Historical Walking Tours

The extensive Canadian Pacific Railroad yards and repair shops dominated the North Bay waterfront for better than three quarters of a century.

CPR steel reached what was to become North Bay in 1882 and it soon became evident that this particular site would become a crucial juncture point between east and west, especially after the Grand Trunk line from Toronto arrived in 1889. North Bay became the Canadian Pacific District Divisional headquarters in 1901, and maintained that status until 1959, when CPR moved their General Office and staff to Toronto.

Being a District HQ led to a considerable expansion of the CPR footprint with the building of the current station (now the site of the North Bay Area Museum, Discovery North Bay) in 1903. All told CPR stations here have been rebuilt twice, and expanded twice more. The present iteration was the centerpiece of the yard, with a convergence of municipal roads in front and the railyards on the lake side.

Railyard construction continued for the next decade, and when all was completed, the complex contained a spectacular stone roundhouse (designed to match the station itself), as well as a turntable, an 18 stall engine house, freight and flour sheds, carpenters and car repairers shops, as well as ice houses, a yard office, railway stores and the engineer booking office. There was also a vast locomotive shop, where extensive repairs to the steam engines could be undertaken which couldn’t be handled in the roundhouse. Extensive stockyards were located at the far eastern edge of the site.

At its peak, the yard would hold 2000 railroad cars, contained nearly 25 miles of trackage and extended two miles east and west of the station itself. Through the 1940’s, four transcontinental trains a day came through, as well as various locals and steam freights.

There was a frame building to the west of the current station – the railroad depot in its day – which was turned into a restaurant and an express office. The current parking lot to the west was once a grassy park, with well tended flower gardens, and elm and maple trees for shade. The Prince of Wales once took tea with his subjects on that lawn.

The development of the diesel engine, among other things, spelt the beginning of the end for the sprawling repair yards. The two storey wooden ice houses were knocked down in the early 1980’s; the express sheds were demolished in 1986 and the turntable and maintenance shops were taken down two years later. Various citizens’ groups expressed dismay at the extermination of much history and tradition, to no avail. It’s all gone now, save for the magnificent station itself, and the pictures and memories of when the CPR yards were the cause and the centre of activity for the city of North Bay. There is still a working railyard on the property, but much diminished from the glory days of steam.

Scottish-born John Ferguson (1861-1946), a nephew of Canadian Pacific Railroad vice-president Duncan Mclntyre, arrived here with CPR steel in 1882. Credited with being a key founder of North Bay, Ferguson, whose vocation was described as “real estate, builder and capitalist”, purchased 288 acres of land for a dollar an acre and his lot #20 was the first cleared for a town site. He became a postmaster, reeve, member of the Board of Trade, council member, magistrate and was four-term mayor starting in 1919. Contemporaries described Ferguson as “a hustler, an animated steam engine in trousers.”

John Ferguson had two large buildings constructed at this site which was his flagship property, located as it was close to the railroad station, and both suffered the same fate – destruction by fire.

In the mid 1880’s, the first large edifice featured twin towers; it burned to the ground in December 1904 with the town books and various public records being consumed in the blaze. Tenants at the time included the Torrance & Parks Grocery, coal and wood dealers McCluskey & Lindsay, Judge H.D. Leask and ironically Ferguson’s own real estate office. With very little delay, Ferguson had another building constructed on the same site (corner of Main and Oak). This was of a flatiron design which had significant precedents in larger cities during this era. The upper stories of the three-storey building had a rusticated brick exterior with regularly spaced arched upper windows using coloured voussoirs to emphasize the classic design. The lower floor was a commercial space with larger storefront windows along the sidewalks. The building was crowned with a prominent cornice supported by brackets in an Italianate style. This burned to the ground in February 1964 as a result of “an explosion in the boiler room.”

Tenants in 1964 included Canadian National Telecommunications, and the popular A & B Record Bar along with over 25 offices and apartments.

The monetary loss was significant for the time and the owner, J.H. Prisco, decided not to rebuild. The property served as a parking lot until the mid-1980s when it was sold to the city and the present parkette was created.

