AVON RIVER HERITAGE CENTRE
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58 Avondale Road

The house is on the Church map of 1869, with J.W. Allison listed as the owner. There was at that time a store and post office down the hill from the house on what is now part of the property. (These are pictured in albums of old pictures at the Museum.) I don’t have information as to when the house was built. Maybe around 1860? As others in the neighborhood?

There have been many owners.

In 1882, James Whidden Allison sold it to Fred Curry.

1889-1908: Rufus Curry (trustee for Fred Curry)

1908-1923: George Morris (carpenter!)

1923-1959: The house was owned by Lewis Blackburn, then his widow Abigail, who sold it for $500.00 (so the story goes!) to Major Ward and his wife Vera. Supposedly they kept it for a month, mowed the lawn, then sold it for 1,000.00 to Harold and Nina Boyd.

We've been told that the Boyds had a store in the front room, and that there used to be some great dances in the house in those days. Lewis Benedict told me of courting one of the Blackburn daughters who had gone to the “Boston States” to work, and was home for a visit. When Lewis commented on the beautiful moon, her response was “Yes, but it would be better in Boston!”

In the 1950’s, now married to an American, this same daughter would come home with her husband to visit. Their bedroom was at the top of the stairs, where the bathroom is now. As in many houses in earlier days, the mattress was a straw tick, in in this tick were bed bugs. Needless to say, their sleep was less than restful!

Other owners were Charlie Connors, who remembers the maple tree west of the driveway as being a small sapling when (his sister?) was married beside it.

Next owner was Gary Benedict, who has done some work on the house for me, in recent years. (2000 and on)

Gary Benedict sold to Thomas Livingstone in 1975, who sold to Eric Murphy in 1979, who sold to Jim and Cathy Barrieau in 1981.

In 1989, the present owner, Elizabeth Ferguson bought the property from the Barrieaus, after selling the Cliff Mosher house down the hill to Brian and Susan Kienapple. (That house was built in 1915.)

In its 145 years (plus or minus) the house has seen many changes, many lives lived out. Several members of the Blackburn family have visited on numerous occasions, and are pleased to see how good the house looks today.

When I bought the place in 1989, a neighbor said to my friend Trudy Lake, “I wish Elizabeth wouldn’t buy that house – it needs so much work.”

So it did. And I’ve enjoyed every improvement as I was able to make them; most especially the addition which Kevin Bonang built on the back for me, finishing it just in time for a great house-warming/65th birthday party, to which I invited 65 people.

The sound of music can often be heard coming from the house, as piano lessons are taught, or as I practice for a church service of The Downtown Swing Band! (Quite a combination!)

It is a happy house. Friends love to sit on a cool evening in front of the fire in the Don Pineo-built fireplace – his last, in the new living-room. It was Donnie, or no-one!
 
Information contributed by Elizabeth Ferguson, who owned the property until 2021.
La maison est sur la carte de Church de 1869, avec J.W. Allison listé comme la propriétaire. Il y avait a ces temps un magasin et un bureau de poste en pente de la maison qui est sur la terre qui est maintenant un parti de la propriété.  Je n’ai aucune information à propos de quand la maison était construit. Peut-être environ 1860 comme les autres dans le voisinage? 
 
Il y avait plusieurs propriétaires.
 
En 1882, James Whidden Allison a le vendu à Fred Curry.
 
1889-1908 : Rufus Curry (curateur pour Fred Curry)
 
1908-1923 : George Morris (charpentier!)
 
1923-1959 : La maison était possédé par Lewis Blackburn, puis par son veuve Abigail, qui a le vendu pour 500,00$ (comme l’histoire dit) à Major Ward et son épouse Vera. Soi-disant ils ont gardé pour un mois, a tondu le gazon, puis a le vendu pour 1 000,00$ à Harold et Nina Boyd.
 
On nous étions dit que les Boyds avaient un magasin dans le salon, et qu’il y avait les grandes danses dans la maison ces jours. Lewis Benedict me dit à propos de courtiser un des filles Blackburn qui avait allé aux les « Boston States » pour travailler, et était chez-elle pour visiter. Quand Lewis a commenté sur la belle lune, sa réponse était, « oui, mais il serait mieux en Boston! »  
 
Dans les 1950’s, maintenant marié à une Américaine, cette femme fille serait chez-elle avec sa mari pour visiter. Leur chambre était en haut des escaliers, où la salle de bain est maintenant. Comme beaucoup de maisons des jours plus tôt, le matelas était en paille, et il y avait des punaises des lits. Inutile de rappeler, leur sommeil était moins que reposant!   
 
Les autres propriétaires étaient Charlie Connors, qui se souvient de l’érable à l’ouest de l’allée comme un petit jeune arbre quand (son sœur?) était marié à côté.  
 
La prochaine propriétaire était Gary Benedict, qui a fait du travail sur la maison pour moi en les années récentes. (2000 et plus)
 
Gary Benedict a le vendu à Thomas Livingstone en 1975, qui a vendu à Eric Murphy en 1979, qui a vendu à Cathy Barrieau en 1981.
 
En 1989, la propriétaire actuel, Elizabeth Ferguson a acheté la propriété des Barrieaus, après vendant la maison Cliff Mosher en pente de Brian et Susan Kienapple. (Cette maison était construite en 1915.)  
 
Dans ses 145 ans (plus ou moins) la maison avait vu plusieurs changements, plusieurs vies. Plusieurs membres de la famille Blackburn avait visité en les occasions de nombreux, et était content de voir le bon état de la maison aujourd’hui.   
 
Quand j’ai acheté l’endroit en 1989, un voisin a dit à mon amie Trudy Lake, « je souhaite que Elizabeth n’achèterait cette maison – elle besoin beaucoup de travail. »
 
Et elle a le besoin. Et j’ai aimé chaque amélioration quand je peux les faire; particulièrement l’addition que Keven Bonang a construit sur le dos pour moi, finissant juste à temps pour une grande  pendaison de crémaillère/65eme fête d’anniversaire, que j’ai invité 65 personnes.
 
Le son de musique peut souvent être étendu venir de la maison, car les leçons de piano sont enseignés, ou quand je pratique pour une messe de la Downtown Swing Band!
 
C’est une maison heureuse. Les amis adorent sur un soir frais de s’assoir devant le feu dans la Don Pineo-construit cheminée – son dernier, dans le nouveau salon. C’était Donnie, ou pas de personne!
              


Avon River Heritage Centre, 17 Belmont Road, Avondale/Newport Landing, West Hants, Nova Scotia, B0N 2A0
Email us at [email protected]
Telephone us, May through October, at (902) 757-1718

The Avon River Heritage Society would like to thank the Municipality of West Hants and the Province of Nova Scotia for their generous support.

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