Court Street has a very interesting and long history. It was one of the first streets developed in Port Arthur, with stately homes and sprawling properties. Van Horn Street was actually considered the end of city limits around 1906.
Presently, you can view most original homes beginning at Van Horn Street, working your way towards McVicar Creek.
However, there is a gap; a lapse in time where the Court Street ridge shows an obvious fracture – where houses were built which didn’t quite fit in with the time period. Richard Houston has a very cool Facebook page called: Thunder Bay Then and Now, which features great before and after images of local areas.
Here’s a snapshot from 1921; this was of the home of Mr. Crooks, located on the Corner of Argyle and Court.
Sadly, this home no longer exists. It was owned by the Anderson Family when it was destroyed by a Fire in the early 1960s.
Moving further down Court Street towards McVicar Creek, we come across the private residence of Mr. Emerson. This beautiful home was demolished to create River Street.
Directly beside The Emerson Residence is 194 Court Street North, at the time it belonged to a Mr. Cumbers. This is now the site of the Port Arthur Clinic.
Blogger Brenda Dougall Merriman, lived in this home as a Child. You can read her story here.
And last but not least, the Cheese Stands Alone.
The home on the left is still standing, I believe it was formally owned by a Mr. Russell. It now bodes several not so pretty alterations. It’s currently used as the staff lounge area for the Port Arthur Clinic.
Anyone else have any other information to contribute about the Court Street Ridge? Please, leave a comment!
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Sources | Information & Photographs:
- The Chung Collection – University of British Columbia
- Thunder Bay Museum – Flickr Page
- Thunder Bay Memories (Facebook)
- Thunder Bay Then and Now (Facebook)
- Historic Photos of Thunder Bay and Area (Facebook)