The Royal Theatre, under various names and owners, was one of North Bay’s most important cultural and entertainment venues for close to forty years. Built in 1908 for $50,000 to a design by H.W. Angus, the Royal Theatre, also called the North Bay Opera House and the New Royal Theatre, was in business off and on until 1951 when the theatre was closed and the building was purchased from Famous Players by businessman C.B. Sibbitt, who ran an electrical supply and radio repair shop in the same building. Architect Angus’ plans for the locally funded opera house resulted in a “nearly perfect playhouse” with a 70-foot wide stage, large enough to accommodate the largest of local or travelling companies of performers. On the outside, the Royal Theatre had a lit overhang and marquee at its central entrance. To this day, the form of the fly tower remains at the rear, offering a glimpse of the building’s history. Angus and his associate L.O. Clarke not only supervised the design and construction of the building, they also had a hand in booking plays and other entertainment.

The Royal Theatre opened September 7, 1908 with a performance by the “Three Little Maids” Company. Over the following decade it hosted live-theatre and musical entertainment provided by professional and amateur companies. The Dumbells played here and Gilbert & Sullivan operettas were always well received. In the teens and twenties, silent motion pictures held sway until the advent of “talkies”.

During the 1925 Old Home Week celebrations, the Royal played a prominent role with a special Minstrel Show and a showing of the Paramount Picture “Old Home Week”, specially ordered for the occasion.

Closed for a while in the early 1930’s, The Royal was purchased by Famous Players in 1936, remodeled and renovated and the 800-seat theatre reopened in August 1937 under the direction of the Hansen Theatre Corporation. Over the years the theatre hosted various political rallies and served as the venue for numerous dramatic and musical presentations and civic events. In 1941 it hosted a “Patriotic Concert” featuring the T & NO Band with proceeds going to the Cigarette Fund for North Bay soldiers serving overseas. During and after WWII, the Air Defence Filter Centre worked out of the building, training civilian volunteers as members of Canada’s Air Defence team.

Many large and small businesses have been tenants of 269 Main Street West over the years, including Imperial Oil, the Hudson’s Bay Company, Crown Timber Agency, Angus & Taylor Contractors and Cherry Plumbing (a tenant for some thirty years.) C & C Properties (Gordon and Judy Cardwell) purchased the property in 1988, restored the original brickwork, installed a new roof and modernized the interior.

The North Bay courtroom and lock-up was erected in 1888 by the provincial government headed by long-time Premier Oliver Mowat. It was traditional yet impressive when built and survived a century with dignity and style.

Thomas Murray, MLA for Renfrew North, was instrumental in bringing the project to fruition. At the time, Nipissing lacked representation in the Ontario Legislature so ratepayers from surveyed townships voted in Renfrew North until 1890, when Nipissing elected its own member for the first time. Murray himself sold the government the property on which the courtroom and lockup were to be constructed and he recommended interior design that chief architect Kivas Tully incorporated in the structure. The smaller Nipissing Registry Office building shared the same site.

The courthouse was a two-storey brick building classically ordered with segmented arched windows on the main floor and larger semi-circular windows on the upper floor. The building was entered through a central tower on the front facade, which was designated by a masonry arched entrance, a larger semi-circular window and an open pediment supported by brick pilasters. The brick pilasters continued in regular segments around the building, capped with decorative wooden braces supporting the hip roof eaves.

When the court offices opened for business William Doran, Nipissing’s stipendiary magistrate and land registrar moved to North Bay from Pembroke.

The selection of North Bay as Nipissing’s district town in 1895 was the most significant event in the town’s history. Following that election, the courtroom became the Nipissing Court House and the lockup the Nipissing District jail.

Nipissing was a vast unsettled geographical region that stretched for over 200 miles along the CPR line as far as Algoma Mills on the Soo line and northward to the shores of James Bay. That extensive land mass was eventually split to form the districts of Sudbury, Temiskaming and Cochrane.

The trial courtroom proved to be a valuable local asset beyond strictly legal matters - it developed into a meeting place for political, community and Bar Association functions, featuring leading public and legal personalities. The inaugural meeting of the North Bay town council took place in the courtroom in 1891. In 1896, the jail added more cells and jailor accommodation and in 1909 the addition of a connecting building on Bye Street provided a small library and chambers for two district court judges.

