Griffin House (Ancaster, Ontario) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Griffin House |
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Griffin House in 2010
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| Location | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
| Built | 1827 |
| Original use | House |
| Current use | House museum |
| Governing body | Hamilton Conservation Authority |
| Designated | 2007 |
The Griffin House is a special historic home built in 1827 in Ancaster. It was purchased in 1834 by Enerals Griffin and his wife, Priscilla. The Griffins had been enslaved earlier in their lives. They bravely found freedom by escaping to Canada in the early 1800s.
The Griffins were among the first Black families to settle in this area. Their home is a very important part of Black history in Canada. Today, the Griffin House offers tours about the Underground Railroad and other history programs.
The Griffin House was named a National Historic Site of Canada in 2008. It is a rare example of a four-room house from the early 1800s in Upper Canada. Enerals Griffin, a formerly enslaved African American man from Virginia, owned the house. He escaped to Canada in 1834. The house is a one-and-a-half-story building. It sits just above the Dundas Valley in Ancaster, which is now part of the City of Hamilton. Its design looks like a typical Georgian architecture style home from the 19th century.
For the next 150 years, the Griffin family lived and farmed peacefully on this hill. In 1988, a Griffin descendant sold the property to the Hamilton Conservation Authority. The house was then carefully restored to look like it did in the 19th century. This restoration happened between 1992 and 1994. During this time, over 3,000 old items were found!
Today, the museum inside the home is run by the Hamilton Conservation Authority and Fieldcote Memorial Park and Museum. Visitors can explore the house and learn its history. The beautiful Heritage Falls, also known as Griffin Falls, is behind the museum. It is another popular spot managed by the Conservation Authority.
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Challenges and Community Support
The Griffin House was sold to the Hamilton Region Conservation Authority (HRCA) in 1988. This was done by Bernard Griffin-Costello, a descendant of the Griffin family. At first, some people thought about making the house a private home again. However, the HRCA wanted to turn it into a heritage site. They planned to use it to share the history of African Canadians.
By 1991, a local committee in Ancaster recognized the Griffin House as an important heritage site. Even with this positive attention, some challenges came up in the years that followed.
Working Through Disagreements
Some people in the Ancaster community had concerns about the restoration project. They worried about how much it would cost. They also thought it might bring too many tourists and traffic. There were concerns about bus tours, noise, and building a parking lot on rural land. Despite these worries, the HRCA continued with their plans to save and restore the Griffin House.
In November 1993, after many meetings, it was decided that the restoration would go ahead. These meetings included the local committee, Hamilton's Black community, and other Ancaster residents. However, the money for the project was greatly reduced. It went from $70,000 to $40,000. Some community members felt these funding cuts were unfair. They worried it might lessen the importance of local African Canadian history.
Despite these issues, the HRCA moved forward with the project. They worked closely with the local Black community. Groups like the Stewart Memorial Church helped to make sure the house truly shared African Canadian history. An informal group was also created to help with research. This group included staff and volunteers from the Fieldcote Memorial Park and Museum and the HRCA.
The Griffin House officially opened to the public in February 1995. The exhibits inside the home focus on the Griffin family and their farm from 1830 to 1988. They also tell the story of Black settlement in Hamilton-Wentworth. This includes details about jobs, education, and religion. The Griffin House continues to be a very important place for learning about African Canadian history.
Recent Restoration Work
A major restoration project began at Griffin House in the fall of 2022. This project was completed by the end of 2024. It received nearly $1 million in funding from local, provincial, and federal governments. The updates included a restored foundation, exterior, porches, a new ramp, and a pathway.
See also
In Spanish: Casa Griffin para niños
