François Baby House

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thumb|right|260px|François Baby House, Windsor, Ontario.]

The François Baby House is a historic residence located in Windsor, Ontario Canada which was owned by the prominent local politician François Baby. The house was known as "La Ferme" locally, and was a French-Canadian ribbon style farm which was a long narrow tract fronting endwise on the Detroit River. The home itself has historical ties to the War of 1812 where it was used as a headquarters by both the American and British forces. Today, it has been desgnated as a National Historic Site and serves as the current home of Windsor's Community Museum.

Timeline

*1751 - November 24. Land including site of the house granted by Pierre Celoron, Sieur de Bienville, commandant at French Detroit, to Pierre Reaume.
*1800 - December 19. Suzanne Reaume Baby sold the farm to her son François for ten shillings plus one grain of pepper.
*1812 - Spring and summer. Construction of the house. Original front faced the Detroit River
*1812 - July 12. War of 1812 opened with invasion of Upper Canada across the Detroit River. Baby house commandeered, unfinished, by American Brigadier General William Hull
*1812 - July 13. Defensive works established around the three inland sides. American camp was located in Baby's orchard.
*1812 - August 7. Hull's position had worsened, and he withdrew his troops to the safety of Fort Lernoult, directly across the river from the house.
*1812 - August 15. Arrival of main British force on upper Detroit River, led by Major General Isaac Brock. Bombardment of Detroit began. Americans returned fire.
*1812 - August 16. Bombardment continued, and Detroit surrendered to invading British, Canadians, and Indians.
*1838 - December 4. Battle of Windsor, fought in the Baby orchard, ended the Patriot War, which had resulted from political disturbances in Upper Canada. Invading "Patriots" were largely American.
*1850 - October 8. Fire heavily damaged Baby House.
*1890 - The House had been converted to a double dwelling. Original north porch replaced by a full-width lean-to. Pitt Street side became the front. Bay windows connecting porch, gables added to new front.
*c.1931 - House abandoned during the Great Depression.
*1948 - Partial renovation. Additions removed, Pitt Street wall replaced.
*1958 - Final renovation. François Baby House opened May 7 as the Hiram Walker Historical Museum.
*1968 - Addition of underground storage and outdoor display facilities.

References

*"Mansion to Museum: The François Baby House And Its Times" Written by R. Alan Douglas, Essex County Historical Society, 1989.
*Windsor's Community Museum