Local author, Robin Hilborn, introduced their newest publication, Hilborn's Guide to Old Southampton, to residents and visitors at a launch event August 3 at the Southampton Art School.

Hub Staff

A compilation of Southampton's historic structures was celebrated at an official launch event for local author, Robin Hilborn's latest book, Hilborn's Guide to Old Southampton.

The event was hosted by the Southampton Cultural Heritage Conservancy (SCHC) and took place at the Southampton Art School August 3. Hilborn's book features 170 homes and buildings and including photographs and historical information for each.

Hilborn is a director of the Bruce County Historical Society and volunteers at the Bruce County Archives where they sourced information for their new book. Research carried out by Hilborn for previous works, Southampton Vignettes (2010), Heart of the Great Lakes (2015), and The Bruce (2018), also helped to populate the origins of each Southampton address listed in the guidebook.

The aptly chosen location for the event, 20 Albert Street, set the stage for the introduction of Hilborn’s latest work. Michael Hills, a member of the Southampton Arts Society, delivered a detailed account of the property that was once a private library and Mechanic’s Institute owned by James Howe. It later became the Southampton Public Library and eventually transformed to the Southampton School of Fine Arts.

Sheila Latham, Director of SCHC, welcomed the honoured guest and facilitated a question and answer session between Hilborn audience members. The author explained how previously created lists from John B. Weichel, the Heritage Register and the 115 plaqued homes in Southampton were used to compose the 170 addresses featured in his Guide to Old Southampton. Hilborn photographed each of the houses featured.

“I set out on my bicycle every day over a period of two weeks I suppose,” recounted Hilborn. “I’d do maybe a dozen, couple dozen a day.”

It was during this expedition that Hilborn discovered not all of these 170 homes remained standing. “From 1990 to today, at least 16 buildings have disappeared," Hilborn said.

The most devastating of these, Hilborn described, was his visit to 65 Water Street. The second-oldest building in Southampton, built in 1853, had been demolished and rebuilt less than a year ago.

“That really shocked me,” admitted Hilborn. “There was no public outcry that I know of, no one knew that this very old and famous tavern and hotel, which is what it was, had been demolished."

A shared concern throughout the event was the lack of protection for the discussed properties. “The sad truth is that the owner can do what he likes to his house,” noted Hilborn.

“The 115 houses with plaques, those plaques don’t protect the house, they just show that the owner is proud of their house and its history,” stated Hilborn. “If they sell the house, the new owner may not care in the least what the history was and just decide to knock it down and put up a much newer, bigger modern house."

Hilborn also mentioned a heritage register with the Town of Saugeen Shores that aims to recognize properties of historical value and addressed a question to Saugeen Shores Councillor Cheryl Grace as to what protection is offered to homes on the list.

“If you’re on the heritage list, it means that there’s a 60-day waiting period as opposed to a 10-day waiting period for demolition,” reported Grace with audience members describing situations where contractors advised homeowners to rebuild when in fact a successful renovation was achieved.

“It’s kind of a question of education to convince people that history is important and that it can be saved,” said Hilborn.

Heritage Conservation Architect Jill Taylor shared knowledge on the subject. “The Architectural Conservancy of Ontario also has programs that can help people with their buildings," said Taylor. “For example, if you have a listed building or a building that’s not on the list and it’s a heritage building, you can telephone the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario and they can assign an architect to you who, on a voluntary basis, will actually come and help you with your issues on the site.”

An Award of Excellence was presented to Hilborn from the SCHC for their contributions to educate and raise awareness of local cultural heritage as well as their significant volunteer work at the Bruce County Archives.

Sheila Latham (left), Director of the Southampton Cultural Heritage Conservancy (SCHC) presented the SCHC Award of Excellence to local author Robert Hilborn August 3 at the Southampton Art School.

Robin Hilborn, author of Southampton Vignettes, Heart of the Great Lakes, and The Bruce, signed copies of his latest publication, Hilborn's Guide to Old Southampton August 3 in Southampton.