Doak Historic Site facts for kids
The Doak Historic Site, also known as the Doak House, is a special place in Doaktown, New Brunswick, Canada. It's a Provincial Heritage Site, which means it's an important historical location. The Doak family bought this farm in the early 1820s and lived there until 1979. Today, it's like stepping back in time! People in old-fashioned costumes give tours and show you how things were done long ago. The site works together with the Atlantic Salmon Museum, which is also in Doaktown.
You can visit the Doak Historic Site from late June until early September. It's closed during the colder months. When it's open, there are lots of fun activities and classes. You can try kids' craft days, learn to make butter or cheese, or even try rug hooking. They also show how wool was processed by hand and how people gardened. You can watch weaving and spinning demonstrations too. You can get in by making a donation.
Contents
Discovering Doak History
The Doak Family's Journey
Robert Doak was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, on April 4, 1785. He, his wife Jean Kirkland, and their two young children were planning to move to Kentucky. But a big storm on the Atlantic Ocean forced their ship into the harbor at Miramichi, New Brunswick. The family decided to stay in Miramichi and start their new life there.
Robert Doak and his older brother James Doak traveled up the Miramichi River. They bought land from Ephraim Betts. This is where the Doak Historic Site is now. At that time, Doaktown was called Betts Settlement. It was named after the important Betts family.
Robert Doak's Businesses and Influence
Once settled, Robert Doak built several mills. He had a water-powered carding mill, which helped prepare wool. He also had a Gristmill for grinding grain, a Sawmill for cutting wood, and an oat mill. The family also ran a successful Textile business. They were very good at Weaving and spinning yarn and fabrics. They also had a large working farm. They raised horses, chickens, sheep, oxen, and milking cows. They grew important crops too.
Robert Doak wasn't just a farmer and businessman. He also held many important jobs in the community. He was the town clerk, clerk of the market, and a justice of the peace. He had many other roles throughout his life. Because he was so successful, people called him "Squire Doak." In 1852, a new highway was built connecting Fredericton to Newcastle. Betts Settlement was then renamed Doaktown. This was because Robert Doak had such a big impact on the area.
The Farm Becomes a Heritage Site
The Doak house and farm stayed in the Doak family for four generations. The last family member to live there was Robert Doak's great-great-granddaughter, Margaret Doak. She passed away in 1979. She left the property to the New Brunswick Government. In the early 1980s, the property opened to the public. It became a provincial heritage site, ready for everyone to explore.
Exploring the Historic Buildings
The Doak House
The original Doak house is still on the site. It's special because of its unique design. It reminds people of the farm cottages found in Scotland, where Robert Doak came from.
Here are some cool things about the house:
- It's a rectangular house with one and a half stories.
- It has narrow eaves (the part of the roof that hangs over the walls) with returns.
- There's a dormer window built right into the roof.
- The outside walls are covered in wooden clapboards.
- It has corner boards and a central chimney.
- The windows are 6/6 double-hung windows.
- Inside, there are special shutters that pull out from the walls.
- The roof is made of wooden shingles.
- The foundation is made of sandstone.
- All the items inside the house are original to the site!
Other Farm Buildings
The original barn on the property was over 100 years old. Sadly, it had to be taken down in June 2016. Experts found that it was unsafe because of damage and rot. The Government of New Brunswick is now working to rebuild the barn.
You can also see a small milk house on the property. This building was used to keep dairy products cool. A tunnel was dug to bring water from a nearby stream to the milk house. The cold, flowing water kept the milk and cheese fresh.
There's also a school house on the property that dates back to 1822. This school was originally located a few miles away. It was moved to the Doak Historic Site to protect this important old building.
