This year, I decided to do something totally different!
I really wanted to make a Halloween Town for my nieces and nephew and my friends’ kids, of course!, so I started looking up ideas! I was initially super inspired by beautiful French illustrations of townhouses and classic New York brownstones along leafy boulevards… but then it hit me: “THIS COULD BE LOCAL!” *note – what’s photographed is not the final version, so be prepared for some surprises!*
And bam, here we have it! My stomping grounds, the Court Street Ridge moving right toward downtown!
We start off with the historic McComber Mansion, built back in 1912 by Alexander Jarvis McComber, a prominent local lawyer. And yes, he DID in fact have a massive St. Bernard named Joffre, more on him later! Today, the building is home to part of the Port Arthur Clinic. I was so inspired by archival photos of what the house looked like in its full glory! By the way, if any McCombers are reading this and happen to have a photo of Joffre, can you please contact me!? I’d love to see him!
From here, we travel to the historic Maudslay Court, Port Arthur’s oldest apartment building, built in 1914! Click or tap here to learn more about it! It does have a sad story.
Onward to Louis Walsh’s pride and joy, the McVicar Mansion, built in 1905 and overlooking McVicar Creek. You can read all about him right here!
Next up as we head downtown is the historic Ruttan Block Building, built in 1909 right on the corner of Court and what used to be Arthur Street (now Red River Road)! This building has seen so many wonderful tenants over the years, including The Loop Clothing!
Everyone loves going in and seeing Beth! You’re always greeted with her warm smile and her amazing ability to find you the absolute perfect outfit, or maybe you’re just one of those people staring at her gorgeous window displays in complete awe! Either way, we are SO lucky to have Beth and Alan as part of our community!
And finally, one of my personal favs (and I’m sure yours, too!), Mars Clothing, which sadly closed in 2024. I miss going in to visit James, finding my newest Herschel pick (that would fit my camera and lenses), or trying on a floral t-shirt dress that made me look like I escaped a Jimmy Buffett concert, only to get his firm “no”, followed by him finding me something completely PERFECT because I honestly have no idea what my style is! This is my little nod to James and Mars, and the wonderful legacy he left behind.
Sadly, this year’s colouring sheet is not a free downloadable print.
I spent hours upon hours researching and recreating what some of the buildings would look like, sketching them out and adding some fun pop culture elements! No AI Slop here!
IF you’d like one, I have a limited quantity. They are 36 inches long! They are the perfect colouring sheet for your dining room table, for communal colouring fun, or maybe on your own! OR for your kids to colour on the floor, as they devour candy!
If you’re interested, send me a message @ alexfrankow@gmail.com and I will see what I can do! $10 per sheet, printed and ready to go!
🎃 Happy Halloween! What should I do next!? Comment Below! 🎃
Ps, Happy Birthday, to my sweet and dear friend, Michelle! 💕
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