Newly designed sign advertises Ottawa House

The Ottawa House By-The-Sea Museum is planning a series of events this summer to honour Sir Charles Tupper nearly a century after his death on October 30, 1915.

The events range from a Lady Tupper and Sir Charles Tea Garden Party to a special presentation on Tupper’s life by Jock Murray and his wife Janet, co-authors of Sir Charles Tupper: Fighting Doctor to Father of Confederation.

The Garden Party is tentatively scheduled for July 25 while the Charles Tupper presentation has been set for August 16. Tupper, who served as premier of Nova Scotia and briefly as prime minister, owned the Ottawa House and used it as his summer residence.

Harriet McCready, who serves on the board of directors of the Parrsborough Shore Historical Society, which operates Ottawa House, told the Society’s annual general meeting yesterday that Tupper is certainly worth celebrating.

“Charles Tupper was a very forceful man,” McCready said. “When he had an idea, he pushed it through and so that’s why we are part of Canada today. He pulled Nova Scotia into Confederation.”

She added that Tupper was responsible for bringing free public education to Nova Scotia and he promoted free public health services.

Ownership transfer from province almost complete

McCready also told yesterday’s meeting that the Historical Society will likely take full ownership of the Ottawa House within a few weeks.

“By this time next month the building should be ours,” she said, “and the $90,000 that’s coming with it.”

“We were able to demonstrate to the province…that we had people here who were capable and passionate about protecting and preserving this building as a site for what really is a bigger issue, to protect the heritage and culture and history of the area,” McCready said.

The Society is using the provincial money and federal legacy funds to restore the 240-year-old building.

Randy Mosher, who is helping oversee the renovations, told the meeting the work is going extremely well.