Description du lieu patrimonial
The François Baby House is a two-storey, brick, Georgian Revival style structure located on the north side of Pitt Street, between Ferry and Chatham Streets, in downtown Windsor. The house is now home to Windsor's Community Museum.
It is recognized locally for its heritage value by the City of Windsor By-law 6659. It is also recognized by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada as a National Historic Site (1950).
The François Baby House had a role in the opening of the War of 1812. It also played a part in the Upper Canada Rebellion of 1838, and its location represents the earliest urbanization on the south side of the Detroit River.
The original François Baby House was built by François Baby, who was a magistrate of the Court of Quarter Sessions (from 1788), a member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada (from 1792), and a member of one of Windsor's founding and most influential families. In the spring of 1812, Baby began constructing the house, but was interrupted in July when his property was commandeered by General Hull, for use as a headquarters for the Americans, during the invasion of Upper Canada. This was during the opening of the War of 1812. It was later used by Major General Isaac Brock, as a British base, for an artillery bombardment that ultimately led to the surrender of Detroit.
Also historically significant is the François Baby House's involvement during the Upper Canada Rebellions of 1837-38. In December 1838, Patriots—Canadian rebels and their American sympathizers—fought local militia in the orchard behind the Baby house; this is known as the Battle of Windsor.
Since its construction in 1812, the François Baby House has undergone a number of structural modifications and repairs, and as a result, much of the original structure has been lost. All that remains at the present time is its rubble foundation, the back of the fireplace in the basement, two end walls, a majority of the north wall, and the supporting wooden timber under the north entrance.
The structure that stands today (facing south) is the result of major restorations and alterations undertaken according to the designs of the architectural firm of Sheppard and Masson, in 1948. It is a two-storey, symmetrical, Georgian Revival style home with a lateral gable roof clad in cedar shingles, which features partial English Bond brick, and a central hall plan. It is important to note that the front facade originally faced north toward the river.
At the time of its construction, the François Baby House was located in what was known as the Western District of Upper Canada. The Baby property was the focus of the hamlet that evolved into the present City of Windsor. After Baby re-occupied the house at the return of peace in 1815, he began to develop his waterfront property. He operated a ferry service from his river frontage. The site of the house and its association with the waterfront continue to represent development of the Canadian shore opposite Detroit in the 1700s and early 1800s.
Sources: Building Analysis Form, March 1997; François Baby House National Historic Site of Canada Commemorative Integrity Statement, April 24, 2002; Alan Douglas, Mansion to Museum: The François Baby House and its Times; Occasional Paper No. 5. Essex County Historical Society, 1989.
Key character defining elements that reflect the 1812 heritage value of the François Baby House include the:
- rubble stone foundation
- back of the fireplace in the basement
- two end walls
- north wall
- wooden timber supports under the north entrance
Key character defining elements that reflect the 1948 heritage value include its:
- two-storey structure
- symmetrical design
- cedar shingles
- lateral gable roof
- English bond brick (partial)
- twelve over twelve sash windows
- central hall plan
