Edinburgh Square Heritage and Cultural Centre facts for kids
| Former name | Caledonia Town Hall |
|---|---|
| Established | 1988 |
| Location | 80 Caithness St. E, Caledonia, ON N3W 2G6 |
| Type | Heritage Museum |
| Nearest parking | On site (no charge) |
The Edinburgh Square Heritage and Cultural Centre is a cool museum in Caledonia, Ontario. It's in a really old building that was built way back in 1857. This building used to be Caledonia's first and only town hall!
After many years, the building stopped being used as a town hall around 1955. Then, in the spring of 1988, it got a new life and reopened as the "Edinburgh Square Heritage and Cultural Centre." Today, it's a special place that helps keep the history of Caledonia and the areas around it alive for everyone to learn from. In 1982, this important building was officially recognized as a heritage site.
What You Can See Inside
The Edinburgh Square Heritage and Cultural Centre is more than just a museum. It's also a place where you can find lots of information and learn about the community.
Inside, you can see an old jail cell that was used in Caledonia, Ontario for about 70 years! There's also a display about the gypsum mining industry. This industry brought big mining companies to the Grand River area throughout the 1900s.
The museum also has the Gillespie Clark Reference Library. This library is full of books, files, and documents about Caledonia's past. You can even find information about the families who lived there. Plus, the library has old copies of the Grand River Sachem newspaper, going all the way back to 1856!
A Look Back in Time
When Caledonia became an official village in 1853, people quickly started talking about needing a town hall. The idea was first officially mentioned on February 28, 1854.
A man named John Turner from Brantford, Ontario was asked to draw up plans for the building. It was going to be a two-story brick building with a stone basement, about 30 feet (9.1 m) by 50 feet (15 m). He started his work on December 23, 1856. The town hall and a small lock-up (a place to hold people) were built by Bird & Johnson in 1857. The town council had its first meeting in the new building on January 18, 1858.
When the building was first finished, the second floor was used for town council meetings and other community events. The main floor was meant to be the home for the constable, who was in charge of the building. The basement was originally a lock-up and also a meat market, with its own entrance under the front steps. The first person to live and work at Edinburgh Square as a constable was Constable Belford in 1858.
The lock-up in the basement stopped being used in the 1930s. After that, people who were held there were taken to the Cayuga jail instead. However, the constable continued to live in the town hall until 1955. One of the most famous constables was Bill Stotts, who was known as the "lovable constable." He had many jobs, including being a dog catcher, selling dog licenses, and returning lost pets. He also directed traffic and had an office where he could keep an eye on the town. Constable Stotts lived in Edinburgh Square from 1937 to 1955.
In the 1950s, Caledonia had grown a lot, with more than 1,500 people living there. Because of its growth, it was decided that Caledonia was no longer just a village, but a town!
In April 1981, officials from Haldimand County who looked after culture and recreation visited important places in Caledonia. They checked out both Edinburgh Square and the Caledonia Mill to see if either would be a good spot for a museum. They decided that Edinburgh Square was the best choice. On January 25, 1982, it was officially named a heritage building. After some work to update the building and make it easier for everyone to access, it reopened in the spring of 1988 as the "Edinburgh Square Heritage & Cultural Centre."
