Port Colborne's Roselawn Centre for the Living Arts
The Roselawn Centre is housed in what has been a landmark in this area since it was built by Levi Cornwall in 1860. At the time of the erection the stately three-story home of Upper Canada Victorian architecture was in the centre of what was then a large farm. Early settlers came from miles around to admire it. In the early 1870s the residence was purchased by Lewis C Carter. Mr. Carter came to Canada as a child in 1834 from New Jersey. He became a prominent local businessman running a successful mercantile business as well as serving as Postmaster and Justice of the Peace. The marble found around the fireplace in the residence’s parlour was brought from Italy by Mr. Carter on one of his business trips. Mr. Carter died in 1896.
The house was sold in 1902 to Mr. Carter’s nephew, Charles E. Steele, along with six acres of adjoining property. C.E. Steele was a descendent of William Steele, a United Empire Loyalist who came to Humberstone (now Port Colborne) in the 1780s. “Roselawn” became the home of the six Steele children. The home remained in the family until 1957. After Mr. Steele’s death in 1948, it was leased to the Canadian Government and became Regimental Headquarters for the Lincoln and Welland Regiment, “B” Company. In 1957 it was sold to a group of local businessmen and became the Port Colborne Club.
During its existence the Club hosted government dignitaries and business leaders while earning a reputation for fine cuisine. In the early 1990s declining membership and increasing costs encouraged the membership to transfer the property to a community group for the purpose of establishing a home for Showboat Festival Theatre.
The Roselawn Centre for Arts Education and Business was established in 1991. In 1996 the City of Port Colborne became owner of the property. In a unique partnership between the City, the provincial government and the federal government, and the Port Colborne – Wainfleet Community Development corporation, a flexible 270-seat theatre auditorium has been built. The Centre is now home to Showboat Festival Theatre, Friends of Roselawn. The facility provides accommodation for meeting rooms and special events.