Heritage Trust worked with the Barnum House Museum Foundation. This partnership ended in 2002. After that, it was hard to keep the museum open. It was closed for a few years starting in 2003. But thanks to a generous gift, it was able to open for three months in the summer of 2007.
What's Inside Barnum House Today?
Today, Barnum House has a large collection of items from the Georgian and Victorian periods. These are time periods from British history.
The collection includes many different things. You can see old furniture, china, books, newspapers, cooking tools, and even children's toys. There are also photographs and scrapbooks. One very special item is a piano from the early 1800s, made by a company called Clementi. It's thought to be the only one of its kind still existing! The items inside Barnum House are just as important as the house itself.
