www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
The Voice of Pelham, March 29, 2017
Page 7
The history of the oldest building in Fonthill BY CAROLYN BOTARI
Special to the VOICE
H
IDDEN BEHIN D the unassuming building located at 1 Canboro Road (directly west of the present day Keith’s Restaurant) is the oldest building in Fonthill. Early records show that by 1830 Jacob Osman (Osborne) had built and was operating a tavern and inn to service traffic along Canboro. Farmers from Fort Erie and Hamilton would often overnight at the inn while waiting for their grains to be grist at the mills down in St. Johns. The inn also proved to be a convenient resting stop, providing food and lodgings for travellers and horses from Niagara Falls and Hamilton. In 1836 Osman was granted a licence for a tavern, although the inn would continue to serve as more than a drinking place for the settlement that soon grew up around it. Public meetings were held here, and as the local innkeeper was a person of some status, the community was soon named Osborne’s Corners for Mr. Osman. By the mid-1840s the name Fonthill was officially chosen for the growing community. Over the next few years, the inn/hotel changed hands several times. It was first sold to Thomas Canby, who then sold it to Thomas Smith. Smith made a very good living running the Fonthill Hotel until January 1874, when the Dunkin Act, prohibiting the sale of alcohol, came into effect and Smith was forced to close the hotel. Fonthill was without a
The village has everything to be desired, fresh air, scenery, unsurpassed sunset
hotel until 1885 when Mr. H. P. Savigny refitted the building into a temperance hotel where food and lodgings were available, but not “strong drink.” The new building boasted a clean white clapboard exterior with a two-storied covered veranda running the full length of the building. As the main road through town was still Canborough Road (now Church Hill), there was also ample land in front of the hotel for the village bandshell. The hotel had various owners in the early 1900s including Mr. and Mrs. Ben Gould, who were reportedly
to have used the grand piano in the front living quarters of the building to store liquor. During this time H. C. Brown also ran a livery stable from this location. By the 1920s the hotel had closed. It wasn’t until 1923, when H. Russell and Company of Owen Sound arrived, when the “Fonthill Inn” was reopened to much fanfare. At the opening night celebration, George Pettit of Welland spoke of Fonthill, stating, “The village has everything to be desired, fresh air, scenery, unsurpassed sunset…” And taking it altogether he thought
PELHAM
Pieces From Our Past
Fonthill was the Garden of Eden. Mr. Pettit also asked those present not to encourage industries to come to the village, just to keep it for cosy little homes. Unfortunately success for the Fonthill Inn was shortlived. After closing, the building was then rented out for apartments and offices. It was in the 1930s that the Highway 20 bypass was constructed, the road which is now used through Fonthill; the green space
Richard
Brown SALES REPRESENTATIVE
Beginner Class starts Thursday, April 6 7:30 - 9:00PM Fonthill United Church, 42 Church Hill 905-935-7583
taoist.org/niagara
Improve your health, find balance & reduce stress ® ™ Trademarks of Certmark Holdings Co. Ltd., used under license by Fung Loy Kok Institute of Taoism, Registered Charity# 11893 4371 RR0001
LAMPMAN FUNERAL HOME Our family serving your family since 1911
905-892-4701 724 Canboro Rd., Fenwick
www.lampmanfuneralhome.com
rbrown@royallepage.ca • www.homesniagara.com
1815 Merrittville Hwy, Unit 1, Fonthill, Ontario
“Selling Throughout Niagara”
See OLDEST Page 15
You only buy one monument, make sure it will last forever. Summer Special $1549 Taxes and Cemetery fees extra
Taoist Tai Chi® arts
Office: 905-892-0222
Cell: 905-651-5143
Niagara's local monument craftsmen, craft f smen, serving fa ft ffamilies milies like yours since 1929. Talk of alk to us first, or visit one o our indoor showrooms.
100% Canadian Made Exclusive Retailer
Welland 1051 Niagara St. North 905 732-6752
www.kirkpatrickstoneworks.com Dunnville ~ Fonthill ~ Fort Erie ~ Niagara Falls ~ Simcoe ~ St. Catharines ~ Welland
Cremation and Burial Services