Park House Museum facts for kids

Park House is a special old house in Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada. It is now a museum where you can learn about local history. This house was first built in 1796 in Detroit. But it was moved to Amherstburg in 1799! Many families lived here over the years. The Park family owned it for a very long time – 102 years! In 1972, the Rotary Club of Amherstburg bought it. They turned it into a museum. It shows what life was like in the 1850s.

The House's Journey

Park House was built in 1796 near the Rouge River in Detroit. A British loyalist, someone who supported Britain during the American Revolution, built it. After the American Revolution, the owner moved to Fort Malden, a new British fort across the river.

The house was taken apart in 1798. Its pieces were moved by canoe across the river. It was then rebuilt in Amherstburg. For 173 years, the house stood on First Street. The very first picture of Park House is in a painting. It's called A View of Amherstburg, 1813 by Margaret Reynolds.

Early Owners of Park House

The land where Park House stands was first given to a business. Later, the commanding officer of Fort Malden, Captain Hector McLean, decided to give it to the owners of a ship called the Nancy. These owners included Captain William Mills.

In 1817, Alexander Mackintosh bought the property. He owned it until 1823. Then, Jean Baptiste Macon purchased the house. Macon was a well-known merchant in Amherstburg. He started his own shipping business. He hired two brothers, Thomas and John Park, to work for him. These brothers would later become famous owners of the house.

The Park Family's Home

Thomas F. Park bought the house on September 23, 1839. Thomas let his youngest brother, Theodore Jones Park, live there. Theodore ran a general store and shipping business with his brother John R. Park. Theodore bought the house from Thomas in 1866.

Theodore's son, Dr. Theodore James Park, owned the house next. In 1880, he used the house as the town’s medical office. After he passed away, his sister Lizzie Park got the house. She had no close family. So, when she died in 1941, she gave the house to Helen Donovan. Helen then sold the property to Geraldine S. Sterns in the same year. Sterns sold it to the Lalonde family in 1945.

The Lalondes opened an antique store called Park House Antiques. This store was open for 25 years. Then, they sold the property to Zarko and Bessie Vucinic. The Vucinics owned Duffy's Tavern.

Becoming a Museum

The Vucinics wanted to expand their business. They thought about moving Park House to Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan to save it. But Hazen Price, from the Amherstburg Rotary Club, had a better idea. He suggested the Rotary Club buy Park House. This way, it would not need to be moved far away or torn down.

The club agreed. The house was moved to Waterworks Park. This park is now called the Amherstburg Navy Yard. Park House Museum still stands there today. In July 1973, a group called the Amherstburg Historical Sites Association was created. Their job was to furnish and take care of the museum.

After more than a year of hard work, the museum was ready. They restored and furnished the house to look like it did in the Park family's time. The museum officially opened on December 9, 1973. The mayor, H. Murray Smith, attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Supporting the Museum

In 1978, a group of volunteers called the Park House Tinsmiths was formed. They make copies of old tinware. This helps to raise money for the museum. Their tinware has been shown in the United Kingdom. It has also been sold to places like Fort Malden and Fort George.

On February 19, 2006, the museum received a large grant. It was $46,000 from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. This helped the museum to have a grand re-opening.

What You Can See Today

Today, the museum teaches people about history. School children from Ontario, Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois visit. The museum has a hand press. This press was used to print the first edition of the Amherstburg Echo newspaper in 1874.

The museum shows an early French-style log home. It has an original fireplace from the 1850s. The main floor shows what daily life was like in the 1850s. The second floor has exhibits of old pioneer tools and more recent items.

On October 4, 2018, the Canadian government recognized Park House. It was named a National Historic Site. This means it is a very important place in Canada's history.

Images for kids

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  The Park House Museum in Amherstburg, Ontario.