Mechanics Institute an 'elaborate structure' built in 1890 included Chapleau public library and town hall

The Mechanics Institute in Chapleau was built in 1890 on land provided by the Canadian Pacific Railway across from the present Bridgeview Hotel on Birch Street.

According to Wikepedia, mechanics' institutes,  the first one established in Edinburgh, Scotland  contained inspirational and vocational reading matter, for a small rental fee. Later popular non-fiction and fiction books were added to these collections in the library section. Other services were also provided.

The Mechanics Institute was a described as an "elaborate structure", for the times and included the library, a reading room, a hall and space for oganizations to meet in a two-storey building. By the end of 1890, the library had 178 members and 894 volumes. 

Imagine, it  cost $621.02 to build. Perhaps someone can examine the photos and give us an estimated cost to build a similar building in 2015.

By 1895, ladies had become active members,and in 1899 when J.B. Dexter was president of the institute 200 new books were purchased bringing the total number of volumes to 1408 of which 1201 were taken out over the previous year.

The Canadian Encyclopedia says that the institutes began as voluntary associations of working men seeking self improvement through education.

However, the Canadian Encyclopedia adds that "Despite the name, the central figures who developed the Mechanics' Institutes in Canada were rarely manual workers. Rather, the institutes were controlled by shopkeepers, doctors, ministers and small manufacturers who sought activities for themselves, and more importantly, the growing number of urban wage-earners."

They did reflect important features of 19th-century Canada: the constant anxiety of local leaders about social order and stability; the widespread hope of self-improvement through education; and the increasing popular thirst for reading material", according to the Canadian Enyclopedia.

In 1895, Beresford Greatheed, aka Greathead visited Chapleau on his walking tour across Canada from Vancouver to Halifax and visited the institute, according to the Sudbury Journal.

Although Chapleau had about 500 residents when Greatheed visited, he called it a city, and commented that it had "fine churches, CPR shops, three hotels, three or four good stores and numerous fine dwelling houses."

He paid particular attention to the Mechanics Institute, "a fine building erected in 1890 and has a hall where 300 persons could easily be seated - membership is 250 and each member paying $2 per annum. Upstairs is occupied by various fraternal societies such as the Freemasons, Oddfellows. Knights of Pythians, Forresters, etc.

"A fine library exists here and most of the principal journals, magazines are ready for use of membership up until 10 p.m.." he said.

The building also housed the first Chapleau Town Hall from 1901 when the municipality was incorporated with G.B. Nicholson as the first reeve. However, disaster struck in 1910 when it burned down and all the library holdings as well as municipal records were destroyed.  

A new Town Hall was officially opened on December 30, 1913, which appears to have been done while Mr. Nicholson was still reeve. He was retiring after serving since 1901, always returned to office by acclamation. Chapleau's second reeve was T.J. Godfrey.

Information from Wikipedia, Canadian Encyclopedia, Sudbury Journal, George Evans, Vince Crichton (Pioneering in Northern Ontario), Doug Greig, Michael McMullen

My email is mj.morris@live.ca