The Goderich Signal-Star, 1972-04-13, Page 134
By W E. Elliott
The, f i rst house in Boderi ch. was a log building,
24 feet by 22, with a kitchen 15 by 15, and it stood
on the Ief tbank of the Maitland, on the flats. That.
to be .
t s •ati thati«known abut it,: or -ave r .141(e
I-iy9
except'the date: The foundation was laid d 'on May
30, 1827, by Mahlon qurnrell, surveyor.
According to one early account, '"When Dr.
nl•. - arrived at eoderichp� in June, 1827, he
• ` .C�'u op .
erected a shack for himself and h i s men near. the
(Indians') , cornfield plantation, to aWait the
„arrival of Galt."
ti
Q
William Dunlop was an army surgeon, Burwel l
a surveyor, and when it is said that either
"built" a house, it means that others built it for
them. The Dunlop.-Burwel I party included John
Brant- and- -Ivor other- Mohawks- and pt r other
white men.. They had just completed a journey
-
through Burwell r t I mot wnsh
through the•butsh from , m , 4to • • p, .,
Iaying:out the route to Goderioh, very largelythe
line of. H i ghways 7 .and °8 today,
'Burwell kept` a diary, and M'28, r` ecorded:
"I surveyed out1/2 an acre in a beautiful situation
on the left bank ofthe.Menesetunq (Maitland): and
;oberic1i
1
the men underbrushed it and cut a •few :house °
Logs:"
May 30: "I I ai d the foundation of the house (22'
is 22') and the kitchen, (15' x 15').
re resentin the C nada gem..1an
had taken the normal route of travel, namely, by
water from Penetag, and did: not arrive until
some weeL s.afterthe land party. When' he. carne,
he brought the name of the future°town.-
Burwell set in;his .y
OnJuly ��,�M.r. u ediary:
"Mr. Ga'Itwhi le here named the' place Coderich,;.
after the estate of Mr., Robinson in England,
whom he says is ,now appointed Secretary of the
Colonies and created Lord oderich.
Lord Goderich.wain factaChancellor of the.
Exchequer, according to most • authorities*
includin Johnston and Johnston, ,au ors of t' ;
History of Perth'Count ton 1967. They add t tai
y�..
r
the' �Galtryand Dunlop. parties' "joined - forces des in
:June; 1827, and celebrated the beginning •of.
settle rnent 'inn"the Huron Tract witty au whiskey
0
h to ab i . r" "• h the
--enlivened,; ev'ejntrig in the 8 Vic... rr.'uv `i'
overland partyhadbuilt as soon as it arrived,"
1 25 YEAV- 15
-APRIL. 13, 1-97.2
THURSDAY, ,
SECOND- SECT -i014`
r•
6•
Arcbitesiure
0
First house was here
ndustry
11.
ucotion,r 1 a
dR,
Modern housin
0