Fulford Place
Encyclopedia
Fulford Place is the turn-of-the-century mansion home of Senator George Taylor Fulford
, a Canadian businessman and politician. The home is now a historic house museum reflecting Edwardian period decorations, and is operated by the Ontario Heritage Trust
. It was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1992.
on the shore of the St. Lawrence River where several other beautiful estates were located, many of which were owned by other successful businesspeople. In 1898, Fulford commissioned their estate to be built on the King’s Highway, on the eastern edge of Brockville. Architect A.W. Fuller from Albany, New York
, designed Fulford Place and it was elaborately decorated in the Beaux-Arts style. It was finished in 1901, and had 35 rooms making up 20 000 square feet. Since Fulford was an important figure in both the political world and the business scene, entertaining was one of Fulford Place’s primary functions. The house thus contains a grand hall, a dining room to seat over fifty guests, a spacious verandah
, and a rococo
-style drawing room for the ladies and a Moorish smoking room adjacent to a billiard room for the gentlemen.
Notably, the grounds at Fulford Place were designed by the Olmsted Brothers
, and the recently restored formal Italianate garden is a rare and important example of a privately-owned Olmsted-designed garden.
The property was reduced to three of its original 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) when George Taylor Fulford II was forced to section off prime lots of real estate to sell in order to afford the maintenance of the house. He remained proprietor of Fulford Place until his death, when he bequeathed it to the Ontario Heritage Foundation (now Ontario Heritage Trust
). All of its original contents were later donated by his widow and his son, George Taylor Fulford III.
The Museum is affiliated with: CMA
, CHIN
, and Virtual Museum of Canada
.
George Taylor Fulford
George Taylor Fulford was a Canadian businessman and politician.- Life and Family :Born in Brockville, Upper Canada , to a family of United Empire Loyalist stock, he was the youngest son of Hiram Fulford and Martha Harris.In 1880, Fulford married Mary Wilder White , a socialite from Wisconsin, and...
, a Canadian businessman and politician. The home is now a historic house museum reflecting Edwardian period decorations, and is operated by the Ontario Heritage Trust
Ontario Heritage Trust
The Ontario Heritage Trust is a non-profit agency of the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Culture, responsible for protecting, preserving and promoting the built, natural and cultural heritage of Canada's most populous province. It was initially known as the Archaeological and Historic Sites Board...
. It was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1992.
History
The Fulfords had a mansion built for them in Brockville, OntarioBrockville, Ontario
Brockville is a city in Eastern Ontario, Canada, in the Thousand Islands region. Though it serves as the seat of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, Brockville is politically independent and is grouped with Leeds and Grenville for census purposes only.Known as the "City of the 1000...
on the shore of the St. Lawrence River where several other beautiful estates were located, many of which were owned by other successful businesspeople. In 1898, Fulford commissioned their estate to be built on the King’s Highway, on the eastern edge of Brockville. Architect A.W. Fuller from Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, designed Fulford Place and it was elaborately decorated in the Beaux-Arts style. It was finished in 1901, and had 35 rooms making up 20 000 square feet. Since Fulford was an important figure in both the political world and the business scene, entertaining was one of Fulford Place’s primary functions. The house thus contains a grand hall, a dining room to seat over fifty guests, a spacious verandah
Verandah
A veranda or verandah is a roofed opened gallery or porch. It is also described as an open pillared gallery, generally roofed, built around a central structure...
, and a rococo
Rococo
Rococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...
-style drawing room for the ladies and a Moorish smoking room adjacent to a billiard room for the gentlemen.
Notably, the grounds at Fulford Place were designed by the Olmsted Brothers
Olmsted Brothers
The Olmsted Brothers company was an influential landscape design firm in the United States, formed in 1898 by stepbrothers John Charles Olmsted and Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. .-History:...
, and the recently restored formal Italianate garden is a rare and important example of a privately-owned Olmsted-designed garden.
Ontario Heritage Trust
The Ontario Heritage Trust is a non-profit agency of the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Culture, responsible for protecting, preserving and promoting the built, natural and cultural heritage of Canada's most populous province. It was initially known as the Archaeological and Historic Sites Board...
). All of its original contents were later donated by his widow and his son, George Taylor Fulford III.
Museum
The Trust did extensive restoration on the house, and opened it to the public as a historic house museum in 1993. It has been interpreted to how it looked in the Edwardian era; this was done relatively accurately because of the existence of early photographs of rooms (taken for insurance purposes) and a collection of original artefacts (not reproductions). The opulent and lavishly furnished mansion has been designated a National Historic Site of Canada, and is a major tourist attraction in the Brockville area.The Museum is affiliated with: CMA
Canadian Museums Association
The Canadian Museums Association is a national organization for the promotion of museums in Canada.The Canadian Museums Association is the national organization for the advancement of the Canadian museum sector, representing Canadian museum professionals both within Canada and internationally. The...
, CHIN
Canadian Heritage Information Network
The Canadian Heritage Information Network is a Canadian government-supported organization that provides a networked interface to Canada's heritage, largely through the World Wide Web. It aims to give access to Canada's heritage for both Canadians and a worldwide audience, by supporting the...
, and Virtual Museum of Canada
Virtual Museum of Canada
The Virtual Museum of Canada is Canada's national virtual museum. With a directory of over 3,000 Canadian heritage institutions and a database of over 600 virtual exhibits, the VMC brings together Canada's museums regardless of size or geographical location.The VMC includes virtual exhibits,...
.
External links
- Fulford Place - official museum site
- Ontario Heritage Foundation historical plaque