Moodie House readies as a restored centre for local literary history.

Julie Simpson is restoring the 19th-century Moodie House on Bridge Street, keeping original layouts and some period details while adding modern utilities, and is hosting small events as she awaits permits for a full public opening.

Julie Simpson is leading a restoration of the stone Moodie House on Bridge Street, a nineteenth-century home once lived in by writer Susanna Strickland Moodie. The house’s original blueprint and many interior features have been retained while modern conveniences such as electricity and running water have been added. Simpson hopes to preserve the house as an emblem of Canadian literary history and to offer programs focused on writing and the arts. Small events are already being held while the grand public opening waits on required permits. Key details: - The Moodie House is a stone house on Bridge Street where Susanna Strickland Moodie lived in the mid-1800s. - Original interior layout remains, and a sliver of wallpaper survives in Susanna’s second-floor study. - Renovations brought the house up to code, replacing knob-and-tube wiring and adding modern utilities. - Julie Simpson, who moved into the house at age seven, is directing the restoration and programming plans. - The team includes Kirk Tischbein (Creative Coordinator) and Larry Munnings (Facilities and Preservation Manager). - Small events and soft launches are under way while permits for a grand opening are obtained. Summary: The restoration aims to preserve the house as a community cultural centre focused on the written word and visual arts. The project is being completed in phases to expand its repository of historical materials and host programming. A full public opening is pending the receipt of required permits.