The house located at 105 Barrie St. was once the home of Dennis and Mrs. Nolan, their son James (a car dealer and salesman), and daughters Connie (a teacher at Bradford High School) and Aileen (also a teacher). Dennis Nolan was a Model T. Ford dealer in Cookstown as well as a noted, prize-winning, honey producer. He was also the reeve of Bradford, involved in the drainage of the Holland Marsh, and he worked marshland. At one time Dennis owned the town’s water works. (1, 2)
The house located at 111 Barrie St. was owned many years ago by Minnie (Spence) Hammel. It was rented to Alec and Mary Spence and Betty. When this house was built (before WWI), a wooden tank with a zinc liner was erected in the floored attic. Water was pumped to the tank by a wobble pump from a cistern in the basement. The cistern collected water from the eaves- trough around the roof. The water that flowed (by gravity) from the wooden tank was used to flush the toilet and fill up the tub before the town had water sewers in 1931. Annie Stone (from Bond Head) eventually moved into this house. She had it updated and an apartment was added upstairs. (1, 2)
The house located mid-block at 119 Barrie St. was one of seven houses begun in 1912 by Lieutenant George Stoddart. When Stoddart went overseas during WWI, the projects were completed by builder Art Saint. This house was built in the Edwardian Classicism style. Hewey Douglas and his wife lived here many years ago. He had a hardware store on the north side of Holland Street (west of the bank). The two-storey building has a simple, formal composition. The square form is topped by a bell- cast, hip roof. A hip roof on the large, classically-inspired entrance porch is supported by half columns on brick piers. Simple, double-hung windows are balanced within the façade. The side-bay projection (with wood siding) adds visual interest. The rest of the exterior is solid, smooth brick construction with simple details. According to the 2000 inventory, the house has been maintained well. (1, 2, 3)
Construction of the house located mid-block at 123 Barrie St. (and six others) was begun in 1912 by Lieutenant George Stoddart. When Stoddart went overseas during WWI, the project was completed by builder Art Saint. The house was built in the Edwardian Classicism style. Archie and Minnie (Spence) Hammel moved up the street into this house. They ran a grocery store on the south side of Holland St. (in the second building from Drury St.) and they both died in this house. Minnie left a lot of the Spence records in the attic. These records dated back to 1900 when her father ran a lumber company in Bradford. The two-storey structure has a bell-cast, hip roof. A square plan and simple form are highlighted with a large, classically-inspired porch. The hip roof at the entrance porch is supported by painted, wooden columns and simple, rounded bracket supports. Simple, double-hung windows are balanced within the façade. The dormer window mimics the roof line of the main house. Construction is solid, smooth brick with simple details. According to the 2000 inventory, the house is well-maintained. (1, 2, 3)
Construction of the house located mid-block at 129 Barrie St. (and six others) was begun in 1912 by Lieutenant George Stoddart. When Stoddart went overseas during WWI, the project was completed by builder Art Saint. This house was built in the Edwardian Classicism style. Mr. Moore, who ran a store on the north side of Holland St., moved to this house from John Street. It was eventually bought and sold in the 1990’s by Murray Quinn and family. The two-storey house has a bell-cast, hip roof. A square plan and simple form are highlighted with a large, classically-inspired porch. The hip roof on the entrance porch is supported by painted wooden columns and simple, rounded bracket supports. Simple, double-hung windows are balanced within the façade. The dormer window mimics the roof line of the main house. Construction is solid, smooth brick with simple details. According to the 2000 inventory, the screening (added later to enclose the porch) does not detract from the building’s appearance. It also notes that the house is well-maintained. (1, 2, 3)
The Fred C. Cook House is located mid-block on the east side at 135 Barrie Street. The house was built in the Arts and Crafts style around 1925 by Art Saint. It is believed that this lot was originally owned by Fred Stoddart. This was the home of Fred Cook and Leona (Miller) until they died after WWII. The house was later bought and remodeled by Gary and Rosemary Woodcock. He had a plumbing and heating business. Their son Gary Paul was a business partner. The 1½-storey ‘bungalow’ has a simple form, an asymmetrical façade, and a rectilinear plan. A broad, steeply-pitched, bell-cast roof extends down to reduce the scale of the building. The covered, raised porch is entered from the side. The roof, horizontal siding, and a wide band of windows across the front of the porch emphasize the horizontal lines and massing of the style. Multiple, double-hung windows are set into wide, rectangular openings with high floor to ceiling heights on the ground floor. Smaller, second-storey windows are offset from the ground-floor windows and set into a gable and dormers. The lintels and lug sills are made of precast concrete. There is a parged, concrete foundation and wood frame construction with masonry cladding and vinyl siding. The original siding would have been wood. According to the 2000 inventory, the house is in excellent condition and the original features have been maintained well. It also notes that although the porch was enclosed sometime after the original construction, it is in keeping with the original design intent. (1, 2, 3)
