Paddy Walker House facts for kids
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| Established | 2008 |
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| Location | Kincardine, Ontario, Canada |
| Type | Heritage centre |
The Paddy Walker House, also known as the Walker House, is a very old and important building in Kincardine, Ontario, Canada. It's the oldest building in town and the oldest hotel still standing in Bruce County!
Contents
The Story of Walker House
Building a New Home
In 1850, a man named Francis "Paddy" Walker made a big journey. He traveled across the frozen Lake Huron from Goderich, Ontario. He was heading to a new settlement called Penetangore, which is now Kincardine.
Paddy Walker arrived with his wife, Jane, and their seven sons. He quickly realized that new people arriving in Penetangore would need a place to stay. So, Paddy Walker decided to build a hotel. He built it close to the mouth of the Penetangore River, which later became the town's harbor.
A Family Business
The Walker House served as a hotel for many years. Paddy Walker and his family managed it for a long time. They kept the hotel running until 1942.
That year, the Walker House was sold to Marie and Al Gairns. The Gairns family continued to use it as a hotel for a while. Later, they decided to change it into a rooming house, where people could rent rooms for longer stays. After Mr. Gairns passed away, Marie Gairns lived in the Walker House as her private home well into the 1990s.
Fire and Rebuilding
A Difficult Time
In January 1995, something sad happened. A fire broke out at the Walker House. Marie Gairns, who was still living there, had to be rescued by local firefighters. They even carried her out in her chair!
The fire caused a lot of damage to the building. For three years, the Walker House was left untouched. It suffered from the weather and started to fall apart. There was even a rumor that the town of Kincardine might tear it down.
Saving the Walker House
Many local people felt that tearing down the Walker House would be a bad idea. It was an important part of their town's history! Because of this, a group called the Paddy Walker Heritage Society was formed.
In 1998, this society bought the Walker House from Mrs. Gairns. They worked hard to restore the building. Many repairs and improvements were made. The big restoration project was finished in 2008. It was ready just in time for the 2008 Kincardine Old Boys Reunion, a special event for people who grew up in Kincardine.
The Walker House Today
Today, the Walker House is a special place for Kincardine and the areas around it. It serves as a heritage center. This means it helps people learn about local history.
The Walker House has exhibits, programs, and events that teach visitors about the past. The Walker House Heritage Society also uses it as a meeting room. It's like a local museum! The Walker House is usually closed during the winter months. However, it's open during the summer because tourism is a big part of Kincardine's economy.
