Doors Open event showcases County’s stunning heritage and arts community

Artist Teresa Westervelt explaining her Sandbanks inspired door which will be on display at the Maple Rest Heritage House during Doors Open, Saturday, April 27.

Some of Prince Edward County’s stunning heritage properties will welcome the public as part of ‘Doors Open Prince Edward County: Deep Roots, Creative Minds’.
On Saturday, April 27 at 11 heritage properties across the County the ‘Doors Open’ initiative joins communities across Ontario to showcase a selection of intriguing buildings for people to tour, free of charge.
The provincial theme this year is ‘Cultural Expressions’, which combines an appreciation of arts and heritage. Prince Edward County’s abundance of stunning heritage properties and thriving arts community is well known, and  well-suited to the event. The County last participated in Doors Open Ontario in 2006.  This year’s event is hosted by the Museums of Prince Edward County, in co-operation with the Community Development Department.

Prince Edward County’s artistic community has a special role as 11 local artists have each created an original piece of artwork using salvaged doors, many donated by local individuals and businesses.

These artworks are inspired by each of the heritage properties that are participating in Doors Open 2013. A different door will be showcased at 10 of the 11 heritage properties and will be available for purchase through silent auction.
The formal silent auction start online via the museums’ Facebook page (www.facebook.com/museumspec), from Friday April 19 until Friday, April 26.  The silent auction will continue at the participating event sites on Saturday April 27, closing at 4pm. All proceeds generated from this event will support the Museums of Prince Edward County.
To catch an early glimpse, Books & Company in Picton is exhibiting a selection of the doors in the storefront windows until the end of April.
“People visit and stay in Prince Edward County because of its natural charm, entrepreneurial spirit, talented artistic community, and historical character,” say Mayor Peter Mertens. “Doors Open Prince Edward County brings all of these facets together in an unforgettable event, made even more special by this series of artworks prepared by our talented local artists.”

For more information, contact Jennifer Lyons – Head Curator, Corporation of the County of Prince Edward at 613.476.2148 x 258 or visit the museums website at www.countymemorytrail.ca.

Doors Open Sites

1. FORMER REDNERSVILLE UNITED CHURCH
Active Arts Studio/Signature Silks Silk Painting Studio
116 Barley Road, Rednersville

Built in 1849 on land donated by the Redner family and operating for 156 years, the former grey stone church features 11 foot high stained glass windows. After extensive renovations, the former Rednersville United Church and attached church hall now accommodates a family home and Signature Silks Silk Painting Studio.
ACTIVITIES: Belly dancing performances. Try your hand at silk painting.
SILENT AUCTION: Artist-Designed Door by Jeff Keary

2. AMELIASBURGH TOWN HALL
13 Coleman St., Ameliasburgh

The hall was built by Elijah Sprague, c.1874, for $4000 and on land sold by David Coleman. Belden’s Atlas (1878) suggested it was the “finest public hall owned by any municipality in the country…” Of note is the window over the front door, a six-pointed geometric star within a circle.
ACTIVITIES: Tea Room, archival material, slideshow, book sale.
2 PM: Duncan Patterson, Architect will speak on the conservation of poet Al Purdy’s A-Frame cottage in Ameliasburgh.
SILENT AUCTION: Artist-Designed Door by Marion Casson, Painter and Fibre Artist

WHILE YOU’RE IN THIS AREA BE SURE TO VISIT:
Ameliasburgh Museum
517 County Road 19, Ameliasburgh, 613.476.2148 x258
Pioneer village with blacksmith shop, log house, display barns, sap shanty, church gallery and more!

Victoria Schoolhouse
Ameliasburgh Museum Grounds, 517 County Road 19., Ameliasburgh
One room schoolhouse features collections of Quinte Education Museum and Archives.

Marilyn Adams Genealogical Research Centre
528 County Rd. 19, Ameliasburgh
Home of Victoria Cross library – only place in Canada where this historical record is available.

3. THE GRANGE OF PRINCE EDWARD VINEYARDS & ESTATE WINERY

This property was given by Loyalist patent to the Trumpour family in 1805. Its imposing barn (c. 1826) was erected using hand-hewn timbers and lumber produced on-site at Trumpour’s Mill. The barn’s lofts have been lovingly restored, as have the stables and dairy parlor. Its original beams are a highlight.
ACTIVITIES: Special food and wine pairing for Doors Open. Lunch available. Historical barn tours every hour starting at 10am.
SILENT AUCTION: Artist-Designed Door by Jon Hiscock, Owl Farm Studios

4. HOGG & LYTLE “THE OLD FEED MILL”
326 Second Ave., Wellington

Built at the time of the rail line the towering structure housed the Jerome B. Rice operation specializing in seeds for canners, packers and pickle manufacturing. Later it became the Hogg and Little feed mill. Now it is home to Armstrong Glassworks; Conrad Beaubien Studio, as well as a Rotary bottle re-covery program that funds the re-incarnation of the former rail line.
ACTIVITIES: What’s to see? ‘The art of glassblowing’: demonstration – Mark Armstrong; ‘Half empty-half full’: a ‘bottle art’ installation created by local artists.; Works in varied mediums – Conrad Beaubien; Music. Refreshments. No cost – all are welcome!
SILENT AUCTION: Artist-Designed Door by Margaret McFetridge, Bloomin’ Barn Studio

