Bellevue House
Encyclopedia
Bellevue House National Historic Site of Canada was the home to Canada
's first Prime Minister
Sir John Alexander Macdonald from 1848 to 1849. The house is located in a residential neighbourhood bordering the Queen's University
student housing area in Kingston, Ontario
.
who profited greatly from the prosperous decade of the 1830s. Bellevue House, located at 35 Centre St. between Union and King streets in Kingston, Ontario
, is one of the first and finest examples of Italianate villa architecture in Canada. Sir John A. Macdonald moved into the house with his wife Isabella Clark and their son John Alexander in 1848.
manufactured in London, England in about 1820 and two oil paintings whose subjects are unknown. The first floor of the house also contains the formal dining room
and a room that is currently interpreted as Isabella's bedroom (though this would likely have been a morning room for other families living at Bellevue in the 19th Century).
Moving down toward the cellar, one can see the large, bright and airy kitchen. The basement contains both a storage area (used for the storage of fruits, vegetables, and preserves) and a laundry room. On the top floor of the house, several rooms are interpreted. These include a guest room, maid's bedroom, nursery, study, dressing room and master bedroom. On the observation floor of the central tower of Bellevue, characteristic of the Italianate style, one finds a picturesque view of Lake Ontario.
As a young lawyer and politician, as well as a prominent citizen of Kingston in this time period, Sir John would have been absent dealing with his political affairs quite frequently from Bellevue, something that very likely upset his wife. Despite her frail condition, she is said to have kept a watchful eye on the servants and the day-to-day affairs of the house.
While entertaining was indeed expected of prominent lawyers and politicians like Macdonald in the 19th century, Isabella's frail condition prevented her from fulfilling this part of her responsibility as a politician's wife. For this reason, the drawing room and the back parlour would have remained silent for most of the time while the Macdonald family stayed at Bellevue House. The only guest, in fact, that is known to have stayed at Bellevue House between 1848 and 1849 while the Macdonalds lived at the villa was Lt. Col. John Clark, an officer in the British military who was Isabella's brother and a trusted member of the family.
Given the expenses associated with renting Bellevue and the fact that Isabella continued to suffer from chronic illness, the Macdonald family moved from Bellevue House in 1849 to another house in Kingston.
. It is the only national park system unit commemorating Macdonald as first Prime Minister
, and is one of the main attractions in Kingston. The house and grounds are open daily from April 1st to October 31st, 10am until 5pm to the general public. However, group reservations are available year-round. Admission lets visitors watch an informational video, browse artifacts and experience interpretative techniques meant to bring alive what life was like for the Macdonalds as a middle-class family in Kingston in the 1840s.
The Visitor Centre, located on the site of what was the old coach house beside Bellevue at 35 Centre St., welcomes visitors with an introductory multilingual video, a display area filled with artifacts related to Sir John A., and a gift shop. Visitors are welcome to look around, take a photo with a life-size Sir John, and then continue to the historic house where guided and self-guided tours are available from interpreters dressed as gentlemen and maids from the 1840s.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's first Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Sir John Alexander Macdonald from 1848 to 1849. The house is located in a residential neighbourhood bordering the Queen's University
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
student housing area in Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
.
Introduction
Bellevue House was constructed around 1840 by Charles Hales, a wealthy Kingston merchantMerchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
who profited greatly from the prosperous decade of the 1830s. Bellevue House, located at 35 Centre St. between Union and King streets in Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
, is one of the first and finest examples of Italianate villa architecture in Canada. Sir John A. Macdonald moved into the house with his wife Isabella Clark and their son John Alexander in 1848.
Layout
Bellevue House in Kingston is notable for the non-symmetrical Italianate style of its architecture. The house has three main floors, but is further divided by seven separate levels. The first floor is notable for the very large drawing room, containing a parlour pianoPiano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
manufactured in London, England in about 1820 and two oil paintings whose subjects are unknown. The first floor of the house also contains the formal dining room
Dining room
A dining room is a room for consuming food. In modern times it is usually adjacent to the kitchen for convenience in serving, although in medieval times it was often on an entirely different floor level...
and a room that is currently interpreted as Isabella's bedroom (though this would likely have been a morning room for other families living at Bellevue in the 19th Century).
Moving down toward the cellar, one can see the large, bright and airy kitchen. The basement contains both a storage area (used for the storage of fruits, vegetables, and preserves) and a laundry room. On the top floor of the house, several rooms are interpreted. These include a guest room, maid's bedroom, nursery, study, dressing room and master bedroom. On the observation floor of the central tower of Bellevue, characteristic of the Italianate style, one finds a picturesque view of Lake Ontario.
History
Much of what is known about the stay of Sir John A. Macdonald and his family at Bellevue has been gleaned from both general historical knowledge of the 19th century in Kingston and from five letters that Macdonald himself wrote while living at Bellevue. The Macdonalds rented Bellevue, a grand house that was beyond their middle-class means, in the sincere hope that the fresh air of what were then the outer suburbs of Kingston would assist in Isabella's recovery. Unfortunately, the experiment was largely a failure, and Isabella did not recover from her chronic malady. In addition to this burden, tragedy further struck the young family when their first-born son, John Alexander Jr., died in the house a month after his first birthday.As a young lawyer and politician, as well as a prominent citizen of Kingston in this time period, Sir John would have been absent dealing with his political affairs quite frequently from Bellevue, something that very likely upset his wife. Despite her frail condition, she is said to have kept a watchful eye on the servants and the day-to-day affairs of the house.
While entertaining was indeed expected of prominent lawyers and politicians like Macdonald in the 19th century, Isabella's frail condition prevented her from fulfilling this part of her responsibility as a politician's wife. For this reason, the drawing room and the back parlour would have remained silent for most of the time while the Macdonald family stayed at Bellevue House. The only guest, in fact, that is known to have stayed at Bellevue House between 1848 and 1849 while the Macdonalds lived at the villa was Lt. Col. John Clark, an officer in the British military who was Isabella's brother and a trusted member of the family.
Given the expenses associated with renting Bellevue and the fact that Isabella continued to suffer from chronic illness, the Macdonald family moved from Bellevue House in 1849 to another house in Kingston.
Today
Bellevue House is a National Historic Site of Canada owned and operated by Parks CanadaParks Canada
Parks Canada , also known as the Parks Canada Agency , is an agency of the Government of Canada mandated to protect and present nationally significant natural and cultural heritage, and foster public understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment in ways that ensure their ecological and commemorative...
. It is the only national park system unit commemorating Macdonald as first Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
, and is one of the main attractions in Kingston. The house and grounds are open daily from April 1st to October 31st, 10am until 5pm to the general public. However, group reservations are available year-round. Admission lets visitors watch an informational video, browse artifacts and experience interpretative techniques meant to bring alive what life was like for the Macdonalds as a middle-class family in Kingston in the 1840s.
The Visitor Centre, located on the site of what was the old coach house beside Bellevue at 35 Centre St., welcomes visitors with an introductory multilingual video, a display area filled with artifacts related to Sir John A., and a gift shop. Visitors are welcome to look around, take a photo with a life-size Sir John, and then continue to the historic house where guided and self-guided tours are available from interpreters dressed as gentlemen and maids from the 1840s.