Campbell House (Toronto) facts for kids
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Campbell House is a very old house and museum in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was built in 1822 for Sir William Campbell and his wife, Hannah. Sir William was a very important judge, known as the Chief Justice of Upper Canada. The house was made for parties and comfort, showing that the Campbells were a well-known and wealthy family. It is one of the few buildings left in Toronto that shows the old Georgian architecture style, especially a type called Palladian architecture.
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A Look Back: Campbell House History
Campbell House was not always where it is today. It first stood about 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) southeast of its current spot. This was at what is now Adelaide Street and Frederick Street. Back then, it was known as 64 Duke Street. It was a grand sight at the end of Frederick Street.
When Sir William Campbell passed away in 1834, his wife, Lady Campbell, took over the house. After Lady Campbell died in 1844, the house and its contents were sold. The money from the sale went to their children. For most of the 1800s, the house was a private home. Many important people lived there, like James Gordon and John Strathy.
From Home to Business
By 1890, the area around Campbell House had changed. It became a busy place with shops and factories. So, the house stopped being a family home. In the early 1900s, different businesses used it. It was an office and even a factory for companies like Hobbs Glass and Capewell Horse Nail.
Saving Campbell House: A Big Move
In 1972, the company that owned the house, Coutts-Hallmark, wanted to tear it down. They needed more space for a parking lot. But before they could, they offered the house to anyone who could move it. A group of lawyers, called the Advocates Society, decided to save it.
They found a new spot for the house near University Avenue and Queen Street West. On March 30, 1972, Campbell House made a huge journey. It weighed 270 tons (245 metric tons) and was moved about 1.6 kilometers (1 mile). Toronto Transit Commission trucks helped with the move.
This move was a big event! Many people came to watch as it closed several downtown streets. Later, on June 28, 1974, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, officially opened the restored house.
Why Saving Campbell House Mattered
Saving Campbell House was a very important moment for Toronto. In the 1950s and 1960s, many old 19th-century buildings were being torn down quickly. An architect named Eric Arthur even worried that by the year 2000, no 19th-century buildings would be left.
The amazing sight of Campbell House being moved helped people realize how important it was to save old buildings. It made Torontonians want to protect other historic places. This led to an outdoor exhibit in 2018 called Lost and Found, which is in the Campbell House gardens.
Today, the City of Toronto government owns Campbell House. The Sir William Campbell Foundation runs it as a historic house museum. It used to be a club for lawyers. The house also hosts art shows, like one by Canadian artist Harley Valentine in 2013.
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