5. DON BAXTER BUILDING, Bloomfield Centre for Creativity
Stanley Street, Bloomfield

The Don Baxter Building was constructed as a cafeteria for cannery workers just after the Second World War. The property has design value as a utilitarian industrial building of the early 20th century. It has been rescued, preserved and repurposed by volunteers as a centre for creativity. The centre is a place of visual, craft, dramatic, literary, music, cinematic, culinary or architectural arts.
ACTIVITIES: Display of various art forms by Village artists.
SILENT AUCTION: Artist-Designed Door by Teresa Westervelt

6. THE MAPLE REST HERITAGE HOUSE
2108 County Road 12, Picton

A Victorian farmhouse built by Daniel Pettet in the late 1870s. By the 1930s it was operated by the Kleinstuber family as a thriving tourist accommodation, given its proximity to the famous Sand dunes. In 1990 it was sold to the Ontario Government to be incorporated into Sandbanks Provincial Park.
ACTIVITIES: 10am & 1pm – Hike of Dunes Trail. House Tour.
SILENT AUCTION: Artist-Designed Door by Janice Gibbins & Sharon Fabro
WHILE YOU’RE IN THIS AREA BE SURE TO VISIT:

The Restaurant on the Knoll at Isaiah Tubbs resort
1642 County Rd.12, Picton, 613-393-2090 / 1-800-724-2393, www.isaiahtubbs.com
Waterfront dining only minutes away from The Sandbanks Provincial Park!

7. THE MILL HOUSE & BARN
75 Cty. Rd. 11, Picton
The Mill House & Barn, former home of several generations descended from Athol pioneers Asa & Elizabeth Werden and site of the Werden Flour and Grist Mill, have undergone a number of transformations since their construction in the mid 1800’s by miller Daniel Daily ~ a good example of one century of renovation ingenuity.
ACTIVITIES: Tours of Mill House and Barn
SILENT AUCTION: Artist-Designed Door by Susan Wallis encaustics and Artist-Designed Door by Michael Amar

8. MT. TABOR COMMUNITY PLAYHOUSE
2179 Cty. Rd. 17, Milford

A Wesleyan Methodist/United Church built through the efforts of Doctor Hautry Bredin, and serving the community for over 100 years, the church has been converted to a theatre by dedicated volunteers. Mount Tabor has become the focal point of community theatre in the County and the home of the Marysburgh Mummers.
ACTIVITIES: Guided tour of the Bell Tower. Display of costumes in Breden Hall and a sneak peek in the costume room of the Marysburgh Mummers local theatre group.
SILENT AUCTION: Artist-Designed Door by Lesley Snyder

9. LAKE ONTARIO MANAGEMENT UNIT (GLENORA FISHERIES STATION)
41 Hatchery Ln., Picton

In the 1860s, this building was a fulling mill where wool cloth was cleaned and thickened. A munitions facility during the First World War, it was sold to the Department of Game and Fisheries in 1922. The station is the main work centre for Lake Ontario fisheries related activities of the Ministry of Natural Resources.
ACTIVITIES: Enjoy a tour of the fisheries. Wood carving exhibit by Dan Cowan.
WHILE YOU’RE IN THIS AREA BE SURE TO VISIT:

Waupoos Estates Winery
3016 County Road 8, Picton, 613.476.8338, www.waupooswinery.com
Oldest winery in Prince Edward County since 1993.

10. MACAULAY HOUSE
35 Church St., Picton,ON,
613.476.2148 x 258, www.countymemorytrail.ca

Reverend Macaulay built Picton’s original St. Mary Magdalene (Anglican) church in 1823-25. His house, next door and now a museum, was constructed c.1830. The Settler’s Dream states “at the time of its construction, it could be argued that no finer house existed in the County…” Its furnishings are c.1850s.
SPECIAL EXHIBIT: Local artists have created sculptural paper lanterns in response to historical objects from the site.
FARM & ARTISAN MARKET: 10am to 4pm
GALLOWS & GRAVEYARD TOUR: 2pm
Silent Auction: Artist-Designed Door by Mile Murtanovski, Small Pond Arts

WHILE YOU’RE IN THIS AREA BE SURE TO VISIT:

Glenwood Cemetery
47 Ferguson St, Picton, 613-476-3511 www.glenwoodcemetery.ca
A designated historical site featuring 62 acres of Victorian splendour.

11. THE JOHN DEMILLE HOUSE
91 Water Road, Demorestville

John Demille, the eldest son of Isaac and Mary Demille, was born in 1795 in Sophiasburg Township. Upon Isaac’s death in 1817, he inherited 200 acres on Water Road and proceeded to build his timber frame house. He chose the then popular post-revolutionary Federal style prevalent in the United States for the main body of the house and later added the appendages parallel to it in true County tradition. The house remains unchanged from John and Sarah (Solmes) time, both inside and out and is a true County icon.
ACTIVITIES: Guided tours throughout the day, Ira Barton Exhibition
SILENT AUCTION: Artist-Designed Door by Chrissy Poitras, Spark Box Studio