Castle Kilbride facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Castle Kilbride |
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Castle Kilbride, Baden, ON
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| Location | Baden, Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada |
| Elevation | 354 metres (1,161 ft) |
| Built | 1877 |
| Original use | Residence of James Livingston |
| Website | Historic Castle Kilbride |
| Designated | March 1994 |
Castle Kilbride is a beautiful old house in Baden, Ontario, Canada. It used to be the home of James Livingston. He was a Canadian politician and a very successful businessman.
This special house was built in 1877. It is named after Livingston's hometown in Scotland. Castle Kilbride is famous for its amazing wall paintings. These paintings are done in the style of the Italian Renaissance. They use a cool trick called trompe-l'œil. This makes flat paintings look like they are three-dimensional, almost like you can reach into them!
The building itself is a great example of an Italianate villa. This was a popular style of architecture back then. When it was built, the castle showed how successful James Livingston was. People even called him the 'Flax and Oil King of Canada'. In 1994, Castle Kilbride was named a National Historic Site of Canada. This means it's a very important place in Canadian history.
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History of Castle Kilbride
Who was James Livingston?
James Livingston, the first owner of Castle Kilbride, was born in East Kilbride, Scotland. He came to Canada around age 16 with very little money. He settled in Baden and started working with his older brother, John. They worked hard and saved enough money to start a small flax farm.
The Flax and Oil Business
In 1861, James Livingston married Louise Liersch. To make their business better, the brothers built a flax mill in 1863. A flax mill helps process flax plants. Flax was a very important crop at the time. This was because the American Civil War had damaged the cotton industry. So, there was a high demand for other materials like flax.
Flax was great because it could be used for many things. It provided hemp, which makes linen cloth. It also provided linseed oil. Linseed oil became very popular for making oil paints. This led the Livingston brothers to create the 'J&J Livingston Linseed Oil Company'. By 1881, they owned over 3,000 acres of flax farms. Their business was very successful!
Building the Castle
James Livingston built Castle Kilbride in 1877 to celebrate his success. This was also the year he became the Reeve of the Township of Wilmot. A Reeve is like the head of the local government.
Later, James's brother John passed away in 1896. James then took over the entire business. Eventually, his son, John Peter, managed the Baden Linseed oil mill.
After James Livingston retired, he would host a picnic every year for all his company employees and their families. When James Livingston died, his son John Peter, his wife Laura, and their daughter Laura Louise moved into Castle Kilbride. The Livingston oil company started to slow down when latex paint was invented. Latex paint didn't need linseed oil.
In 1993, the Township of Wilmot bought Castle Kilbride.
About the Building
How Castle Kilbride was Built
Building Castle Kilbride took about one year. It was finished in 1878 by a local builder named David Gingerich. The house has three main floors and over 10,000 square feet of living space. The only big change to the house was in 1920. That's when a summer kitchen was added.
Castle Kilbride has some fun and unique features. For example, the front lawn is shaped like a heart! This was a special tribute to James Livingston's wife, Louise.
From Home to Museum
In 1988, the Livingston family sold many of the home's items at an auction. The house then sat empty for several years. In 1993, the Township of Wilmot bought it. They worked hard to restore the castle to its original beauty. Because of its amazing interior and the efforts to save it, Castle Kilbride was declared a National Historic Site in 1995.
Today, Castle Kilbride is a museum and a place for special events. You can see original furniture and items from the Livingston family. There are also newer things on display. In 2016, the area next to the castle became home to the Prime Ministers Path. This path has bronze statues of Canadian prime ministers. It helps visitors learn about Canada's history since it became a country.
See also
- List of historic places in Regional Municipality of Waterloo
- List of oldest buildings and structures in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo
