Toronto, and its historic predecessor, York, have played an important role in Canada’s history. You can get insights into those early years visiting the Campbell House Museum.
Indeed, the Campbell House Museum is the oldest remaining house from the original Town of York site.
Linda’s Pick of the Exhibits
My favorite part of the Campbell House was the kitchen area with its large brick fireplace and smaller brick oven. Fireplaces, of course, were an important part of pioneer homes.
The first thing I noticed was the cast iron cookware hung from a hook. Next to it, a long-handled frying pan, that could be held over a fire, hung on another hook.
The fire poker caught my attention next. When I was a kid, all of our cooking was done on a wood-burning stove. So, I remember using a poker — much shorter than this one though — to stir the embers.
Fast Fact: Fireplaces could accommodate much larger pieces of wood than stoves. The largest chunk was called the "back log" and was placed as far back as possible in the fireplace. It was used to keep the fire going for longer periods of time.
Unlike the beautiful wooden table meant for entertaining in the dining room, this kitchen table was simple and had benches around it. You could see that people sat here to visit and talk about the day’s work.
What’s in the Campbell House Museum?
The Campbell House Museum is a two-storey brick house originally built for Upper Canada Chief Justice, Sir William Campbell. It’s one of the few remaining examples of Georgian architecture in Toronto, especially of the Palladian style.
Luckily, the house escaped the wrecking ball in 1972 when its last owners wanted to turn the space where it sat into a parking lot. Instead, it was moved less than a mile to a new location and preserved.
In 1974 it was officially opened as a museum by the Queen Mother.
Today, visitors can explore the whole house and its artifacts.
Unfortunately, the house’s original contents were auctioned off by the estate of Lady Campbell, Sir William’s widow. It has, however, been furnished with pieces typically found in an upper-class nineteenth century home.
Why was Sir William Campbell important in Canadian history?
William Campbell was appointed to the Court of King’s Bench in Upper Canada in 1811. One of the most significant cases he presided over, along with Chief Justice Thomas Scott, was the series of “Bloody Assize” trials. The trials prosecuted those charged with treason during the War of 1812.
And the War of 1812 fought between the British, its colonies (Canada) and the United States? Historians are divided on its causes. Some believe the main causes were US National honor, maritime rights, and British seizure of American ships and cargoes. Others suggest that expanionism was a main cause, with a US objective of acquiring all of the land in North America.
But back to Campbell and his intriguing history! He was born in Scotland into a branch of Clan Diarmid. When the American colonies rebelled, he joined a Highland regiment, the 76th Foot, and went to North America. Captured in 1781, he spent time as a prisoner in Yorktown, Virginia. In 1784, he arrived in Nova Scotia with a group of refugees.
Earlier, he’d studied law briefly, and when an opportunity to continue his studies appeared, Campbell took it. He began practicing as an attorney around 1785.
Campbell House is available for various types of functions including weddings and corporate events.
Linda’s Road Trip Tips
Toronto is Canada’s most visited destination for many reasons. It’s one of Canada’s most diverse cities, being home to almost three million immigrants or nearly half of its population.
When you visit you’ll find that diversity in everything from restaurants to cultural activities to attend.
I visit regularly for both business and pleasure. My favorite three museums include:
If you’re arriving by air, do take a flight into Billy Bishop Airport as it’s just minutes from downtown. Toronto Pearson is the international airport. It’s approximately 30 km to downtown Toronto.
Who Should Visit the Campbell House Museum?
The Campbell House is an important stop for those interested in Canada in the early 1800s. Since it’s a young country, there’s little architecture from this period.
It’s also an interesting stop to contrast the lifestyles of the upper middle class of the era with early settlers. Toronto’s Black Creek Pioneer Village, which recreates 1860s Ontario, is the perfect way to do that.
The house has limited physical accessibility due to preserving its historic nature. It will take an hour or so to visit the museum.
How Do You Visit the Campbell House Museum?
The Campbell House Museum is situated in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, at 160 Queen St. W. and is just a few steps way from the Osgoode Subway Station or 501 and 502 street car route.
Check admissions and hours on the Campbell House Museum website.
Get updates on what’s happening on the Campbell House Museum Facebook page.
Take a virtual walk-around tour of the Campbell House Museum on YouTube.
Plan your visit to the Campbell House Museum with Google Maps.
Discover More Museum Attractions in Ontario
If you’re looking for things to see and do in Ontario, check out all the Ontario museum reviews on guide2museums.com.
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