Today’s photo is for Gary, who posted a comment about my neighbourhood recently. In his comment he talked about living for a while in the Oxford Apartments at Elliott and Louis.
The Oxford is a three story building with dormers on the roof. There are two main entrances and four addresses assigned to the building. There is also decorative iron work above each entrance.
A check of the 1937 Fire Insurance map shows the building listed as “The Happy Home Apartments”. Also of note, with amalgamation, there were a few street name changes too. Elliott St. was the new name of Montmorency as noted on the map.
Hopefully Gary can provide a few more stories about the building and the area.
———————————————————————————-
** Note – This is a busy weekend, lots of neat things going on around town. If you’re free you might want to check them out.
1. Art in the Park – Willistead Park. June 3 & 4.
-> Of note this year the manor house will be open, and there is a special exhibion of Windsor’s history inside. The exhibit called “Windsor’s Artful Past” is being put on by the Chris & Elaine Weeks of Walkerville Publishing (Walkerville Times) & The Rotary Club. The details are as follows:
A look at Windsor’s Colourful History Through Art & Photography
It will feature displays and historic photos of:– Walkerville
– Tribute to the Automobile
– Our Lost City
– Albert Kahn
– Prohibition
A must see for any local history fan. Admission to the exhibition is included in the entrance fee to Art in the Park. $5.00 at the gate.
2. Vintage Flea and Fair
A small antiqute and collectable flea market will be taking place this Sunday June 3rd at the Riverside Arena from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. The fair has been set up and is being organized by Sally Taylor of Magpie Antiques & Collectables. Magpie is a great local business that has been open for 4 years or so now, and is located on Wyandotte St. E., just west of Pilette.
Admission to the Fair is only $1.00. If you can make it out that way, go browse around, you’ll never know what you’ll find. It will be like going to a buch of garage sales, minus all the junk!
3. Ford Casting Plant Open House
I was going to post this as the following report was issued this AM.
Ford foundry open house scheduled for Saturday
The date for an open house to tour Ford’s Windsor Casting Plant — which is winding down for closure after 73 years of operation — has been changed to Saturday.
The open house runs from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is a fundraiser to support juvenile diabetes research.
Tuesday was the last official day of production at the plant, which has produced 50 million crankshafts and cylinder block castings since 1934.
The public can enter the plant from the company’s hourly employee parking lot off of Seminole or Ontario streets.
But apparently in one final chance to Shit on Windsor, Ford has changed their mind, and this was issued late yesterday:
Ford casting, Essex engine open houses for employees only
Windsor Star
Published: Thursday, May 31, 2007
Open houses at two Windsor Ford plants Saturday are for employees and their families only.
They are not open to the general public as previously stated by Ford representatives, said spokeswoman Lauren More.
The Windsor Casting Plant and Essex Engine Plant are both holding open houses that are fundraisers for juvenile diabetes research.
The casting plant open house for employees is from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The engine plant open house for employees is from noon to 4 p.m.
Have a good weekend everyone.
————————————————————————-
What a charming name for an apartment building! – “Happy Home” – says it all. It’s very evocative of a long ago era.
No one would take it seriously today, too bad.
Hey Andrew, I went to the employees only ford thing. I took a bunch of pictures if you are interested… They’ll be online soon.
For sure Mike, post a link when you get them on-line.
Did you use your coat to sneak in 🙂
Thank you Andrew.
Down the alley from the apartment was Globe sheet metal across from my grandparents house and my Uncle Tom’s garage. Alos across from Modern Cleaners was Immaculate Conception School. This is where the Childrens Aids is now. It was torn down when the new school was built across the street.
I went to St Edmund’s school next to Immaculate Conception Church on Wyndotte Street.
I love your site and have been telling my friends and family to chech it out.
I too was at the closing of the foundry. I am a 25 year employee of Ford and I am currently an elected committeeman for Local 200.
Keep up the good work I find it amazing.
Gary