(Main Cover Photo - 156 Main Street, Brighton - formerly Hodges' Tavern - from zolo.ca)

Thank you for joining us once again as we take you on a tour through some of Brighton’s historic homes and properties.

Last post in this series, we learned about the “Bettes Homestead”, built at 2 Ontario Street by Harrison and Caroline Bettes in 1844. This time, we continue to explore that corner of now-Ontario and Main Streets, as well as the Bettes family.  

As was discussed in the last blog, now-Main Street/Hwy 2 follows closely to that of the old York-Kingston Road, which was completed in 1817 and had stage coaches travelling weekly or semi-weekly right through Brighton (VanWicklin Genealogy). 2 inns were built to accommodate travellers, and both buildings still stand today.

The first inn, located at 156 Main Street (white house just East of YMCA building - pictured present-day in main photo), was Hodges' Tavern, which was built shortly after the road was completed and acquired by Harrison Bettes’ brother-in-law, Ira Hodges, by 1835. VanWicklin describes the building as “a two story frame building” that has since “been changed completely inside, but the exterior appears much as it did when it first welcomed travellers.” By 1861, the inn had changed hands and was re-named “Turkington’s Hotel”. Now, the building serves as rental units.

The second inn, located at 165 Main Street (large yellow house at South-East corner of Ontario and Main) was built by Barney M. Bettes in 1851 and named “Temperance Hotel” (Hyatt, 2016). The name likely poked at the Ontario “Temperance Act” of 1916-1927, which made it illegal to sell alcohol at hotels between those years (Browne, 2011), and VanWicklin points to this as well:

“The former Temperance Hotel [was] an inn that provided travellers with alternate accommodation [to that of Hodges’ Tavern]. Many of the hostelries of the day were rowdy and boisterous, the result of low-cost whiskey, and some of the passengers on the coach lines doubtlessly preferred a less stimulating environment.”

An interesting tidbit from an 1853 local newspaper was “an advertisement announcing Doctor A. E. Fife had permanently located himself in the Village of Brighton and that his office was at Bettes’ Temperance Hotel, where he could be consulted free of charge” (Kennedy, 2020). He eventually found success, though, and purchased 143 acres on the north side of Main Street where he built his home at 200 Main Street. Stay tuned for our next blog covering this historic home.

165 Main Street now also serves as rental units.

Completing “Bettes Corners” was a sawmill, built by Alexander Bettes in 1851 (no longer standing).

As you stroll through the streets of Brighton, keep your eyes peeled for the unique history and architecture of the historical homes and buildings. If you are interested in purchasing one of these unique properties, RE/MAX Quinte Realtors are experienced and part of the community. Keep an eye on our window at 41 Main Street in downtown Brighton for new listings!