It is more than just local stories and people that contribute to Belleville’s heritage. National people and institutions have had a key role in Belleville’s history and the national story is celebrated at the local level. Belleville’s train station has been designated at the federal level and marks the importance of the station both to Belleville and the country. Susanna Moodie, a famous Canadian author, also had ties to the community and two sites with connections to her have received designation from the city. Additionally, Sir Mackenzie Bowell, a local businessman who became Prime Minister has had his house designated by the city.
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| Belleville Train Station Photo Credit: Google Images |
The Belleville train station was part of the Grand Trunk Railway. Located at 220 Station Street the site was designated by the Federal States & Monument Board on Canada Day in 1982. During the construction of the railway Belleville became a surveying and contracting centre and in 1855 the town was named a divisional point.
The city then became the headquarters from the Rideau District for the Canadian National Railway. The station is under protection by federal law, particularly the Railways Station Protection Act. The Act ensures that a rail company cannot damage the heritage of a railway station by removal, demolition, or altering the station without government approval.
The Act helped to develop the city by making it a central point of the railway, just as the railway helped to develop the nation. As stated in the booklet handed out during the plaque ceremony the station “is an enduring monument to early Canadian railway enterprise”.
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| Susanna Moodie Photo Credit: Google Images |
The railway and the Belleville station were representations of Canadian institutions located at the local level. Belleville also had important Canadians with connections to the city. Susanna Moodie was one of them.
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| 11 Charlotte Street Photo Credit: Belleville Heritage Properties |
The house located at 11 Charlotte Street was built for Archibald Ponton in 1857 and rented to a local dry goods merchant until 1874 when he was ready to move in. The house was designated on September 10th, 1990, ten years after the construction of Susanna Moodie Elementary School. The house was visited by Susanna Moodie and her husband and mentioned in their correspondence.
Additionally, the house at 110 Bridge Street West was originally owned by Moodie’s son Alexander Dunbar Moodie. In 1865 Alexander drew up plans for the site but the following year it was sold to Christie Smith, the daughter of a prominent local innkeeper, and her husband who was a clerk for a law firm of the railway. The home has not altered on the exterior except for the possibility of the verandah.
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| 110 Bridge Street West Photo Credit: Belleville Heritage Properties |
Both sites associated with Moodie are not extraordinary architectural examples, but are designated because of their connections to the author who detailed life as a settler.
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| Sir Mackenzie Bowell Photo Credit: Google Images |
The house owned by Sir Mackenzie Bowell is mistakenly listed on the Belleville heritage website as being located at 240 William Street. It is correctly located at 194 William Street. Sir Mackenzie Bowell was born in Suffolk England in December in 1833. At the age of eleven he worked at the local paper, the Intelligencer, as an apprentice and by 1850 Bowell had become the sole editor and owner of the paper.
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| 240 William Street Incorrectly Identified as Sir Mackenzie Bowell's House Photo Credit: Anne Duffy |
As the editor and owner of the paper Sir Mackenzie Bowell dedicated himself to promoting the growth of the city and Hastings County. He helped organize the Belleville Board of Trade which would later become the Bellville Chamber of Commerce.
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| 194 William Street Sir Mackenzie Bowell's House Phto Credit: Anne Duffy |
He became a Conservative Member of Parliament that served in the House of Commons from 1867 – 1892. In 1878 he became the Minister of Customs and was eventually appointed to the Senate. At the age of 70 Sir Mackenzie Bowell became the country’s fifth Prime Minister.
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| Sir Mackenzie Bowell Heritage Plaque Photo Credit: Anne Duffy |
As Prime Minister he faced many difficulties and had trouble keeping his party together. After two years in office his Cabinet walked out on him and forced him to resign from office. After his resignation Sir Mackenzie Bowell played only a small role in government and returned to Belleville.
By celebrating local connections to larger stories Belleville can locate its place in national history. Canada’s history is well known and Belleville can link its own history to these larger stories that all Canadians know. Belleville has connections to the railway that linked the country together and key figures at the beginning of the country.
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