Dalby House

he lovely and picturesque village of Elora in Ontario Canada boasts a 19th century flat iron building on the corner of Metcalfe and Geddes streets. Robert Dalby became involved in the hotel business 1862, when he purchased Elora’s Royal Hotel (Elora Legion). He then added a stagecoach line business between Elora and Guelph. Dalby decided to capitalize on the wealthier stagecoach clientele by constructing a new, high-standard hotel. Together with Andrew Gordon, Elora’s best known harness maker, they hired W.H.L LaPenotiere, a surveyor and civil engineer, to design their building -- a three-storey, flat-iron structure that took full advantage of the pie-shaped lot. Construction was completed in 1865. Gordon splurged by having a stone cutter carve “GORDON’S BLOCK” into a stone placed on the wall at the peak. An extension was added on the south side of the building and a hardware store rented out the bottom floor for many years. After the death of Frank Dalby, the hotel changed hands frequently. Aaron Roos was the owner who changed the name to Iroquois Hotel. Charles Sachs took over in 1904 and undertook major renovations, including rearranging rooms and replacing windows and doors. Henry Hastings purchased the hotel in 1912.The Canada Temperance Act came into force in September of 1916, and although The Iroquois Hotel remained open, alcohol did not return until 1934. Wilson Veale took over the establishment in 1954, and retained ownership for over 30 years, longer than any other proprietor.The current owners have changed the name of the hotel back to the Dalby House and have made restoration to the architectural features of the building. The building now houses the Family Health Team.