The District jail was moved to a new facility on Trout Lake Road in 1930 and in 1938, the main jail cells were removed and replaced by court and government offices. As time went on, the small courthouse was deemed dysfunctional; with only one courtroom it was incapable of serving a growing district. For years grand juries asked for remedial work to be done on the building or that a new courthouse be built, and in 1989 an imposing contemporary Court House and Registry Office building replaced the 100 year old heritage structure that was later demolished (1990).

The Court House was a landmark with a rich history that left an enduring legacy for the administration of justice and the public life of North Bay and Nipissing District.

The construction of the Town Hall represented a defining moment in North Bay’s early development. Until it was built, most municipal affairs were carried out at the Cormack block, located beside the current pedestrian laneway on Main Street East.

In 1902, local architect H.W. Angus was chosen to design the edifice, which was built a year later at the southwest corner of Ferguson and McIntyre Streets. The main entrance of the building faced the Methodist Church, now known as Trinity United Church. The Old Town Hall was designed with classical architectural elements that elevated its importance among the growing community. The hall was elevated upon a rusticated brick base, its entrance marked by a covered portico below a large Palladian window that dominated its facade. The gable roof resembled an open pediment, and held a large cupola in the centre of the building. North Bay’s town hall would house the municipal offices, council chambers, the police department and the fire brigade. The construction of the Town Hall would solve a dilemma; for more than 10 years the town had struggled to provide a permanent home for both the policing needs of the growing village, and the North Bay fire brigade.

The brigade’s livestock stables were located behind the Town Hall. In 1932, the fire brigade moved to the McIntyre side of the Town Hall. Wide barn style doors opening onto McIntyre Street allowed for timely dispatch. The entrance to the police headquarters was located at the south corner of the building and a small cellblock was located in the basement.

The Town Hall served as North Bay’s civic headquarters for seventy-five years. Many important decisions were ratified at this site, including the amalgamation of the previously distinct municipalities of West Ferris and Widdifield to the City of North Bay in 1968.

In 1978, no longer able to handle the growing demands of municipal affairs, the aging building was demolished. The vacant property was used briefly as a municipal park and the current Thomson building was constructed in 1988.

The steeple of this white limestone church acts as a virtual beacon in the municipal landscape, making the Pro-Cathedral one of the most recognized buildings in the city. Because of the height of the projecting tower, and the open space of the church interior, buttressing of the walls was needed for structural stability.

The Pro-Cathedral of the Assumption was designed by Harry Angus of Thompson and Angus Architects. This project is one of many that Angus contributed to the early architectural heritage of this City.

The cornerstone of the church was laid on June 19, 1904. The foundation is North Bay granite and the existing superstructure is built of white limestone quarried in Longford which was transported to North Bay via the CPR. In 1911, the rectory (located on McIntyre Street West) was built, respectfully using the same material and architectural forms as those of the church, thus blending the two structures into one form. This addition became known as “The Bishop’s Palace”.

Further, the Cathedral occupies a dominant site fronting on the diagonal intersection of McIntyre Street and Algonquin Avenue, which achieves a generous open spatial relationship in proper scale with the height of the tower.

This substantial and well-preserved private home is located in an older, prestigious residential neighbourhood, directly across the street from the former North Bay Collegiate Institute and Vocational School (now Ecole Secondaire Catholique Algonquin).

The house was originally constructed in 1910-11 by Charles Coleman, of Coleman and Prest, local coal dealers. Mrs. Coleman was a daughter of William Milne Sr. and brother to Colonel William Milne, all of the Milne Lumber Company.

Not of a classical historic style, it is rich in detail, typified by the diamond shaped upper panes of the restored windows. Further, admirable forms and finishes are continuous on all four facades, thereby increasing the buildings’ quality from all angles.

A generous rear porch is an integral component of this design affording both visual and physical access to the beautiful landscaped gardens of this property.

This home has a refreshing youthful character, despite its nearly century old vintage.

