History comes alive Saturday with Doors Open Whitby

Whitby is virtually swinging open the doors of its history Saturday, with seven locations in Durham Region’s traditional capital included as part of the Doors Open initiative.

From one of the country’s oldest independent schools – which only became a revered educational institution because of gambling debts – to statues commemorating Second World War spies, art galleries and historic buildings, Doors Open Whitby promises a bit of everything for history buffs.

Organizers are also offering a virtual downtown Whitby Historical Walking Tour, which is an opportunity to take a journey into the past to learn about the historical significance of the downtown buildings and uncover some hidden gems along the way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1zIGRhRQtE

A tour of Trafalgar Castle School (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) should be one of the most popular events on Saturday.

The second-oldest girls’ school in Ontario, Trafalgar was built by Nelson Gilbert Reynolds, the Sheriff of what was then called Ontario County, as a private residence in 1859. Reynolds was named after Lord Nelson and named his castle Trafalgar in honour of the Battle of Trafalgar.

The castle was the largest private home in Canada until Casa Loma in Toronto was built and cost Reynolds $70,000, which was an exorbitant sum for the time – especially for an officer of the Crown – with upscale homes in the mid-1800s being built for about $2,000 and banks (complete with vaults) produced for between $5,000 and $7,000.

But Reynolds was a colourful character who loved to gamble and while the legalities of a county sheriff coming up with the cash to build an extravagant mansion could be questioned, there’s was no question that it was gambling losses that forced him to sell his home to the Methodist Church of Canada in 1874 for the sum of $30,000.

The church established the Ontario Ladies College in 1874, with the school renamed Trafalgar Castle School in 1979.

Today, Trafalgar Castle School is an independent day and boarding school for girls in Grades 4 through 12 that is now celebrating 150 years.

Fuelled by a belief in the power of girls, the school remains committed to its founding mission of educating and challenging young women to achieve excellence in all aspects of life.

The school has also been the scene of many movie and television productions over the years, including Dark Shadows (2012) and Luckiest Girl Alive (2022)

Lynde House Museum

Also part of Doors Open Whitby is Lynde House Museum, which became instrumental as an Inn, tavern and supply depot during the war of 1812. Today, it operates as a museum and the site is also home to the Warren General Store – a local gem that carries the works of local artists, artisans and authors.

Six other sites are on the virtual tour, including:

Whitby Centennial Building

Whitby Centennial Building – the Ontario County Courthouse (built between 1852 and 1854) until 1964. Three years later, with assistance from the Canada Centennial Project, the original courthouse was reopened as a community centre and noted home for the arts.

Sir William Stephenson Statue

Sir William Stephenson Statue – a commemorative project honouring the Canadian inventor, entrepreneur and spymaster who was the subject of the 1979 television mini-series Man Called Intrepid (and reportedly the inspiration for the literary character James Bond). One of Stephenson’s greatest achievements was the establishment of a secret spy-training school in Whitby, known as Camp X.

Brooklin-Whitby Garden Club – a volunteer organization founded in 1921 to help keep the public spaces in the community beautiful.

Station Gallery

Station Gallery – a gallery housed in the former Grand Trunk Railway Station which had been slated for demolition when it was purchased by Whitby Arts in 1969 and named ‘Station Gallery’ to reflect its heritage.

1855 Whitby – an ‘innovation accelerator’ (Durham’s first) that dates back to 1873 and was the home to the provincial Land Registry Office until 1987, when it was purchased by the Town of Whitby.

618 Athol Street – a private Tudor revival style home that was built in 1914 and has had several notable homeowners over its time, including Leslie McFarlane, who wrote at least one of the Hardy Boys books while living here.

618 Athol