Colborne Lodge
Encyclopedia
Colborne Lodge is a historical museum located in an 1836s home in Toronto
's High Park
. John George Howard
, an architect, engineer, and prominent Toronto citizen built this house, which became the property of the city following his death in 1890.
Built in 1836 by City Surveyor John George Howard
to house himself and his wife Jemima Frances Meikle, it is perched on the top of a hill overlooking Lake Ontario
. When built, the area was considerably to the west of the city. The house is a classic example of the Regency
cottage style, and one of the first such buildings in the city. The small house tries to blend in with the landscape around it, in sharp contrast to the rigid formalism of Georgian architecture
that was then the standard Toronto style. It was originally one storey, but Howard later expanded it by adding the upper level. The house was named after Sir John Colborne, Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada
from 1828 to 1836 and first Canadian patron of Howard's architecture.
The cottage sat on 165 acre (0.6677319 km²) of land owned by Howard. His original intent was to start a farm on the property. Later, he attempted to subdivide his holdings and sell off small lots to create a new neighbourhood. At the time the area was still a considerable distance west of the city, and a difficult commute to town. Howard himself maintained a second home in the city. The landscape of the property with its steep hills, wetlands and sandy soils would have been difficult to develop in any event.
Howard and Jemima had no children and thus deeded the park to city in 1873, in exchange for a permanent pension. He continued to live in his home until his death in 1890. John Howard and his wife are buried in the Howard Tomb, a stone monument which overlooks Grenadier Pond. The cairn was designed by Howard, and the fence gate for the cairn is originally from St. Paul's Cathedral in London and was originally designed by the famous architect Christopher Wren. Additional land was purchased by the city in 1873 and 1930, thereby expanding the park to the current 399 acres (1.6 km²). Next to the home are the Colborne Lodge Gardens, first created by the Howards.
The home is now a museum run by the City of Toronto. The museum displays the house and furnishings of the 1800s, using much of the Howard's own furnishings and Howard art works. The museum holds an annual Harvest Festival, plus summer and march break camps for children. Annually at Hallowe'en, guides put on a "Haunted Walk" discussing legends of ghost appearances at the Lodge.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
's High Park
High Park
High Park is a municipal park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It spans , and is a mixed recreational and natural park, with sporting facilities, cultural facilities, educational facilities, gardens, playgrounds and a zoo. One third of the park remains in a natural state, with a rare oak savannah ecology...
. John George Howard
John George Howard
John George Howard, born John Corby, was the City of Toronto, Canada's official surveyor and civil engineer...
, an architect, engineer, and prominent Toronto citizen built this house, which became the property of the city following his death in 1890.
History
John George Howard
John George Howard, born John Corby, was the City of Toronto, Canada's official surveyor and civil engineer...
to house himself and his wife Jemima Frances Meikle, it is perched on the top of a hill overlooking Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
. When built, the area was considerably to the west of the city. The house is a classic example of the Regency
Regency architecture
The Regency style of architecture refers primarily to buildings built in Britain during the period in the early 19th century when George IV was Prince Regent, and also to later buildings following the same style...
cottage style, and one of the first such buildings in the city. The small house tries to blend in with the landscape around it, in sharp contrast to the rigid formalism of Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
that was then the standard Toronto style. It was originally one storey, but Howard later expanded it by adding the upper level. The house was named after Sir John Colborne, Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
from 1828 to 1836 and first Canadian patron of Howard's architecture.
The cottage sat on 165 acre (0.6677319 km²) of land owned by Howard. His original intent was to start a farm on the property. Later, he attempted to subdivide his holdings and sell off small lots to create a new neighbourhood. At the time the area was still a considerable distance west of the city, and a difficult commute to town. Howard himself maintained a second home in the city. The landscape of the property with its steep hills, wetlands and sandy soils would have been difficult to develop in any event.
Howard and Jemima had no children and thus deeded the park to city in 1873, in exchange for a permanent pension. He continued to live in his home until his death in 1890. John Howard and his wife are buried in the Howard Tomb, a stone monument which overlooks Grenadier Pond. The cairn was designed by Howard, and the fence gate for the cairn is originally from St. Paul's Cathedral in London and was originally designed by the famous architect Christopher Wren. Additional land was purchased by the city in 1873 and 1930, thereby expanding the park to the current 399 acres (1.6 km²). Next to the home are the Colborne Lodge Gardens, first created by the Howards.
The home is now a museum run by the City of Toronto. The museum displays the house and furnishings of the 1800s, using much of the Howard's own furnishings and Howard art works. The museum holds an annual Harvest Festival, plus summer and march break camps for children. Annually at Hallowe'en, guides put on a "Haunted Walk" discussing legends of ghost appearances at the Lodge.