Touring the Cobblestone Capital of Canada
Explore cobblestone architecture and homes in Paris, Ontario in the County of Brant
Paris is a small community located in the County of Brant, where the Nith River empties into the Grand River. The town started gaining presence when large quantities of gypsum rock were found in the area. Mining gypsum began in the year 1822, and soon after in 1850, plots of land were laid out to create the town of Paris, by Hiram Capron. Recognizing that Paris, France, also had large gypsum mines, the town was named after it in hopes to prosper the same way.
With the increased interest in Paris, new residents should be cognizant of the rich cultural and architectural heritage of the town to help preserve and prevent degradation of these historical landmarks. Explore the map below to see the population concentration of the town.
Population Density Map, 2016 Census Data
When Paris was first being established, stones had been taken from the river and glaciers and were used to make buildings. The use of cobblestones embedded in mortar was used to create craft homes. By using cobblestones the size of a fist, mortar is laid, and then cobbles are horizontally placed create the building. It is estimated that 14,000 cobblestones were required to build a traditional home.
While visually appealing, the craft of building with cobblestones is very labour-intensive and cost-ineffective, therefore it is rarely undertaken. Besides three other buildings in Canada, Paris holds all the cobblestone architectural buildings in Canada. Introduced by New York architect Levi Boughton, who created the first cobblestone building in Paris, almost all of the eleven homes and two churches can be traced back to his teachings. Six of the thirteen locations in Paris are examined in depth below. Through field mapping these locations using the Field Map iOS application, there was an average geographic positional accuracy of 4.5 meters throughout all six points, with an average horizontal accuracy of 4.6 meters and vertical accuracy of 3.2 meters.
Explore six of the Cobblestone buildings below
Select the points to view an overview of the building and scroll below to read an in-depth description of the locations.
Cobblestone Buildings in Paris
St. James Anglican Church
Located at 8 Burwell Street and built in 1839, this church was Levi Boughton's first commission after the founder of Paris donated land for its construction. Featuring Gothic Revival architecture, it draws upon medieval styles, with stones collected from a nearby bank embedded in the mortar. As the oldest standing church in Paris and the oldest cobblestone church in Canada, it holds significant historical importance.
Levi Boughton House
In 1852, Levi Boughton built himself a home with help from his 18-year-old son, Levi Jr. Located on 19 Queen Street in Paris, he resided in this house for 30 years with his family. The architecture displays an 1850-cottage design being a symmetric design with a low roof and a grand doorway. Levi Boughton passed in 1895 and was buried in the Paris Cemetery with a plaque that lists his contributions in architecture to the town.
Garden Wall - Wolverton Home
Located on 52 Grand River Street in Paris, the decorative piece of cobblestone was built by Asa Wolverton, an industrialist in Paris. Wolverton created a cobblestone garden wall for their home, which was part of the underground railroad. The historic building is now served as bed and breakfast.
Ouse Lodge
Rev. William Morse commissioned Levi Boughton to build him a cobblestone home. Located on 2 Arnold Street in Paris, Morse named the Ouse Lodge after the river in England. The home soon after became a manse to the church and is currently a wellness center in Paris.
Sowden House
Located on 7 Burwell Street in Paris, Dr. Samuel Sowden resided here with his wife and three children. The home was built in 1845, for the first pharmacist in Paris for a combination of a living and business facility. The unique architecture of the home includes having rounded corners, and no external walls with a door that is found at the center of the property.
Bosworth House
Located on 22 Church Street in Paris, this home was built by the Reverend Newton Bosworth. The intricate two cobblestone walls are front and center of this property. The porch at the front of the house was added in 1870 and renovated in 2012. The home remained under the church’s care housing ministers and reverends in the years to come. In 1870, Reverend Thomas Henderson and with his Scottish connections to the Bell family, he successfully arranged for the Bell family, including their son, Alexander Graham Bell, to come and stay with him. Reverend Henderson was instrumental in the Bell family purchasing what is now the Bell Homestead.
The Cobblestone Capital Tour
Enjoy a local guided experience, as we take to the roads in the County of Brant. On this three-hour tour, you will learn of the historical connection to the structures made of stones and mortar. The intricate cobblestone technique used to build eleven homes and two churches put Paris, Ontario on the map as 'The Cobblestone Capital of Canada'.
Visit www.brant.ca/Tours for more information.
