Macpherson House Celebrating 50 Years of Promoting 19th Century Heritage
As early as 1959, the Macpherson House had been identified as an old house worth saving. The house was derelict but retained its original design of broad halls, the original staircase and early moldings. By 1960, the Lennox and Addington Historical Society began to raise funds to restore the House. Their vision was to include a small park around the house, rebuilt the covered bridge and create a green belt for recreation along the Napanee River. Their vision was painted by Manly Macdonald. This painting is now displayed in the curatorial office. A donation of $2000 by Harvey McFarland, Mayor of Picton, at a fundraising dinner in 1962 kick started the campaign to purchase the house and three adjacent properties.
Macpherson House prior to the 1960’s restoration
Two other more recent houses on the property were torn down and removed. The Society volunteers, under the guidance of restoration architect Peter Stokes, began the labour intensive process of restoring the foundations, painting and replacing the clapboards. Stokes requested that the work be done using traditional methods and tools. Carpenters who had worked on the Village restoration rebuilt the kitchen wing which was in very poor condition, and made wooden eaves trough.
In 1964, the Macpherson House was readied to host Town and County celebrations when the County of Lennox and Addington celebrated its Centennial and the Town of Napanee also marked 100 years as the County Town. The Honorable John Diefenbaker toured Macpherson House, at the invitation of M.P. Douglas Alkenbrack. Diefenbaker commended the Society on their excellent work to preserve the monuments of our history, particularly those connected with John A. Macdonald; Allan Macpherson’s stepmother and John A. Macdonald’s mother were sisters. In the Macpherson years, the young Macdonald was a guest at the House.
Judge Gerald Smith, President LAHS and Helen Hutchison preparing siding
In 1964, the County applied for a Centennial grant to assist with the project. The same year, a Provincial Historic Site plaque recognizing the significance of Macpherson House as a fine example of late Georgian architecture and Allan Macpherson as a prominent entrepreneur in Upper Canada, was unveiled on the grounds, with Macpherson descendants in attendance.
On Saturday August 5, after six years of restoration work, countless hours of volunteer labour and more than $40,000 in costs, the House was opened quietly to the public. Three rooms had been furnished from the Society’s collection and some loaned items. Jeanne Minhinnick, curator in charge of furnishings and gardens at Upper Canada Village, guided the room settings.
In Centennial Year, over 300 from within the County and Province, other Canadian Provinces, the British Isles and New York State visited. The same year Centennial maple trees were planted on the ground, some of which still shade the house on the north side. A Centennial bronze plaque is mounted above the entrance to the winter kitchen.
1964 County and Town celebrations at Macpherson House
A lot still remained to be done, including sidelights for the upstairs hallway, door frames and trim, the surround for the kitchen fireplace, wallpaper for the parlor and doors for the morning room and the parlour bedroom. Eaves troughs, a cedar shake roof and restoration of the shutters were also on the list. The official opening happened the Civic Weekend in 1968. Invited guests enjoyed pageants and refreshments. From the beginning, the Society and Peter Stokes wanted the house to be alive with lights, laughter and music. The same year, the first Christmas at the Lairds was held and the first bread was baked in the brick oven in 1971.
The first Christmas at the Lairds was held in 1969 and continued annually
From 1968-1978, the Macpherson House operated under County ownership with a Board of Management. Then, from 1978 until 2014, the Lennox and Addington Historical Society continued active programming and maintenance of the House. In 2014, The Macpherson House was reunited with the County Museum and is now operated by the County of Lennox and Addington.
In 2018, Macpherson House celebrates the 50th anniversary of its official opening as a museum. The House is a legacy to the pioneering work of the Historical Society in historic preservation and restoration and over 50 years of dedicated support from both the Society and County since the project began.
Come and help us celebrate 50 years as a restored historic house museum this summer. Visit www.CountyMuseum.ca for a full listing of July and August events at Macpherson House.
The Allan Macpherson House in 2018