There’s a lot to like about the restoration of the Crystal Cottage but for Murray Angus one particular aspect of the project really stands out.
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“I like the idea that all of the trim inside, the door trim, the window trim is period correct and salvaged from the Red Cross building on William Street that was torn down,” Angus, the president of the Brant Historical Society, said Sunday . “That adds an interesting twist to the story.
“Arthur Bixel once lived in the former Red Cross building so even though he didn’t live in the Crystal Cottage, he certainly was and continues to be a big part of it.”
Founded in Ingersoll in 1869, Bixel moved to Strathroy before establishing a second location in 1888 on Alfred Street in Brantford. The former Red Cross building on William Street was demolished in July.
The building dates back to the 1880s and was associated with James Kerr Osborne, an industrial leader and charter member of the Brantford Board of Trade, when it was established in 1879. It was home to the Red Cross from 1945 to 2022.
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Built around 1876, the Crystal Cottage was on Chatham Street for more than 140 years. A distinctive feature of the home is the Bixel Beer bottles in the mortar about three feet below the eaves.
The future of the building was at risk of demolition when a developer announced plans to build an apartment complex on land bounded by Market, Chatham and Nelson streets.
The historical society bought the building from the developer for $10. As part of the deal, the developer would cover the cost of moving the building to Charlotte Street, beside the Brant County Museum and Archives.
However, while the move was completed, the developer went bankrupt and the historical society found itself facing a major financial problem.
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To solve the problem, the building was sold to Dan and Carol Lyn Brown, who have spent the last seven months restoring the iconic home.
The trim from the Red Cross building is just one example of the materials that were used to save the building, Dan Brown said Sunday.
The bricks come from demolition projects from around the city and two classroom doors that come from Brantford Collegiate Institute.
“The other thing I like to talk about is the messages in the bottles that we replaced on the outside,” Brown said. “We reached out to the community to get messages that we could put into the bottles when we reinstalled the bottles in the wall.
“We received copies of wedding invitations, baby pictures and love letters.”
Brown said there are about 80 messages in bottles and they can be seen when looking up at the home.
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The Crystal Cottage also includes doors from a home on Dufferin Avenue and some mirrors from the Red Cross building.
“It’s not one of our hardest projects for us,” Brown said. “It’s what we call a labor of love.”
The restoration was the 41st project for the Browns, who have a well-deserved reputation for home repair and renovation.
People were able to follow their progress on their You Tube channel Reign of the Chatelaine.
Pat Moore, Jane Bewick and Pam MacGregor were among the many people to tour the Crystal Cottage during Sunday’s open house.
“It’s wonderful that the history is being saved and it’s also great to see so much interest from the public,” Moore said. “People have been reading about it and want to see it for themselves.”
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