One of the earliest buildings in the Village, this house is a survivor of the many single-roomed log homes built by the loyalists along the riverfront


One of the earliest buildings in the Village, this house is a survivor of the many single-roomed log homes built by the loyalists along the riverfront. It is exceptionally large for a single unit house and was later partitioned. It was built by Thomas Ross, of Scottish descent, who was given the land close to the present Ontario-Quebec border, and settled between the French on one side and the Palatine Germans from New York State on the other. Today the house, restored as a one-room dwelling, serves as an interpretive piece displaying domestic crafts like quilting and needlework. In the early days of the community, nothing was ever wasted or thrown away. As clothing and blankets wore out, pioneer women saved every scrap of cloth to use as either linings or tops for quilted comforters. Patterns were designed and passed on from mother to daughter. Settlers would often hold a quilting bee, where women from neighbouring farms would gather to help each other, and gossip and exchange news while working. Scraps of cloth were also saved for rugmaking. Cloth was cut into strips, and everything was stitched together. These long strips were then used to either weave or hook rugs. Quilts and rugs added warmth and colour to the house, especially in winter. Aside from the main house, the rest of the Ross Farm property represents a small farm whose main income is created by running a wood yard producing and selling split and corded stove wood for the local residents. A horse-powered drag saw cuts the logs into bolts that are then split by hand. The frame barn shelters horses and some outbuildings house poultry and swine.


Size: 4928px × 3280px
Location: Upper Canada Village, Morrisburg, Ontario, Canada
Photo credit: © Eric Galton / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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