FIRST GENERATION ROOM
A selection of objects from our collection have been chosen to illustrate the lives of the Loyalists that fled the troubles in the rebel colonies and came to settle Upper Canada.
The gallery showcases valuable personal effects used by Loyalists or their children, that were protected from confiscation and which miraculously survived the voyage together with the crude items made with limited resources in their new wilderness home along the shores of Lake Ontario.
THE CENTENNIAL BEDROOM
Restoration efforts in the spring of 2008 exposed a dull grey wall behind a 1950s kitchen. Upon examination, the drab colour proved to be original and bore the characteristic darkening towards the ceiling of years of gas lighting.
On account of this wall the room was selected to house our furnishings that are period to the house, c. 1870-80. It is designed to reflect the lifestyle of a Middle Class family during the Centennial Year of the Landing of the Loyalists in 1884, when thousands of visitors came to Adolphustown for the celebratory events.
The house was built with every luxury available in the 1870s such as built in closets, a boiler system, gas lighting and most notably a washroom. As a result there is evidence that very few upgrades were done while the Allison’s lived in the house. The photograph below shows an aging Allison with his family sitting before their Queen Anne mansion; however, the fountain behind them has long since fallen into disrepair and is now filled with weeds.