Internally, upgrading of the facilities and sensitive modifications of the spaces have been carried out with resulting enhancement of the quality and character of the original residence.

It is well deserving of continued good maintenance and conservation which it has received in its lengthy lifetime.

This well-preserved residence was constructed in 1909 for a local merchant and is one of the oldest residences in the city. The house was owned by the Canadian National Railway at one time when it served as the residence for several area superintendents. Many of the original exterior and interior features (light fixtures, windows and woodwork) of the residence have been preserved. The structure is of brick construction with a white stone foundation.

While some improvements and upgrades have been made, the heritage value and unique character of this building have been carefully guarded. In addition, the owners have added greatly to the quality of this residence through creative landscaping in both front and rear yards.

A welcome element of this design is the southern side elevation, where the symmetry of ground floor bay, second floor windows and third floor dormer, together with continuity in use of materials, add three-dimensional value to this form.

The massive brick piers of the front porch are appropriately related to the main body of the house which is a full two and a half stories plus part basement in height. A wrap-around porch, with gabled bay over the steps, leads to the main entry in an L-shaped wing, set back from the front wall. Altogether, this residence contributes an aura of strong respectability that would be welcome in any stable community of older single family homes.

Characteristic of early 20th century Edwardian architecture, this house, built in 1911, with twin gables, two storey bay, hip roof with front and centre dormer, and subtle modifications of the otherwise symmetrical design, creates interest without loss of balance. Originally, a porch protruded on the eastern side, together with a wrap-around westerly extension of the front porch, both of which were embellished with handsome wood balustrades at ground and second floor levels.

Historic residence of the late Senator Gordon, who sat from 1912 to 1942 as North Bay’s only Senator, the home is located within one of the oldest and prestigious residential areas in North Bay. Considered to be a treasured architectural landmark, the home was designed by the resident North Bay architect, Harry W. Angus.

Constructed in 1902, this is one of the oldest houses still existing in North Bay. It was originally occupied by Crown Prosecutor A.G. Browning and his family. Set on a large corner lot at Murray Street, among mature trees, this building achieves significant status in a community of houses that are of similar quality.

A long low white stone wall with gate opening marks the property line fronting on McIntyre Street, accompanied by a handsome black wrought iron fence on Murray Street. The stone foundation of the red brick residence matches the street wall, thereby establishing a successful marriage of building and site.

A strong symmetry of the main façade was originally developed in a 3 bay roofed front porch at ground floor level leading to the main entry, above which is a second floor bay window whose structure extends through the main roof eave to form a unique mini-balcony centered on a third floor windowed gable. This symmetry is offset by a three storey gabled wing on one side, and the wrap-around porch terminating at a corner bay on the Murray Street side.

In the well landscaped rear garden, a pentagonal roofed wood porch originally projected alone into the centre of that then elegant open space.

Continuing good maintenance should extend the full century of city-wide esteem this residence has enjoyed, and help to ensure its conservation and preservation.

The Angus home is clearly making its own statement, as compared to the typical Edwardian style that was being incorporated in most of the other heritage residential properties seen in North Bay. Clay tile was first used and then stuccoed over when the house was constructed, during the period of WWI, i.e. 1913-1920. The large square massing of the home is enhanced by the building materials and light stucco colour. The strong sense of shelter is most appropriate in this regional geography and climate.

Modeling of the home has been extended from the front to the other elevations in a three-dimensional form that makes a strong sculptural declaration in this design.

The private residence was designed by the local architect Harry W. Angus as his personal home. Set along Main Street West, three more homes similar in design and materials are located nearby, offering a sense of community to the area. It is believed that Angus built these other homes for his children. Upon the sudden death of Angus in 1929, his wife had the home renovated into apartments, successfully retaining its single family identity. A fire in 2009 damaged a second floor apartment.

This home has a mutually flattering character shared with several other houses in the neighbourhood. The key design features include the original double square columns with a small relieving arch in the centre and the high pitched gable roof. It was constructed in 1913-1920.

