Location: Guelph
Date of Completion: 1880
Architect: William Slater
Date of Renovation/Addition: 2020
Architect of Renovation/Addition: Joel Bartlett Architect Inc.
Nominated by: Mike Schreiner, MPP (Guelph)
“The British Methodist Episcopal Church became the institutional heart of Guelph's Black community... Whether they were foreign-born or Canadian-born, the Guelph BME Church helped members of the congregation celebrate joys and face adversity.”
- Debra Nash-Chambers, 2006
Historic Guelph, Volume 45: The British Methodist Episcopal Church in Guelph
A historical and cultural landmark of Guelph’s Essex-Nottingham neighbourhood, Heritage Hall has been serving its community for more than 130 years, providing a space for celebration and gathering, all while preserving Southwestern Ontario’s rich Black heritage.
A Landmark of Ontario’s Black Heritage
Originally known as the British Methodist Episcopal Church, the story of Guelph’s Heritage Hall started back in the 1860s and 70s when the working-class neighbourhood of Esssex-Nottingham became the focal point of Guelph’s growing Black community.
For decades, Guelph and the surrounding region had played a notable role on the path to freedom for many—particularly after 1783 when Upper Canada (now Ontario) passed legislation preventing the further introduction of slaves and limiting the terms of contracts for servitude. Considered by many the first anti-slavery law in the British Empire, this legislation, along with the abolishment of slavery in the Empire in 1833, would make Ontario a destination for the Underground Railway--a network of routes, safe houses, and anti-slavers who assisted the movement of escaped slaves from the United States into non-slave states and Canada.
Guelph would be part of the end of the Railway. Initially, it was a stopping point on the road to Queen’s Bush, a settlement in north Wellington and Waterloo Counties known as the largest settlement of escaped formerly enslaved people in the province. By the 1850s, Queen’s Bush was disbanded, and many of the families dispersed to various communities in the area, including back to the village of Guelph.
According to 1881 Census data, two thirds of the 107 Guelphites of African-American origin lived in the Essex-Nottingham neighbourhood—a working-class neighbourhood anchored by the brewery and adjoining tannery. Many of them were descendants of the Queen’s Bush settlement, but others were of Caribbean or Loyalist origin. Central to the community was a new framed church, which was erected in 1870. The limestone Gothic Revival church that stands today replaced this original building in 1880 as the community further invested into this sacrosanct gathering space.
For almost 100 years, the British Methodist Episcopal Church served as a religious, educational, and social centre for Guelph’s Black community. But in 1975, the church ceased operations and would remain silent for 20 years. After a brief revival with a new congregation between 1994 and 2009, this historical building would find a new role within the community thanks to the work of dedicated volunteers.
Inside the newly accessible entrance to Heritage Hall. Images courtesy of Joel Bartlett Architect Inc.
A New Way of Serving the Community
It was only fitting that after serving as the religious heart of Guelph’s Black community for close to a century, the next chapter for this historic building would also be centered around service to the community. In 2012 the building was purchased by the Guelph Black Heritage Society, a volunteer organization committed to preserving the historical significance of the building and promoting Wellington County’s place in Southwestern Ontario’s rich Black heritage. Renamed Heritage Hall and recognized in 2013 by the City of Guelph as a building of historical significance, the building continues to serve the community as an important community gathering space with an expanded program.
Heritage Hall now includes event and rehearsal space, as well as the Flora Francis Memorial Library that provides access to hundreds of resource materials, works of Black authors, and Black literature that is culturally, historically, and socially significant to the Black community. It hosts numerous community events throughout the year, including religious groups and cultural performances. A recent expansion and renovation also provided new foyer and accessible washrooms, upgrades to the multi-purpose performance space, and a new barrier-free ramp that makes Heritage Hall accessible to all.
Exterior view of Heritage Hall’s new addition. Images courtesy of Joel Bartlett Architect Inc.
Quilt Codes
While modest in scale, the new addition plays an important role in ensuring Heritage Hall can serve all of the community. Its design also pays tribute to the long history of coded messages that marked the Underground Railroad. Quilt codes were a means of passing on vital information to escaping slaves. Such quilts were embedded with secret meaning in their various geometric patterns and designs. When displayed on clothes lines or fences, the quilts would act as guides or maps for fugitives on their journey to freedom.
The new addition was conceived as a quilt code, signaling inclusivity and the new role of Heritage Hall. Inside, the foyer displays six quilts—each with their own unique pattern and meaning. On the outside, the glass block pattern is a contemporary take on the quilt code—spelling the word FREEDOM in braille.
Top: Eight examples of quilt codes used by escaping slaves. Bottom left: The new addition shining in evening light. Bottom right: A closer look at the glass block patterns embedded in the facade. Images courtesy of Joel Bartlett Architect Inc.
As Heritage Hall starts a new chapter now under the care of the Guelph Black Heritage Society, this notable structure will continue to be an important part of Guelph’s Black community—both as an archive of its history but also a nurturing home for its future.
This post forms part of our World Architecture Day Queen’s Park Picks 2021 series in which the OAA asked Ontario’s Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) to nominate a prominent building, past or present, in their riding for a chance to learn more about it. Check out the rest of the series to learn more about great buildings across the province!
Additional Resources
Interested in learning more about Heritage Hall? Check out these additional resources: