Last week several dignitaries were on had at the reopening ceremony of the Bellevue House in Kingston.
The site, which saw a renewal of the building, exhibits and programming, will once again welcome visitors to explore the site which tells broader, more inclusive stories about Canada’s first Prime Minister Sir John A MacDonald.
The new experience invites visitors to explore Macdonald’s role in forming the Dominion of Canada, along with his actions as Prime Minister and understand the lasting legacies of the Victorian system that existed in Canada and in Kingston, from the 1840s through the Confederation.
Through self-guided tours and special events and programming, visitors are encouraged to engage with stories, that reflect the lives lived in the 1800s, including those of Indigenous, racialized, working class and upper class individuals.
On hand for the opening ceremony on May 18th, were the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, Mark Gerretsen, Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands, along with Rodrick Daniel Maracle, Chief of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte.
- In 2024, Bellevue House is open to the public Thursday through Monday from May 18 to June 30; open 7 days a week from July 1 to Sept 2; and open Thursday through Monday from September 3 to October 14.
- The structural restoration of Bellevue House included the installation of a completely new roof, updating all electrical systems and wiring, repairs to the original plaster ceilings, restoration of the floors, and a refresh of all the walls, panelling, and mouldings.
- This is the first time since 1967 that exhibits and programming in the house have undergone a complete review and revitalization.
- Sir John A. Macdonald lived at Bellevue House in 1848-49, when he was at the beginning of his political career as the member for Kingston in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada.
- The historic Bellevue House is an outstanding Canadian example of Italianate architecture in the Picturesque style, situated in an early suburb of Kingston.
- As part of the Framework for History and Commemoration: National Historic Sites System Plan 2019, Parks Canada is reviewing existing designations and their plaque texts. The HSMBC recognizes that historical interpretations of the past are constantly evolving and that it needs to be attentive and responsive to these shifts.
(By: Tim Baltz)