This, and its immediate neighbouring house, were designed by H. Angus Architect, for members of his family. Together with his house located at 839 Main Street West, these three buildings exhibit a sibling relationship that reflects the kinship of their original owners. Their unique style is shared in the use of ceramic tiles and a stucco exterior that covers all sides of the home. This similarity is a major strength in fulfillment of the design where form and materials remain consistent on all sides of the building. The upper floors and dormers were later covered with cedar shakes and then recovered in the 1940s with asbestos shingles.

It was the childhood home of Ontario’s 22nd Premier, Michael D. Harris.

This house was constructed in 1907. The two storey front porch is very substantial in form and is adorned with Ionic columns, all unique to North Bay. It has a hipped roof with wave-formed dormer windows. The visual weight of the second floor porch roof and the proportionally related columns allow the first and second floor railings to appear light and frothy by comparison. A strong symmetry is centred on the two-storey wood porch between matched masonry bays. The fanned steps of the main entry are very generous in scale, and thus appropriately related to the proportions of the entire front façade. The front entrance is the sole element of this composition that is off centre, thereby underlining the total obedience of all other components to the discipline of the symmetry about the vertical axis of the street elevation.

This house is located in an older residential area that is deserving of consideration as a heritage district.

A well preserved home of majestic stature, it was once the original residence of a local merchant, Mr. Beamish. Mr. Jack Shaw, former North Bay Mayor, also resided here and Mr. Arthur Cavanaugh, the manager of the ONR, lived in this residence from 1940-1950.

The eventual origin of the CNR Station began when the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway (T & NO) extended their line from North Bay to New Liskeard, thus serving the forestry, mining and agricultural resources of the northeastern area of the province. This was completed in 1905. In 1911 the Grand Trunk Railway (GT) extended from Callander to North Bay with running rights negotiated over the T & NO all the way to Cochrane.

Several new lines by then had expressed their intention to establish continental lines in competition with the CPR. Among these was the Canadian Northern System (CNo) which decided in 1914 to erect the existing station on their line through North Bay, then serving the CNo, GT, and the T&NO. With the ultimate extension of the T&NO to Moosonee, this completed the crossroads of North-South and East-West rail services from “coast to coast to coast”, geographically centred in North Bay.

George Briggs, CNo eastern architect, designed the structure which still stands on its original site. The building is of Richardsonian style using key stoned round-headed arches over windows and doors with a slightly bell-hipped low roof line. The westerly façade featured a triangular pediment carrying the CNo logo, and an adjacent large portico offered protection from the elements to passengers arriving and departing by automobile. Separate entrances access male and female waiting rooms as was the practice of the day. Construction is of red brick on a concrete foundation finished in a simulated stone pattern, with a pedestrian tunnel linking Second and Third Avenues for the convenience of residents on the trackside of the station to access the downtown area of the city. In 1920, the federal government decreed that all government owned lines, except the T&NO, were to be incorporated in one line, thereby creating the Canadian National Railway (CNR), when thereafter the North Bay building became the CNR Station. In 1946, the provincially owned T&NO became the Ontario Northland Railway, then also being serviced by this building through a shunt on the CN Line from “the diamond” at the crossing of the two lines southeast of the city.

Via Rail assumed control of the building in 1986. Shortly thereafter, in 1990, the federal government cancelled all passenger services through North Bay, except for the ONR. In 1994, the ONR built the relocated new rail and bus terminal on Station Road. Since then, the original station has been unused, and subject to vandalism resulting in significant damage to the structure.

A local community group acquired the surrounding lands from the CNR in 1998. In 2003, this group also bought the station from the CNR. Meanwhile, the city designated the property as a heritage site, with the accompanying requirement that the building be restored to its original form. Restoration has been undertaken, which when completed, will ensure the preservation and conservation of this commendable component of the City’s worthy inheritance. The station stands at the easterly end of Fraser Street establishing a commanding view of the structure from the downtown area. Appropriately, restoration will maintain the station’s status as a monument celebrating the history of North Bay as truly the “Gateway of the North”.

Originally named the North Bay Normal School, this institution opened in 1909 with an enrolment of 25 students. A.C. Casselman was the first principal, presiding in this post until 1930. In 1953 the name was changed to the Teachers’ College. The graduates of this school have served on boards of this and many other regions of the province.

