Castle Kilbride
| Castle Kilbride | |
|---|---|
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 Interactive map of Castle Kilbride | |
| Location | Baden, Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada |
| History | |
| Built | 1877 |
| Original use | Residence of James Livingston |
| Site notes | |
| Elevation | 354 metres (1,161 ft) |
| Website | Historic Castle Kilbride |
| Designated | March 1994 |
Castle Kilbride is the former residence of James Livingston, a Canadian member of parliament and owner of flax and linseed oil mills, and is located in Baden, Ontario, Canada. It was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1994.[1][2]
It was built in 1877 and named after Livingston's birthplace East Kilbride in Scotland. The house has interior decorative murals in the style of the Italian Renaissance. The trompe-l'œil technique used in the murals gives the illusion of three dimensions. An Italianate villa, it was a tribute to the reputation of its owner as the so-called 'Flax and Oil King of Canada'.
History
[edit]The original owner of Castle Kilbride was James Livingston, who was born in East Kilbride, Scotland.[3] Livingston moved to Canada from Scotland around the age of 16.[4] Arriving to Canada impoverished, he migrated to Baden, and began working with his older brother John in flax farming and linseed oil production. The Livingston brothers created the 'J&J Livingston Linseed Oil Company', and by 1881, they had more than 3000 acres that were being used for flax farming, and owned a highly profitable operation. In tribute to his success in business, Livingston built Castle Kilbride in 1877, which was also the year Livingston was elected Reeve of the Township of Wilmot.
Every year after Livingston's retirement there was a picnic held for all of the company employees along with their families. Upon the death of Livingston, their son, John Peter, his wife Laura, and their daughter Laura Louise moved into Castle Kilbride. The Livingston oil company began to decline at the invention of latex paint.
Castle Kilbride was sold to the Township of Wilmot in 1993.[3]
Building
[edit]The construction of Castle Kilbride took about one year to complete, finishing in 1878. It was constructed by a local man, David Gingerich. The home consisted of three main storeys and contained over 10,000 square feet of residential space. The only major addition occurred in 1920, when a summer kitchen was added.
Typical of its style, Castle Kilbride includes several fanciful features. The front lawn, for example, is heart-shaped, in tribute to Livingston’s wife Louise.[5]
In 1988, the family sold the home’s belongings at auction before leaving it to sit empty for several years. In 1993, it was purchased by the Township of Wilmot, which undertook its restoration. In order to encourage preservation efforts, and in recognition of its interior decoration, Castle Kilbride was declared a National Historic Site in 1995.[3]
Today, Castle Kilbride serves as an event venue and museum, displaying original furniture and household items as well as contemporary artifacts.[6] In 2016 the grounds adjacent to the castle became home to the Prime Ministers Path, a series of bronze statues of Canadian prime ministers that invites visitors to explore the history of the country since Confederation.[7] Castle Kilbride also plays host to guided ghost walks.[8]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ Castle Kilbride[permanent dead link], Directory of Designations of National Historic Significance of Canada
- ↑ Castle Kilbride. Canadian Register of Historic Places.
- 1 2 3 "Canadian Castles Part 3: Castle Kilbride". History to the People. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ "Castle Kilbride Baden- Restoration". Waterloo Regional Heritage Foundation. Archived from the original on 2 March 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
- ↑ "Livingston Dreams: A historic bridal fashion show at Castle Kilbride" (PDF). Castle Kilbride. Retrieved 29 September 2012.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ "Castle Kilbride". Virtual Museum Canada. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ "Prime Ministers Path". www.wilmot.ca. 8 November 2019. Archived from the original on 25 June 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
- ↑ "Castle Kilbride: Events and Exhibits". www.wilmot.ca. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
Bibliography
[edit]- Brown, Ron (2005). Top 100 Unusual Things to See in Ontario. Erin, ON: Boston Mills Press. pp. 196–197. ISBN 978-1-55046-475-7. OCLC 154683557.
External links
[edit]43°24′15″N 80°40′17″W / 43.40417°N 80.67139°W
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