Weather was absolutely beautiful today (+12C and bright sunshine), so I picked up my father and off we went for a drive in the country.
Today’s trip took us to Ashton, Ontario (Location) where I hadn’t been since cycling through there in June 2009, as a participant in the Ottawa Bicycle Club’s Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour.
Many of the existing buildings in Ashton have been there since the mid 1800’s and some of the homes are still log construction so today’s outing was a trip back in time in two ways – the first being a jump back to the memories of the cycle tour and the second being the longer architectural jump to the mid 1800s.
My first surprise was that Ashton was now a part of the amalgamated City of Ottawa. I had no idea that the amalgamation had stretched out that far into the country. Must remember to keep up with the news :-(.
The community has three steeples, a general store, a pub and a few assorted other businesses. It appears that one of the churches ceased to operate as a church and is now in a renovation stage for some other purpose.
The Ashton General Store is a stone structure dating from 1851 and still offers a broad assortment of items and still operates as a Post Office and community meeting and greeting place. It is designated as a historical site under the Ontario Heritage Act.
Ashton United Church is across from the General Store
Further away one of the steeples belongs to the Ashton Christ Church Anglican, while across the street, the Presbyterian Church appears to have ceased religious operations and is under renovation activities of some sort.
Ashton Christ Church Anglican
Former Ashton Presbyterian Church built in 1879
Pingback: Ottawa Greenbelt Trails – Sarsaparilla Trail | MegaPixel Travel
Pingback: Ottawa Bicycle Club Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour – Spring 2009 | MegaPixel Travel
Ashton was the birth place of Jean Kidd, a nurse who worked with Edith Cavell in Brussells WW1