Page 25 - Mighty Miramichi River Guide 2023

at various points in the year. task of designing the park. He is
47 King Street, John McDonald House
Now heading west on Wellington: credited with gathering community
support to help him plant 513 saplings
and he spent his life dedicated to the
upkeep and maintenance of the park.
He designed four walkways that met in
the centre at a bandstand donated to the
park in 1879. The park has recently
undergone extensive renovations and
has a much different design now.
A few more houses are explored on
McDonald even had a billiard room and Wellington and Shirreff streets before
a large annex capable of holding 150 Thomas Vondy House the final destination.
people. The Patriotic Orchestra formed 199 Wellington Street, Thomas
in Chatham during World War I, would Vondy House - This historic home was
practise in the large drawing room. built around 1860 in a true Gothic
43 King Street - This house is Revival style for Thomas Vondy Jr.
recorded as belonging to the Pierce Thomas Vondy was a merchant and
family from before 1867 until 1956.
The original owner, James A. Pierce postmaster during the early
development of the town of Chatham.
was a printer and publisher, starting the The house was intended to have family
“Miramichi Mercury” in 1825 and “The quarters at the park side, facing the
Gleaner” a year later. The house is now river. The dormers on the front of the
divided into apartments but retains
some of its original woodwork and house feature hood mounts decorated Buccleuch House
with intricate bargeboard and finials.
detail inside. Thomas Vondy’s brother was Dr John 25 Shirreff Street, “Buccleuch
Moving east onto Wellington Street:
Vondy who is remembered for Place”, Shirreff House
W.S. Loggie Cultural Centre ministering to the sick and dying Irish This grand home was designed in a
immigrants who were quarantined at Georgian style and built in 1860. The
Middle Island in 1847. Dr Vondy lost original owner was John Shirreff, a
his life at the young age of 28 while merchant and owner of fish processing
performing these duties and is businesses. He later became the High
commemorated at Middle Island and Sherriff of Northumberland County, a
buried at St. Paul’s Anglican church, position he held for 26 years. His
Bushville. daughter Jennie Shirreff trained as a
Photo by Bonnie Coughlan nurse and then married a rich tycoon,
E.B. Eddy. In her position as a wealthy
222 Wellington Street. The W.S. philanthropist, she gave “Shirreff Hall''
Loggie Cultural Centre, “Hillside”
This large three-storey home was to Dalhousie University in Halifax in
built in 1879 for W.S. Loggie, an 1920. There still is a scholarship in her
name available at James M. Hill
important merchant and politician based Memorial High School in Miramichi.
in Chatham. The architect of this house, The house has many beautiful features
George Cassady, also built several other
historic homes in the area. This Elm Park Photo by Bonnie Coughlan including original fireplaces,
mouldings, and hardwood floors
Victorian home features a mansard roof, Elm Park This green space was throughout. The house faces the river,
often called a “French roof” because of originally used as a marketplace for and its lawn is parallel to its neighbour,
its popularity in France during the Chatham in the 1840s and 1850s. By Griffin House, on Henderson Street. In
period of 1850-1880. The Loggie
family lived at Hillside from 1879 until 1870 a Parks Committee was formed to 1897, 25 hardwood saplings were
planted on the Shirreff House property
develop the space into a park. During
the last remaining member of the this time, travelling circuses would use and on the short street, in honour of
family, Leigh J. Loggie, died in 1977. the park area. Around 1900, the area Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.
The Town of Chatham purchased the was officially named “Elm Park”. A
property and it now serves as a museum
and cultural centre, open to the public local man, William Wyse, took on the

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