The Duff Baby House is an historic house located in

Windsor, Ontario Windsor is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, on the south bank of the Detroit River directly across from Detroit, Michigan, United States. Geographically located within but administratively independent of Essex County, it is the souther ...

, Canada.

History

The house was built between 1792 and 1798 by Alexander Duff as a

fur trade The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of a world fur market in the early modern period, furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the mos ...

post. In 1807 the building was bought by

James Baby James Duperon Bâby (August 25, 1763 – February 19, 1833) was a judge and political figure in Upper Canada. Biography He was born Jacques Bâby, the son of Jacques Bâby dit Duperon, to a prosperous family in Detroit in 1763. His last nam ...

and it is alleged to have been used as the headquarters of U.S. General Harrison, Colonel Henry Proctor, and General Isaac Brock until it was ravaged by the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

during the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

. The two-and-a-half-story

timber Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...

structure was refinished as Baby's residence in 1816. It is located at 221 Mill Street in

Old Sandwich Town Old Sandwich Town (Olde Sandwich Towne) is located along the Canada–US border of the Detroit River, and was established in 1797.Windsor Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (WACAC). ''Historic Sandwich Town: Walk through Ontario’s old ...

, which is the oldest part of Windsor, where settlements date back to the mid-18th century. The Duff Baby House is also one of the best-preserved and oldest

Georgian-style Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1714 and 1830. It is named after the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I, George II, Geor ...

houses in Ontario. Today the building is owned by the

Ontario Heritage Trust The Ontario Heritage Trust (french: link=no, Fiducie du patrimoine ontarien) is a non-profit agency of the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Culture. It is responsible for protecting, preserving and promoting the built, natural and cultural herita ...

and houses government offices.

Windsor's Community Museum Windsor Community Museum is a historical museum located in Windsor, Ontario, Canada which displays artifacts from Windsor. It is located at François Baby House, built in 1812 by François Baby, a prominent French-Canadian (which is now designat ...

operates a local history interpretive centre behind the Duff Baby House. Duff-Baby House historial plaques

References

External links

Duff-Baby House
profile at Ontario Heritage Trust Buildings and structures in Windsor, Ontario Houses in Ontario Georgian architecture in Canada Ontario Heritage Trust Designated heritage properties in Ontario {{Canada-museum-stub