Preserving history in Bristol
Six locations in Northern Carleton community chosen as Local Historic Places
The Province of New Brunswick is rife with places exhibiting historic significance, and the former Village of Bristol is adding to the tradition.
In October 2007 the Carleton County village received funding by Parks Canada through the Historic Places Initiative to participate in the Local Historic Places Program.
Greg Campbell, curator of special collections at L.P. Fisher Public Library in Woodstock, worked as the initiative’s municipal registrar. Using books, newspapers and microfilm, he researched several structures in Bristol.
Campbell said information from a book titled Of Interest to Recall helped with the process. It was written by Marcus Meed, who was born in Bristol in 1901. Work completed by Marcus’s son Miles, who currently lives in the village, was also beneficial.
“Miles has done a lot of research carrying his father’s research farther, and he has an unpublished manuscript that I was able to obtain to sort of use as a basis,” Campbell said.
On Canada Day 2008, the village was amalgamated with Florenceville and became the Town of Florenceville- Bristol.
The town’s tourism co-ordinator Melanie Clark said six buildings were chosen as historic places, not because of their age but for the significance to the community. She said the town is currently working on constructing and installing information plaques at the designated locations and hopes to have them comp l e t e d by the end of August.
“This is a positive way to mark the sites and promote the heritage value in the locations,” she added.
“We want local residents to know the history and the value of these sites in our community, and it will provide information for visitors and tourists coming into the area.
“The funding received was for six locations,” she added. “We are looking at applying for funding to designate other sites in the town.”
The six designated places include the Bristol Shogomoc Railway Site at 9189 Main St.; Marich House/Shamrock Suites at 8 Curtis Rd.; the Michael Welch property/Riverside Park at 8173 Main St.; Dr. Somerville’s Office at 9133 Main St.; Bristol House Hotel at 9129 Main St.; and Meed’s Lane.
The following designation descriptions were provided by Campbell:
Bristol Shogomoc Railway Site
The site includes the former Florenceville Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) Station, approximately 610 metres of track and three early CPR passenger train cars. The area commemorates the railway history in Bristol.
It is a “created” site because the station house and railway cars were not originally located at 9189 Main St.
The station house is designated for its architectural and historical value.
Originally constructed in 1914 as the Florenceville CPR Station, the structure is identical to the Bristol Station, which sat on the site from 1910 to 1971. In 2000, the Shogomoc Rail Club purchased the station and moved it to its present site. It is one of the few remaining examples of the CPR Plan #20 in Canada, and the only example east of Montreal.
The rail cars are included in the designation because they represent early passenger cars. It is believed one of the cars formed part of the Royal Train during King George VI’s Royal Tour of Canada in 1937.
The length of the original track contributes to the overall aesthetic and historic value of the site.
Marich House/Shamrock Suites
Standing on an elevated site at the rear of the village is Shamrock Suites, a late-19th century, two-storey clapboarded residence in the Queen Anne Revival style. It offers a panoramic view of Main Street and the St. John River.
Shamrock Suites is designated a Local Historic Place because of its ties to several prominent local merchant families, including the Phillips, the Marichs and the Findlays. Originally completed in 1895 as the residence of Winifred (A.W.) Phillips, it became known locally as the Marich House and stayed in the Marich family until 2007.
Michael Welch Property/Riverside Park
Riverside Park is situated between Bristol’s Main Street and the St. John River. It consists of a multi-use bandstand, green space, walking trails and a historic icehouse.
The park was chosen for its association with former mill owner and philanthropist Michael Welch (1844-1913). He is said to be the bestknown lumberman in western New Brunswick. Welch’s estate consisted of a large, late-19th century home, several outbuildings, barns and an icehouse. The remaining icehouse was moved to its present location on the property when Riverside Park was created in 2007.
The current site reflects the scope and size of Welch’s estate. Like the original property, the gazebo and park’s central location offer views of the St. John River.
Dr. Somerville’s Office
Dr. Somerville’s Office is a small, wooden, two-storey commercial building from the late-19th century.
It features two large storefront windows with decorative wood elements overlooking Main Street in the central business district of the Village of Bristol.
The office is designated for its association with Dr. Donald (Don) Somerville, who is the son of Dr. George Somerville – a previous resident of the former Bristol Hotel, which is another chosen site.
D r. Don Somer - ville was the villagedentist and operated outofhis office in the upper storey of the building for 50 years – 1925 to 1975.
The structure is considered an excellent example of late - 19 th century commercial Italianate architecture.
The recessed main entrance is a typical characteristic of Main Street stores of that period.
Bristol House Hotel
The Somerville residence is a twoand- a-half storey, late-19th century vernacular Queen Anne Revival residence.
It is designated a Local Historic Place for its history as an integral feature of Bristol’s Main Street.
Built by Matthew Caldwell in 1890, the structure was originally the Bristol Hotel.
In 1904, it was purchased by village doctor George Somerville, who lived there until his death in 1936. The building was then passed on to his son Donald, the village dentist.
Meed’s Lane
The lane is a dog-legged cul-de-sac located off Main Street. It overlooks the St. John River and is in close proximity to Riverside Park and the Bristol Shogomoc Railway Site. The historic place consists of a combination of late-19th century and mid-20th century buildings.
Meed’s Lane was chosen for its association with the Meed family, who have been active in Bristol industry and politics since 1884. Meed’s Machine Shop and Foundry were built on the lane in 1941 to produce materials for a federal war contract.
The Foundry is still in operation today and is considered an integral part of the historic place. The residence at 7 Meed’s Lane was built before 1890 and is one of the oldest homes in the village.
Bristol’s historic sites will be available for view during village tours.
The local historic places will be listed on the New Brunswick Register of Historic Places (www.historicplaces.gnb.ca) and the Canadian Register of Historic Places (www.historicplaces.ca).
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