Horaceville, Ottawa facts for kids
Horaceville, also known as Pinhey's Point Historic Site, is a special place located right on the Ottawa River in eastern Ontario, Canada. It's a large heritage site, about 88 acres (35.6 hectares), that used to belong to the family of Hamnett Kirkes Pinhey. Today, the City of Ottawa owns and runs it.
Pinhey's old home is now a museum. You can visit it from May 14 to August 31, Wednesday to Sunday, between 11 AM and 5 PM. The whole property is considered important for its history and culture. A special plaque tells us about Hamnett Kirkes Pinhey, who came to Canada in 1820. He was given 1000 acres of land for his help during the Napoleonic Wars. He built a big estate there, which he called Horaceville, named after his oldest son. It had a main house, barns, mills, a store, and even a church. Pinhey was also an important leader in the area. His family owned Horaceville until 1959.
This site is a popular spot for many activities. People love to visit for boating, cycling, and picnics. It has beautiful parkland, a nearly 200-year-old stone house, two barns, and amazing views of the Ottawa River. There are also some old stone ruins to explore. The main house works as a historic house museum, showing how people lived long ago with old furniture and special exhibits. The City of Ottawa has many fun programs for families during the summer. The park itself is open all year. You can visit the museum by giving a donation, and some special events might have a small fee. You can even rent the place for weddings or other celebrations!
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History of Horaceville
The story of Horaceville begins with Hamnett Kirkes Pinhey. He was a merchant from England. He asked Lord Bathurst, who was in charge of colonies, for land in Canada. This was a reward for his service in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars. Around 1820, Pinhey left England and came to Upper Canada.
He received a huge piece of land, about 1000 acres (4 square kilometers), in March Township. On his land, he built a grist mill and homes for his workers. He also built a small two-story log house covered in wood siding on a hill overlooking the river. There were even seven small cannons facing the river! Pinhey became very successful as a politician and insurance broker. He named his estate Horaceville, after his oldest son, Horace. Horace was meant to inherit the estate, following old British traditions.
The Horaceville estate that Hamnett Kirkes Pinhey built is what we now call Pinhey's Point Historic Site. It includes 88 acres of fields, shoreline, and parkland. You can see the main manor house and several old ruins.
Pinhey built a large stone manor house on the hill in three steps. It was designed in a balanced Georgian style. The stone house was finished between 1822 and 1825. It had a big living room and three small bedrooms for servants upstairs.
In 1841, a new part was added. This included the main entrance with a staircase, the original dining room, and the master bedroom. There was also a kitchen wing for Mrs. Pinhey. By 1841, Horace Pinhey and his wife had moved into the log house.
Another part, the south wing, was finished in 1848–1849. This section had Hamnett's library, a pantry, a drawing room, and several family bedrooms. It even had an indoor washroom on the second floor! A sign at the site calls this washroom Hamnett's "Sanctum Sanctorum," meaning his "Holiest of Holies."
The front of Horaceville, facing the Ottawa River, was covered with stone. But on the less visible walls, they used clever painting to make it look like stone. They also painted plain pine floors and doors to look like more expensive wood.
Besides the house, Pinhey also built a grist mill, a sawmill, and St. Mary's Church on the property. The first church service was held on October 7, 1827. However, the church wasn't officially blessed until 1834. This was because of a disagreement with the bishop about where the church should be built.
Today, there are three historic buildings you can see: Horaceville (the main house), the barn, and the turkey barn. Other old buildings on the site included a stone stable, a powder magazine, and St. Mary's Church. When the church opened, there was even a seven-gun salute from the cannons!
The Pinhey family owned the site until Miss Ruth Pinhey passed away in 1971. Her family then sold the estate to March Township. In 1980, the Pinhey's Point Foundation was created. Their goal was to protect and develop the estate as a historic site and a fun place for recreation.
Exploring the Site
The City of Ottawa and the Pinhey's Point Foundation work together. They help visitors learn about the history of the estate, the Pinhey family, and the area. From 1983 to 1990, the Pinhey's Point Foundation managed the property. Then, it was given to the City of Kanata. Since Kanata joined with Ottawa in 2001, the City of Ottawa has been in charge. They manage the site, special events, programs, and daily tours.
The Pinhey's Point Foundation owns the collection of old items and the exhibits inside the museum. These help tell the story of the past. For example, posters in the upstairs dining room show how the manor house was restored in the 1990s. The architect, Julian Smith, tried to change as little as possible. He wanted to show how the house looked both as Hamnett Pinhey's grand home and as the home of later Pinhey family members.
In the stone kitchen, Julian Smith removed changes made in the 1900s to show the original fireplace. An old dining table in the kitchen is now covered with canvas. He chose not to fix all the walls and ceilings. This lets you see the original structure in some places. Hamnett Pinhey's library is set up as a sitting room and dining room. It even has a reproduction of an 1880s dress. One wall still has parts of the original wallpaper, while the other three are painted green.
Some rooms have old items and show how the space was used. For example, a trellis in the master bedroom tells about Pinhey's gardens. In the living room, panels describe Hamnett Pinhey and how the house was built. Other rooms are used for changing exhibits. One exhibit, "Whose Astrolabe?", looked at an old astrolabe (a tool for astronomy) from the 1600s. It explored who owned it and its history.
The City of Ottawa hosts many special events at the museum. These include Preschool Picnics, Young Artisans, Explorer's Club, and Halloween at Horaceville. Visitors of all ages can learn about nature, old trades, and the rich human history of the area.
Boating Fun
Pinhey's Point Historic Site hosts "Riverfest" every year on the last weekend of August. This event celebrates the history of the Ottawa River with old-fashioned games, demonstrations, and live music. You can often see sailing events, races, or regattas almost every weekend.
Pinhey Point has a bay that is great for boats to anchor for the day or overnight. However, the small docks at the site are best for very small boats like dinghies. Many racing events happen with help from nearby clubs like the Britannia Yacht Club and the Nepean Sailing Club.
One popular event is the Pinhey's Point Race & Raft-up. This is a long-distance race for different sailing clubs. After the race, boats gather together at Pinhey's Point Historic Site. It happens every year in late June or early July.
Learning Programs
Pinhey's Point offers special programs for students from kindergarten to 7th grade. These programs are linked to school subjects. They cover topics like history, social science, science, math, arts, and physical education.
Legacy of Pinhey's Point
The Ontario Heritage Trust put up a special plaque for Honourable Hamnet Kirkes Pinhey (1784–1857). It's located at Horaceville, his old estate by the Ottawa River. The plaque explains that Pinhey built a large estate with several log and stone buildings on land he received for his service in the Napoleonic Wars. It also mentions that he became an important person in local affairs and held many public jobs.
See also
- List of designated heritage properties in Ottawa
- Hamnett Kirkes Pinhey
- March Township, Ontario
