52:500c – Week 40 – Grand Old House

Sometimes your life intersects with History without you even knowing it. But you’re probably wondering why I’m saying this while looking at a subject of “Grand Old House.” Week 40 was shot at Oakville’s Erchless Estate, one of the town’s older buildings and the grand home of the town’s founder, Colonel William Chisholm. Chisholm, a United Empire Loyalist, born in New York State and fled with his family during the American Revolutionary War. William would go on to be appointed Colonel of the York Militia during the Anglo-American War of 1812. William would settle in Nelson Township following the war. He would serve in the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada and would initially support William Lyon MacKenzie but his political views would shift and serve under James FitzGibbon in the Battle of Montgomery’s Tavern during the Upper Canada Rebellion of 1837.

The history of Chisholm became so intertwined with the history of Oakville as he purchased lands from the Mississauga Ojibwa tribe and began to lay out plans for the new town. A tavern, gristmill, shipyard, harbor, sawmill, custom’s house, and post office all fell under the control of Chisholm. The jewel in his crown was the Erchless Estate which became the family home, proudly overlooking the Sixteen Mile Creek and the Harbor and Shipyard. He would pass away in 1842. His two son’s continued to serve the town; George would become the first Mayor of Oakville in 1857 and Robert would act as Customs Officer and Postmaster.

You can still see the family in Oakville today, Chisholm Street, King Street (George’s middle name), and Kerr Street (Robert’s middle name). And Erchless is now home to the Oakville Museum. A museum I’ve never actually been to, which I should fix. So how did my life intersect with the Chisholm family? Well, back when I was attending Presbyterian Young People Society Events I got to know a wonderful woman named Lauren Chisholm, who’s family tree leads back to William.

Hasselblad 500c – Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm 1:2.8 – Rollei RPX 25 @ ASA-25
Kodak Xtol (1+1) 8:00 @ 20C
Meter: Pentax Spotmeter V
Editor: Adobe Photoshop CC (2015)