Defiant Builders

Perched on the crest of the St. Lawrence Valley, in the tiny village of Maitland, Ontario, sits St. James Anglican Church. Built in 1824 and consecrated by the Bishop of Quebec, the sturdy stone edifice peers down to the river and across to where New York State lies within shouting distance. Its stance and situation are straightforward, as are its façade and square Norman tower, easily seen from the American side. St. James appears broad shouldered and proud, standing firmly on new ground, as if to proclaim to the far shore: “The empire will endure!” Its builders were cooperative, resourceful and steadfast in the face of external forces and overwhelming geography, the very traits that led to the creation of Canada itself.

Buildings provoke interaction: the building of buildings; the occupancy of buildings; the maintenance and legacy of buildings. That interaction stems from and leads to the formation of families, communities and, in the case of this study, the formation of a country. This book is a people’s history told by a remarkable collection of humble and robust stone structures that dot Ontario’s towns, canals and rural landscapes in what is the greatest concentration in North America. It has selected for its subjects the oldest stone buildings constructed by Loyalists, their first-generation descendants, and others who emigrated from Great Britain in the formative years of Upper Canada. They are collected together to symbolize the building blocks of a defiant new society: home, faith, government, and industry.

Michael Bussière is a retired professor of media and technology in art and culture, and was one of Canada's first virtual classroom researchers. He has been published by MIT Press, uChicago, uPlymouth UK, uAlberta, etc. Michael is an avid backcountry paddler with a deep interest in Canadian history.