The Crystal Palace, Picton, Ontario

The Crystal Palace - built c1887.

In 1851, an exhibition opened in London, England, in Hyde Park, in celebration of the world's new technological age.

The centre piece of this exhibition was an enormous building designed by Lord Joseph Paxton constructed of iron and glass and covering nineteen acres. The structure was appropriately named the Crystal Palace.

The concept of the Crystal Palace was readily embraced by North Americans following 1851 and smaller hybrid replicas became common additions to agricultural fairs throughout both Canada and the United States.

Constructed in 1887 by Frank T. Wright, a local building contractor, the Crystal Palace located on this site is, today, the only original structure of its kind remaining on the continent.

This unique, historically and architecturally significant building was carefully restored over a six year period from 1990 through 1996 with the assistance of the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the County of Prince Edward and donations from members of the community.

Officially reopened by the Honourable Hilary M. Weston, Leiutenant Governor of Ontario, on June 15th 1997.