he Steeves House is a charming Colonial mansion filled
with light from massive windows. The original cottage was
finished in 1812, and William Henry Steeves was born here in
1814 as the oldest of eleven children. He became a Father of
Confederation and, later, Senator Steeves. The larger house was
added circa 1840 when William's father, Joseph, became rich
just a few short years before his death. This, together with later
additions, brought the size of the house to 6000 sq. ft. (600 sq.
meters). To add to your pleasure when visiting this fine country
home, ample parking, green lawns, shade trees, and picnic
tables are available free of charge.

he Grapevine Quilt is one of the finest artifacts
in the house. It may be seen in the master bedroom,
and is an exceptional example of the fine art of appliqued
quilt-making. It was crafted circa 1834 by Maria Steeves
and is her original design. Using natural dyes made by
herself from flowers, berries, and vegetables, she created
colours which are as vibrant today as they were the day
she finished the quilt. Ottawa has recorded this quilt on
microfilm as one of the finer historic textiles in Canada.

he Lordly Bedroom Suite is another interesting artifact
in the house - a twin to one which was in the house circa 1850.
This is an early example of factory-made Cottage Furniture and
was created at the Lordly plant just outside Saint John, N.B.
This is an interesting example of the art of hand-painted wood-
graining. On the bed is a quilt made by a sister-in-law of William.

he Dining Room is authentic, with a fine pine
fireplace that features the heavy hand-hewn styling so
favoured by the early German settlers. The wood has aged
to a warm sienna, which compliments the border of early-
19th century German blue tiles. A cousin home-furnished
the fine mirrors which stand above the mantle.

A Brief History
of Hillsborough