This was one of nine identical structures built at the same time by the Government of Ontario in regional centres throughout the province. This design is exemplary of the architectural influence of the Edwardian style. The observatory-like dome, the elaborate cornices and the formal entrance are three main characteristics of each of the sibling buildings.

In the 1990s, the Ministry of Correctional Services surrounded the old structure on three sides with a new building and associated elements of very dramatic contrast to the historic style of the original freestanding building. Some relief to this engulfment occurs through the reflection of the original façade in the glass of the southerly facing wall of the northwest wing of the new building.

There is a very commodious atrium, reached immediately on entering through the main lobby, which provides skylight to the space separating the new structure from the exposed former exterior walls of the original building. Pedestrian bridges through the space provide access to all floors from new to old office accommodations.

This former movie theatre was constructed in 1928 by Hugo Gomoll, a building materials supplier from Powassan, who provided brick and lumber manufactured locally for the main structure. A three level stacked dressing room and fly gallery, which can be seen at the rear of the building on McIntyre Street, immediately identify this structure as a theatre. The perfect symmetry of the Main Street façade is typical of the period in which this was built, reflecting an influence carried forward from centuries prior.

North Bay’s original Famous Players and Vaudeville Theatre, now the Capitol Centre, has acted as the venue for many of the City’s cultural and entertainment events. Restored and renovated in 1986, the theatre has since been the auditorium for numerous attractions including the North Bay Symphony, local and visiting music and dance productions, Broadway-style theatrical performances, films, and civic presentations. The W.K.P. Kennedy Gallery, accessed from the front foyer, has earned a credible reputation for showcasing a variety of exhibitions by local and touring artists.

The restoration handsomely retains the classical components of the Main Street exterior, the main lobby and the theatre itself on the interior, which consists of ground floor orchestra and supplemental second floor balcony seating. The gracious foyer linking the Main Street entry and the rear parking access, provides generous display space for notable local artists and photographers to complement the gallery, which houses exhibitions of artwork, photography and sculpture, plus traditional and contemporary displays of local arts and crafts.

At the front of the building, a second floor “Galaxy Room” provides space for receptions and teas, used in conjunction with presentations in the theatre, and available for private functions. This area accommodates the exhibition of works of art held in the permanent collection of the centre.

Overall, this facility truly acts as a centre for the arts in the City of North Bay.

Derived from the Edwardian Style, the hipped roof, the projected entry, side gables, and the boxed cornice at the eaves are unified by the symmetrical design of all facades and the classical entrance, which incorporates rounded pilasters supporting a protruding arch over the front door. The white limestone of the exterior walls was quarried in Kingston, Ontario, relating this structure to others in the city, such as the Pro-Cathedral.

Constructed in 1908, the original Temiscaming and Northern Ontario Railway building symbolized the economic importance of the T & N.O. within the community of North Bay and the emergence of the railway in northern Ontario. Today, the building stands as a reminder of the integral role that the railway had in establishing North Bay as a major transportation centre. It is particularly noteworthy that this building’s historic integrity has been so well maintained and preserved for almost a full century.

An addition at the southeast end was constructed in 1921, and subsequently removed in 1987. Restitution of that elevation was then sensitively achieved in a manner compatible with the original structure, without disrupting the integrity of the original, meritorious design. Subsequently, the ONR constructed new office headquarters nearby, when this building was converted to a telecommunications centre.

The original St. Joseph’s Mother House, constructed in 1938, had many commendable features, including well detailed buttresses incorporated in the exterior red brick masonry, and a hint of gothic form in the triangular arches of some windows coupled with an indented façade headed by curved arches, all at the third floor level near the main entry. These subtle components of the otherwise simple concept achieved a sedate dignity most appropriate to the regional centre of this religious order of devout sisters.

Over time there have been many changes to this structure in the form of several additions overlapping the main building. These have occurred in response to the demands for expansion to accommodate the needs of a growing surrounding community, and to adjust to changing policies of usage and occupancy.

