TOUR STOP 6: The Dr. Christie House - 148 Mill St.

Dr. William J. Christie

Dr. William J. Christie came to Seeley’s Bay in 1892 to take over the practice of Dr. Bowen who moved to Gananoque. Dr. Christie was born at Fort Pelly, NWT, to William J. Christie, a Hudson Bay factor and his wife, Mary Sinclair, a woman with extensive Metis heritage.

The younger William Christie received his education in Scotland and completed his medical studies at the University of Edinburgh in 1877. Shortly after his graduation he entered the British Navy as a surgeon at the Royal Haslar Hospital and was present at the battle of Tel-el-Kebir in 1882. In 1886 he left the Navy and returned to Canada to serve with the Hudson Bay Company as physician at Moose Factory.

In 1890 he moved to Brockville where his parents had retired and opened a medical practice. Two years later he moved to Seeley's Bay and was eventually joined by his parents. In 1898 Dr. Christie purchased a lot on the north side of Mill St. and contracted to have a new house built that would accommodate his parents and include consulting rooms. Sadly Dr. Christie suffered a heart attack and died June 13, 1899.  His father died October 22, 1899 and his mother died February 19, 1900; Dr. Christie and his parents are buried in Brockville.

The Christie family never lived in the new house which was later sold to William Francis Bracken.

Mary Sinclair Christie has been identified as the possible creator of a decorated fire bag acquired by the Royal Alberta Museum from the Carnegie estate in Scotland.

Seeley's Bay Heritage Walking Tour - 130 Mill Street
  1. TOUR STOP 2: Seeley's Bay Wharf and the Rideau Queen - 130 Mill St.
  2. TOUR STOP 3: Seeley's Bay Saw Mill (Hartley's) - 136 Mill St.
  3. TOUR STOP 4: The Plane Crash - 130 Mill St.
  4. TOUR STOP 5: Horse Racing and Ice Cutting on the Bay
  5. TOUR STOP 6: The Dr. Christie House - 148 Mill St.
  6. TOUR STOP 7: The National Hotel - 160 Main St.
  7. TOUR STOP 8: The Brown House- Bootlegger - 179 Main St.
  8. TOUR STOP 9: Home of John Bracken - 172 Main St.
  9. TOUR STOP 10: The Hotchkiss House Murder - 196 Main St.
  10. TOUR STOP 11: Coleman's Hotel - 152 Main St.
  11. TOUR STOP 12: Dr. Gardiner House- presently Ridgway Confections - 159 Main St.
  12. TOUR STOP 13: The Bank - 148 Main St.
  13. TOUR STOP 14: Stage Coach Depot/ George Cheetham's Blacksmith Shop - 103 Bracken St.
  14. TOUR STOP 15: Kelly’s Fresh Mart formerly Sweets - 144 Main St.
  15. TOUR STOP 16: St. Peter's Anglican Church - 155 Main St.
  16. TOUR STOP 17: Dr. Bowen's House -145 Main Street
  17. TOUR STOP 18: Seeley's Bay Masonic Hall - 108 Adelaide St.
  18. TOUR STOP 19: Seeley's Bay United Church - 129 Hellen St.
  19. TOUR STOP 20 - A. Neal and Son, Brick and Tile Co. Circa 1900 - 109 Hellen St.
  20. TOUR STOP 21: A.J. Sly's Furniture and Undertaking - 140 Main St.
  21. TOUR STOP 22: Gilbert Carriage Works - 129 Main St.
  22. TOUR STOP 23: Gilt Edge Cheese Factory - 118 Main St.
  23. TOUR STOP 24: Sunny Acres- The Ashery - 119 Haskins Point Rd.
  24. TOUR STOP 25: Haskins Point - 148 Haskins Point Rd.