Another Day in Paris
May 17, 2008
by David "Sumoflam" Kravetz
Check out page 1 - Paris: The Cobblestone Capital of Canada
May 17, 2008: Its the first day of a three day weekend in Canada. I had decided to spend the day in the apartment since it was supposed to rain and since gas has gotten to be so expensive. But, this afternoon, as I sat here working on my Toronto page, I heard chattering and clunking in the Lawn Bowling green behind the apartment. I have always been curious about lawn bowling so, with camera in hand, I walked back there and watched and learned. The weather had turned beautiful and the folks from the Paris Lawn Bowling Club were as pleasant as could be.
Some of the members of the Paris Lawn Bowling Club
I did a little research afterwards to learn about the game. The game is apparently one of England's oldest organized sports. The objective is to roll the "bowls" down the green and get as close to the white jack bowl as possible. The bowls are not round, so it can have some curve to it while it rolls down the green. The bowls also have dimples on them to be used as guides for the shape and grip on the bowl. I found a PDF version of a "How To Guide". It most definitely has a strategy on both offense and defense.
Bowls all bunched together; a typical bowl; and a winner!
Bowlers showing off their form; scooping them up for the next match
Bowlers use signals to team members; counting up the score; waiting for the next bowl
Watching the bowlers was fun and the outdoors kept calling me, so I ventured out again with camera in hand. I have wanted to photograph some of the nice Victorian homes on Grand River Road, so I took this opportunity as the shadows were also nice.
I don't know much about the history of the homes, but they are
reminiscent of homes in Lexington near the Henry Clay Estate
These homes were bursting with spring flowers and so I took a few shots of those as well. Indeed, spring is everywhere here.
I am not sure what all these are. I think the second group is asters and the third is azaleas.
I then drove into town for some shots of a couple of the churches in town. Paris has some fine old church buildings, some of which I showed on the first Paris page. But I got some closer shots.
The St. James Anglican Church is quite famous due to its use of cobblestone on the walls.
St James was built about 1839 with funds raised in parishes in Ireland and Scotland and a gift from the Duchess of Leeds.
It was the first cobblestone building by Levi Broughton in Paris who went on to build another dozen cobblestone houses
in the area that still stand. A fieldstone chancel was added in 1863 and the five-sided vestibule erected in 1989-90.
Levi Broughton also designed the Paris Plains Church (also see below), which is another prime example of the cobblestone building.
This cobblestone house is across the street from the Anglican Church
There are supposedly 11 houses and 2 churches built of cobblestones
This Catholic parish is made out of fieldstone and is quite unique as well. I love the view from the hill.
Left: A view of downtown Paris from the Bakery
Right: The Arlington Hotel as I see it every morning when I come down the road
After visiting the churches, I took a drive up a road called One Mile Hill Rd. and then made my way along the Grand River. I eventually found the Brant Conservation area as well.
I saw this barn and the shadows were great. The Grand River glimmered in the afternoon sun
These trees were reminiscent of Japan's cherry blossoms, though I think these were apple blossoms.
I could smell their fragrant scent from the car.
These canoes along the Grand River in the Conservation Area made for some nice shots
I also saw these trailers. In fact, I saw a large number of trailers that
appeared to be used year round...in the Conservation Area.
It was truly a nice day for a ride and for all the wonderful things that could be seen in and around Paris. I'm glad that I ventured out this afternoon.
May 18, 2008: Today I had to meet someone in Cambridge, Ontario, so, on the way I swung by the Paris Plains Church. Built by free labor of its own congregation with stones gathered from nearby fields, the West Dumfries Chapel, as it was originally called, was completed and dedicated in 1845. It is a fine example of a type of cobblestone construction seldom found elsewhere in Canada, and introduced into this area about 1838 by Levi Broughton, an American builder. The first minister, the Rev. John Law, served from 1845-7, and the church remained active in the Methodist Conference until services were discontinued in 1921. The building was restored in 1948 as a memorial to the pioneers of the community.
The historic Paris Plains Church just north of Paris. Close-up reveals the cobblestones.
The chapel plaque above the entry door
This church is also unique in its Lancet windows. The elegant, interlacing muntin bars on the lunette
and windows became popular in the area and can be found on some other churches in Ontario
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