Nyumba ya mtoto ya François ni jengo la ghorofa mbili, la matofali, la mtindo wa Uamsho wa Kijojiajia, lililoko upande wa kaskazini wa Pitt Street, kati ya Barabara za Ferry na Chatham, katikati mwa jiji la Windsor. Nyumba hiyo sasa ni makao ya Makumbusho ya Jumuiya ya Windsor. Mji wa Windsor ni jina la mji wa Windsor kwa ajili ya Urithi wa Urithi wa Urithi wa Urithi wa Urithi wa Urithi wa Urithi wa Urithi wa Urithi wa Urithi wa Urithi wa Urithi wa Urithi wa Urithi wa Urithi wa Urithi wa Urithi wa Urithi wa Urithi wa Urithi wa Urithi wa Urithi wa Urithi wa Urithi wa Urithi wa Urithi. Pia ni kutambuliwa na Historic Sites na Monuments Bodi ya Canada kama National Historic Site (1950). Nyumba ya Watoto ya François ilikuwa na jukumu katika ufunguzi wa Vita vya 1812. Jiji hilo pia lilishiriki katika uasi wa Upper Canada wa 1838, na eneo lake linawakilisha mijini ya mapema zaidi upande wa kusini wa Mto Detroit. Nyumba ya kwanza ya mtoto ilijengwa na François Baby, ambaye alikuwa jaji wa Mahakama ya Sessions ya Quarter (kuanzia 1788), mwanachama wa Bunge la Upper Canada (kuanzia 1792), na mwanachama wa moja ya familia za kuanzisha na wenye ushawishi zaidi wa Windsor. Katika majira ya kuchipua ya 1812, Baby alianza kujenga nyumba, lakini ilikatizwa Julai wakati mali yake ilipochukuliwa na Jenerali Hull, kwa matumizi kama makao makuu kwa Wamarekani wakati wa uvamizi wa Upper Canada. Hii ilikuwa wakati wa mwanzo wa Vita vya 1812. Baadaye ilitumiwa na Meja Jenerali Isaac Brock, kama msingi wa Uingereza, kwa ajili ya shambulio la makombora ambalo hatimaye lilisababisha kujisalimisha kwa Detroit. Kwa mfano, katika kipindi cha miaka ya 1837, familia ya François Baby House ilishiriki katika mapinduzi ya Upper Canada. "Mwaka 1838 wapiganaji wa ""Patriots"" walipigana na wanamgambo wa Marekani katika bustani ya matunda nyuma ya nyumba ya mtoto, na vita hivyo vikaitwa ""Vita vya Windsor.""" Tangu ujenzi wake mnamo 1812, nyumba ya mtoto ya François imepitia marekebisho kadhaa ya muundo na ukarabati, na kama matokeo, sehemu kubwa ya muundo wa awali umepotea. Sasa imebaki tu msingi wake wa mabaki, sehemu ya nyuma ya moto katika chumba cha chini ya ardhi, kuta mbili za mwisho, sehemu kubwa ya ukuta wa kaskazini, na mbao za kuunga mkono chini ya mlango wa kaskazini. Jengo la leo (linaloelekea kusini) ni matokeo ya ukarabati mkubwa na mabadiliko yaliyofanywa kulingana na miundo ya kampuni ya usanifu wa Sheppard na Masson, mnamo 1948. Ni nyumba ya ghorofa mbili, symmetrical, Georgian Revival style na upande gable paa clad katika shingles mwerezi, ambayo makala sehemu Kiingereza Bond matofali, na mpango wa ukumbi wa kati. Ni muhimu kutambua kwamba sehemu ya mbele ya jengo hilo mwanzoni ilikabili upande wa kaskazini kuelekea mto. Wakati wa ujenzi wake, Nyumba ya Mtoto ya François ilikuwa katika eneo lililoitwa Wilaya ya Magharibi ya Kanada ya Juu. Mali ya Baby ilikuwa lengo la kijiji ambacho kilibadilika kuwa Jiji la sasa la Windsor. Baada ya Baby kuichukua tena nyumba hiyo wakati amani iliporudi mnamo 1815, alianza kuendeleza mali yake ya pwani. Aliendesha huduma ya feri kutoka kando ya mto wake. Eneo la nyumba na ushirika wake na pwani inaendelea kuwakilisha maendeleo ya pwani ya Canada kinyume na Detroit katika miaka ya 1700 na mapema 1800. "Mapokeo ya utafiti wa ""Mwanzo wa Ujenzi wa Nyumba ya Mtoto wa François"" (Massive Building Analysis Form, Machi 1997) na ""Mwanzo wa Nyumba ya Mtoto wa François"" (Mansion to Museum: The François Baby House and Its Times, Aprili 2002) ni muhimu sana." 5. Uwe na mtazamo mzuri. Shirika la Kihistoria la Kaunti ya Essex "Mambo muhimu ya kufafanua tabia ambayo yanaonyesha thamani ya urithi wa 1812 François Baby House ni pamoja na: - msingi wa mawe ya mawe - nyuma ya fireplace katika chumba cha chini - kuta mbili za mwisho - ukuta wa kaskazini - misingi ya mbao ya kuni chini ya mlango wa kaskazini - mambo muhimu ya kufafanua tabia ambayo yanaonyesha thamani ya urithi wa 1948 ni pamoja na: - muundo wa ghorofa mbili - muundo wa usawa - shingles ya mwerehe - paa ya upande - matofali ya Kiingereza (sehemu) - kumi na mbili juu ya kumi na mbili ya madirisha ya sash"