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 FAIRFIELDS Heritage Property
The Bell Family Homestead, a designated heritage property known locally as ‘Fairfields’, is open for guided public tours. To book a free tour of the 19th century Gothic Revival farmhouse, email us or call 613 726 2652.
The property at 3080 Richmond Road was first purchased by William Bell in the 1820’s. Originally the 660 acres of land was cultivated for farming. In later years, the land was subdivided and sections sold. The home, standing on 1.8 hectares of land, remained in the Bell family for nearly 175 years.
Each generation of the Bell family made their mark on the home and property. The owner’s shifting priorities from farming to politics altered the appearance and purpose of the property. ‘Fairfields’ stands today as it did under the last owners, Ruth and Judith Bell. The last Bell family member to reside in the house was Judith who passed away in 2000.
Fairfields is now owned and operated jointly by the City of Ottawa and the Community Foundation of Ottawa, who manage The Bell Homestead Trust Fund. The Friends of Fairfields was created as an Advisory Board to advise the Community Foundation of Ottawa.
Nepean Museum provides seasonal, on-site, interpretative tours of Fairfields. An hour-long tour of Fairfields presents the history of five generations of the Bell family from 1823 to 2000 within the context of the greater Ottawa area. The interior of the home has been refurnished with artefacts to reflect a different themes of the Bell family history. Visitors will learn about the family’s entrepreneurial, philanthropic, professional and political activities.
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