Civic Buildings Repurposed

Some of Southampton’s finest historic buildings were once owned by the Town and have been repurposed and preserved.  The oldest example, at 38 Albert St North was originally built in 1860 to serve as both the Southampton village hall and village schoolhouse, was repurposed in 1879 as the Masonic Hall, then later repurposed as the private home it is today.  The old Public School at 33 Victoria St North, built in 1878, was re-purposed in 1955 as the Bruce County Museum, and remains one of Southampton’s most important heritage buildings. The Southampton Art School building at 20 Albert St South was built in 1888 as a Mechanics Institute (library) by James Howe, town clerk and treasurer, who donated it to the Town for cultural purposes; it has served since 1957 as the Southampton Art School.  Southampton’s third Town Hall, built in 1910 at 201 High Street, has been repurposed as the Southampton Arts Centre, with an Art Gallery, Gift Shop, Tourism Information Office, and as a theatre where the Bruce County Playhouse performs.  Adaptive re-use is an excellent way in which to preserve heritage buildings for present and future generations.