Perth: Tradition and Style in Eastern Ontario

Eileen Goltz is an associate librarian and chair of the Public Services
Department at Laurentian University.

The stated purpose of this local history is “to introduce the reader
to the colorful past and living heritage of Perth, Ontario.”
Unfortunately, the book lacks a map to indicate where this town is; nor
is there a legible street map. Photographs of archival maps, although
interesting, do nothing to dispel the reader’s confusion.

After the War of 1812, the British government settled demobilized
soldiers, half-pay officers, and British immigrants in Perth. As fear of
American military aggression faded, so too did Perth’s prospects as a
military settlement. During the later 19th century, it became a market
and service centre. As the 20th century advanced, tourism provided the
impetus for the town’s existence. The population at the beginning
seems to have been largely English, Irish, and Scottish. At the turn of
the century, this mix seems to have changed, but Turner gives only
subjective assessments for either period. Tables based on Census of
Canada data would have provided the reader with a better understanding
of the town’s dynamic. The author has availed himself of much
primary-source material, as evidenced by his bibliography and endnotes,
but offers little interpretive assessment.

Turner’s interesting, though at times tedious, text is enlivened by
Stewart’s explanations of building styles and their relation to
similar styles elsewhere. The book lacks a list of illustrations, and
the index is little more than a listing of proper names.

Recommended for those interested in local history as a genre, or Perth
in particular.