Brights Grove, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Brights Grove is a bedroom community in Sarnia
, Lambton County, Ontario
, Canada
,
on the shore of Lake Huron
. It is the childhood home of golf pro
Mike Weir
, winner of the 2003 Masters.
. In 1829, Brights Grove was established along the model of Robert Owen
's New Lanark
, Scotland
project by Henry Jones
(1776–1852). The colony was named 'Maxwell' and was a short-lived project. However, it has been argued by Canadian socialist historian Ian McKay that "[t]he builders of the short-lived colony named Maxwell that Jones planted near Sarnia may well have been the first people in North America
to call themselves 'socialists'."
In the 1970s, the Ontario Heritage Foundation erected an historical plaque recognizing the site with the following text:
On Faethorne's death in 1897, the house was sold to Angus Jamieson. In 1921, it was purchased by H.F. Holland who restored it and the grounds. In 1934, it achieved notoriety when John Labatt, of the brewing family, who had rented it for the summer, was kidnapped on his way to London. In 1938, the house was sold once more. Under the name of Wildwood, it began a long career as a summer resort and golf club. By 1978, it was badly in need of repairs when it passed into the hands of Sarnia Township. It was restored to its present condition and started a new life as the Brights Grove library and Gallery in the Grove.
In the late 1940s, Kenwick-on-the-Lake was open air in the round. The venue served as a Saturday Night destination for passengers of the SS Noronic that stopped at Sarnia on its trip around the Great Lakes
from Toronto
. Bands
that performed at the dance hall include Duke Ellington
, Count Basie
, and Lionel Hampton
.
Later years saw rock
acts, such as Alice Cooper
.
The structure was destroyed by fire and is now a basketball
court on the lakefront.
during the spring fishery. Cow Creek and Perch Creek. The Bluewater Anglers in Sarnia stock salmon
, rainbow trout
, and brown trout
into Lake Huron
.
Sarnia, Ontario
Sarnia is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada . It is the largest city on Lake Huron and is located where the upper Great Lakes empty into the St. Clair River....
, Lambton County, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
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...
,
on the shore of Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
. It is the childhood home of golf pro
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
Mike Weir
Mike Weir
Michael Richard Weir, CM, O.Ont is a Canadian professional golfer on the PGA Tour. He spent over 110 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 2001 and 2005. He is best known for winning the Masters in 2003....
, winner of the 2003 Masters.
The Owenite Project
Brights Grove was the site of Canada's first communeCommune (intentional community)
A commune is an intentional community of people living together, sharing common interests, property, possessions, resources, and, in some communes, work and income. In addition to the communal economy, consensus decision-making, non-hierarchical structures and ecological living have become...
. In 1829, Brights Grove was established along the model of Robert Owen
Robert Owen
Robert Owen was a Welsh social reformer and one of the founders of utopian socialism and the cooperative movement.Owen's philosophy was based on three intellectual pillars:...
's New Lanark
New Lanark
New Lanark is a village on the River Clyde, approximately 1.4 miles from Lanark, in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It was founded in 1786 by David Dale, who built cotton mills and housing for the mill workers. Dale built the mills there to take advantage of the water power provided by the river...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
project by Henry Jones
Henry Jones
-Arts:* Henry Jones , poet and dramatist, born Drogheda, Louth* Henry Arthur Jones , English playwright* Henry Festing Jones , author* Henry Jones Thaddeus , Irish painter...
(1776–1852). The colony was named 'Maxwell' and was a short-lived project. However, it has been argued by Canadian socialist historian Ian McKay that "[t]he builders of the short-lived colony named Maxwell that Jones planted near Sarnia may well have been the first people in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
to call themselves 'socialists'."
In the 1970s, the Ontario Heritage Foundation erected an historical plaque recognizing the site with the following text:
In 1829, Henry Jones of Devon, England, a retired purser in the Royal Navy, brought a group of more than 50 emigrants from the United Kingdom to this area where he established a settlement on a 1000 acres (4 km²) tract of land on Lake Huron. An early supporter and dedicated follower of Robert Owen, the well-known British social reformer. [sic] Jones named the settlement "Maxwell" and organized the community on the basis of common ownership and collective living. The settlers built a large log house with community kitchen and dining-room but separate rooms for each family. A school and storehouse were added. Within a few years, however, disappointing harvests and the burning of the log house led the colonists gradually to abandon the enterprise.
Faethorne House
In 1875, Col. Robert F. Faethorne built what is now known as the Faethorne House. Faethorne built the house on the most easterly of the five farms (the "East Range") into which the land grant of Henry Jones, Faethorne's father-in-law, had been divided. Robert Faethorne had married Jones' daughter, Elizabeth, and farmed the East Range. Faethorne was interested in race horses, imported trees to beautify his property and took an active part in the militia. In 1862, he was promoted to full colonel to command the local military district until after the Fenian alarms of 1866 and 1868.On Faethorne's death in 1897, the house was sold to Angus Jamieson. In 1921, it was purchased by H.F. Holland who restored it and the grounds. In 1934, it achieved notoriety when John Labatt, of the brewing family, who had rented it for the summer, was kidnapped on his way to London. In 1938, the house was sold once more. Under the name of Wildwood, it began a long career as a summer resort and golf club. By 1978, it was badly in need of repairs when it passed into the hands of Sarnia Township. It was restored to its present condition and started a new life as the Brights Grove library and Gallery in the Grove.
Big band era
Brights Grove hosted many top performers at the Kenwick dance hall.In the late 1940s, Kenwick-on-the-Lake was open air in the round. The venue served as a Saturday Night destination for passengers of the SS Noronic that stopped at Sarnia on its trip around the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
from Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. Bands
Swing Era
The Swing era was the period of time when big band swing music was the most popular music in the United States. Though the music had been around since the late 1920s and early 1930s, being played by black bands led by such artists as Duke Ellington, Jimmie Lunceford, Benny Moten, Ella Fitzgerald,...
that performed at the dance hall include Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
, Count Basie
Count Basie
William "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Basie led his jazz orchestra almost continuously for nearly 50 years...
, and Lionel Hampton
Lionel Hampton
Lionel Leo Hampton was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, bandleader and actor. Like Red Norvo, he was one of the first jazz vibraphone players. Hampton ranks among the great names in jazz history, having worked with a who's who of jazz musicians, from Benny Goodman and Buddy...
.
Later years saw rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
acts, such as Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
.
The structure was destroyed by fire and is now a basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
court on the lakefront.
Salmon fishery
Brights Grove has two creeks that attract salmonSalmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
during the spring fishery. Cow Creek and Perch Creek. The Bluewater Anglers in Sarnia stock salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
, rainbow trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
, and brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
into Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
.
Famous people
- golf professionalPGA TourThe PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
Mike WeirMike WeirMichael Richard Weir, CM, O.Ont is a Canadian professional golfer on the PGA Tour. He spent over 110 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 2001 and 2005. He is best known for winning the Masters in 2003....
. - Poet Paul VermeerschPaul VermeerschPaul Joseph Vermeersch is a Canadian poet.Born in Mississauga, Ontario, he grew up in Southwestern Ontario and lives in Toronto.His first collection, Burn , was a finalist for the Gerald Lampert Award...
- golf professionalPGA TourThe PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
Matt Hill. - 2010 ISIHF (International Standing Ice Hockey Federation) gold medalist Jarret Dark.