As well as being the headquarters of the Sisters of St. Joseph, Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie, accommodation for a residential Catholic girls’ secondary school was provided. Eventually, the girls’ school was relocated to form a component of the St. Joseph-Scollard Hall Catholic Secondary School at the site of the former boys’ school.

Meanwhile, the Mother House has continued to house a resident population of accredited sisters together with accommodations for the education of prospective members of this order. More recently, as their numbers have grown, accommodation is provided for retired members.

Built in 1914 by William Milne of the Wm. Milne & Sons Lumber Company, this striking residence sprawls two generous lots. Framed by a classic white picket fence that was redone to reflect the style of the times of the house’s erection, original maples – now corded for strength – are also found skirting the property. Several North Bay dignitaries have called this residence their home. Prior to the construction of the home, former mayor John Bourke owned the land; the Milne’s, past forestry magnates of the north bought it and built the existing home and garage; the Saunders family, Mr. Saunders being the head design engineer for the ONR, also kept the residence from the mid-1940’s until the early 1970’s. Since the Saunders’ occupancy, several doctors have purchased the home consecutively.

At one time, this home was the social centre of the neighbourhood. During the first two decades after the house’s construction, there were tennis courts on the side lots. Lawn games were also said to be a popular pastime on holidays and weekends at the home. Adults and children would gather on the expansive front lawn and have races and other outdoor games.

This home is a classic piece of North Bay architecture. The medium sloped hip roof has a larger front dormer centred over the large bay window on the second storey. On the left and right sides of the house, there are simple triangle shaped dormers. The even spacing of the rectangular sash windows around the first and second storeys lends a rhythm to the outside of the home. One of the most admirable features of this home is the wraparound veranda that allows for an outdoor living room space during the summer months and protects the home against the elements by offering shade from the sun against the home’s exterior walls as well as shelter from the heavy snowfalls of our Northern winters. The interior has been immaculately restored and maintained, preserving the wood ‘themes’ found throughout the different rooms of the home. Woods include bird’s eye maple, mission oak, cedar, pine and maple – reflective of the Milne Lumber Company’s once prosperous stature in the forestry industry. The antiquity of the home is evident in the plants – most of which are original – including orange blossoms, lilacs and honeysuckle.

The world was amazed by the birth of the Dionne Quintuplets on May 28, 1934, in Corbeil, Ontario. Born to Oliva and Elzire Dionne, the event made daily headlines worldwide. It was a one in 57 million chance of giving birth to identical quintuplets and even less chance of them surviving, but the Dionne Quints did.

The Quints attracted 3 million visitors to North Bay and area during the peak of the Great Depression. A whole new Quintland industry sprang up and provided employment for thousands. The area surrounding the Dionne home, and the newly constructed Dafoe nursery, became known as Quintland. Quintland was home to many hawkers, vendors and souvenir stands. The highlight for visitors was the Observation Playground. Constructed in 1936, this allowed visitors to view the Quints twice a day as they played in the playground, and was free to the visitors.

Today, the Dionne Quints Museum is housed in the original Dionne Homestead, and chronicles the story of the Quints from their birth to the present using artifacts, pictures and memorabilia. The museum takes visitors back in time to marvel at this miraculous event. Located at the intersections of highways 11 & 17 and Seymour Street, the museum is open from mid-May to mid-October. Call 1-888-249-8998 for more information, or check out our website at www.northbaychamber.com.

Edwardian in style, the twelve room school consists of a simple facade with subtle classical detail outlined in the temple frontispiece entrance. The front of the school is enhanced by the white parapet cornice and wide entablature.

Designed by local architect Harry W. Angus, the McPhail Street School was named after the prominent Dr. Carruthers, who was the second physician to arrive in North Bay, and who served as Mayor of the City in 1895.

The school was officially closed in June 2002.

Basic Description: The Sons of Jacob Synagogue is found at 302 McIntyre Street West, at the intersection of McIntyre Street and Cassells Street in North Bay, Ontario. The Sons of Jacob Synagogue has been a place of worship for the Jewish community in North Bay since 1925. Built in the year 1906 or 1907 the committee’s research has indicated that the building has operated as a furniture store, a grocery store, a wallpaper store and a second hand store before being established as a Synagogue (Appendix A).