History
The neighbourhood
The Inn is located in the downtown historical neighbourhood of Sandy Hill which is home to a number of embassies, residences and parks. Sandy Hill was, during the nineteenth and early twentieth century, Ottawa's wealthiest neighbourhood. Originally the estate of Louis-Théodore Besserer, who donated part of this land to University of Ottawa, it was subdivided and became home to most of Ottawa's lumber barons. When Ottawa became the country's capital, it became home to senior public servants and to the Prime Minister who lived at Stadacona Hall and later at what is now known as Laurier House, which you can visit.
The construction of bridges over the canal and the introduction of automobiles and streetcars made the area much closer to downtown, and it began to decline as the very wealthy moved to Rockcliffe Park. The neighbourhood became much denser and more middle class. Many of the once grand mansions became embassies. Currently, there are many students living in the area due to its proximity to the University of Ottawa.
A characteristic of Sandy Hill which makes it unique to the rest of the city is the rich and varied architectural styles of its homes. In a five minute drive through the community, one may see a dozen different house styles, ranging from Spanish Colonial Revival and Victorian, to Georgian and Romanesque.
The B&B property
The ornate property was built in 1902 for Daniel Martin and his family, who lived at 525 King Edward (where the B&B is located), and the adjoining units were rented out. Mr. Martin owned a feed and grain business in the ByWard Market. His wife, Emma, who lived to be 92, lived here until she died in 1973. During the years 1973 to 1981, it fell into disrepair as developers bought the properties with the intention of tearing them down to construct a high-rise apartment building. It wasn't long before heritage advocates sounded the preservation battle cry and the buildings were saved. They still were not immune from other threats; however, as the Regional Municipality of Ottawa Carleton planned to use King Edward Avenue for the bus Transitway and the main stop for University of Ottawa would have been on the front lawns of these properties. Fortunately Action Sandy Hill (the community association) convinced the Regional Municipality to move the Transitway to the Nicholas-Waller corridor. This whole block of King Edward Avenue was eventually designated as a heritage district by the City of Ottawa in 1984.
The property was converted to a Bed in Breakfast in 1993 (eighteen years ago). I have tried to re-create the atmosphere of a Victorian home and I believe that I have succeeded in restoring it to its former grace. The home is filled with antiques and a tasteful Victorian character, which includes 11 stained-glass windows and 10-foot ceilings. Over the years, more than 8,000 people from all over the world have slept in one of the three well-maintained bedrooms.
Perhaps the crowning Victorian jewel of the B&B is the carefully tended English perennial garden, filled with blooming tulips in the Spring and the promise of different flowers throughout the summer.