This is the front view of the house located mid-block on the east side at 143 Barrie Street. It was the last house built by Art, Tom and Len Saint after WWI. The building was constructed in 1925 in the Arts and Crafts style. It became the home of many people, including Erv Hill and his wife. He worked for Dennis Nolan and was a noted (Ford) mechanic. Harold Seaurow and his wife (who came from Grand Valley) later bought and moved into this house. Harold was a car salesman and a partner with Wink Crake for a while. He then went with Jim (Catania) and Brad Walker. The 1½-storey ‘bungalow’ has an asymmetrical façade and a rectilinear plan. A broad, medium-pitched, gabled hip roof extends down to reduce the scale of the building. The slightly-raised porch is entered from the front. The roof, horizontal siding, and a wide band of windows across the front of the porch emphasize the horizontal lines and massing of the style. There are wide window openings with low floor to ceiling heights. Multiple, double-hung windows are set into wide segmented, arched openings with 1/1 panes, lug sills of precast concrete, and brick voussoirs at the arches. The smaller, second-storey windows are offset from the ground floor windows. They are set into a gable and dormers and have plain, wood sills and trim. A bay window projects out from the south wall and has no foundation. The house has wood frame construction with masonry cladding, vinyl siding and a painted, concrete foundation. The original siding would have been wood. According to the 2000 inventory, the house is in good condition with many original features that have been maintained well. It also notes that the windows, shutters, and porch railing are not original. (1, 2, 3)
This is the front view of the house located mid-block on the east side at 143 Barrie Street. It was the last house built by Art, Tom and Len Saint after WWI. The building was constructed in 1925 in the Arts and Crafts style. It became the home of many people, including Erv Hill and his wife. He worked for Dennis Nolan and was a noted (Ford) mechanic. Harold Seaurow and his wife (who came from Grand Valley) later bought and moved into this house. Harold was a car salesman and a partner with Wink Crake for a while. He then went with Jim (Catania) and Brad Walker. The 1½-storey ‘bungalow’ has an asymmetrical façade and a rectilinear plan. A broad, medium-pitched, gabled hip roof extends down to reduce the scale of the building. The slightly-raised porch is entered from the front. The roof, horizontal siding, and a wide band of windows across the front of the porch emphasize the horizontal lines and massing of the style. There are wide window openings with low floor to ceiling heights. Multiple, double-hung windows are set into wide segmented, arched openings with 1/1 panes, lug sills of precast concrete, and brick voussoirs at the arches. The smaller, second-storey windows are offset from the ground floor windows. They are set into a gable and dormers and have plain, wood sills and trim. A bay window projects out from the south wall and has no foundation. The house has wood frame construction with masonry cladding, vinyl siding and a painted, concrete foundation. The original siding would have been wood. According to the 2000 inventory, the house is in good condition with many original features that have been maintained well. It also notes that the windows, shutters, and porch railing are not original. (1, 2, 3)
The cement brick building (with an arch) that is located at 17 Barrie St. is not the original structure at this site. Originally, there was a large frame building (used to shelter horses, a stage coach, buggies, cutters, etc.) that was part of a livery stable owned by Dave Ogilvie many years ago. It was destroyed by fire shortly after Dave bought it and the building seen in the photo is a smaller replacement. Dave also ran a stage coach line (later a taxi service) to Newmarket to meet the Metropolitan street car. Travelling salesmen would use this stage line to bring their wares and samples to town. They would stay at the Queen’s Hotel, where they would take orders from customers. They then used the stage coach and livery to go to Middletown, Bond Head, Newton Robinson, Beeton, Cookstown, Fennell’s Corner and then back home. Dave also hauled mail from the train station to the local post office, as well as to Bond Head. When automobiles replaced horses, the stables were removed from the building and people rented storage there for their vehicles. In time, Dave added a small office, toilets and gas pumps. After he died, Gordon and Mac ran the business until it was sold to Fred Gregory. Fred ran a car repair shop and employed a mechanic. Fred had a rental apartment built upstairs. It had outside stairs to the laneway. When Fred got sick he rented the building to Ray O’Neil who later bought it. Ray sold the building to the European Bakery in 1994. (1, 2)
The one-storey building with a flat roof located at 21 Barrie St. has been used by many businesses over the years. Tommy Lautonee owned the blacksmith and carriage factory once situated in this structure. George Geddes was the blacksmith there until late in 1937. There was a stable door at the south end of the building and two sets of windows running along the front. There was also a large door going to the rear where there was a stall for shoeing uncooperative horses and a large flat stone circle with a hole in the middle (for pestling steel rims on wheels). In later years, the Bradford Witness (owned by Stewart and Ina McKenzie) moved from Holland St. to this structure. The newspaper also ran a printing shop here. Harvey Marks was a typesetter. Frank Edney and Fallis also helped. After Stewart passed away, Ina ran the business until she retired. (1, 2)
