The Silver Birches at 3567, Church Street

Would you guess that it has served as a church, a restaurant and perhaps even a prison? 

Source: Société d'histoire de Rawdon

In the 1960s, the building was a popular holiday destination: the Silver Birch Inn. This image shows an advertisement published in the June 8, 1962, edition of The Westmount Examiner newspaper.

Rawdoner Denise Perreault Breault recounts her memories of the place: 

“I knew the owners, Aline and Ernest Bannard, who owned a guest house. I worked there as a summer and weekend employee in the 1960s. My father felt it was important for me to improve my English. Mrs. Bannard, originally from Alabama, was an outstanding cook who didn’t speak French. I remember her Southern fried chicken, Sunday roast and her delicious lemon pie, apple pie and coconut pie desserts!”

Source : BAnQ numérique, The Westmount Examiner (1935-2015)

Painting of the building by artist C. Felkins.

Source: Courtesy of Denise Perreault Breault

You’re standing in front of one of Rawdon’s oldest buildings. Would you guess that it has served as a church, a restaurant and perhaps even a prison? Its fascinating history is far from linear! Built in 1830, the building began life as a military barracks frequented by men whose names are still familiar today: Sharpes, Copping, Tinkler and Rowan. This local militia of sorts took shape at a time when Canada was being threatened by domestic rebellion and invasion by the United States. The ground floor of the building was used for military training, while the basement contained a cell for short detention periods. The building then became home to the first Presbyterian Church, whose congregation had previously been accustomed to meeting in private homes, before being occupied by the Plymouths-Brethren religious faction from England.

In 1916, the Presbyterian Church moved back into the building with the help of the Reverend Robert E. Welsh. In 1924, the Presbyterian Church merged with two other religious organizations to form the United Church of Canada. In the 1950s, the building transformed into a well-known restaurant. Alabama-born chef Bannard introduced a Southern menu that was a hit with tourists. The place had a good reputation and hosted many weddings. Then, in 1971, the building was converted into a home for the elderly, known as Les Bouleaux Argentés.

There is a small cemetery behind the building, among the birch trees. The oldest gravestone is that of military engineer Robert Melrose, who died in 1849. The last burial took place in 1945.