The two-storey, wood frame house located on the west side at 196 Barrie St. was built more than one hundred years ago. The original farmhouse did not have the front addition (as seen in the photo) and it was clad with white stucco (not vinyl). This building was once the home of the Tupling family, including Ed (crate factory). At that time (1940’s), there was still a shed containing a cistern at the back. Years later it was the home of Bob Petrie (father of Ev). The house was purchased by the Kulcsar family in 2001. During the various stages of the restoration, thick, stone foundation walls were discovered. These walls were reinforced with 1’-square timbers fastened together with wooden pegs and square-headed nails (likely produced by a local blacksmith). Segments of horsehair-plastered walls and cascading ceilings were also found. (1, Letter by S. Jacqueline Kulcsar)
The mid-block building located on the west side at 214 Barrie St. was built around 1880 in the Gothic Revival style. The 1½-storey, rectangular building has a medium-pitched, gable roof. There are large window openings with high floor to ceiling heights and a projecting bay window. Also noteworthy are the large, 4/4 double-hung windows. The house has dichromatic brick quoins, brick lintels and a gable decoration. There is a wide entrance with sidelights and a transom. The building has load-bearing, brick masonry construction and a stone foundation. According to the 2000 inventory, the replacement porch (with a deep support beam, concrete floor slab and stylized bracket decoration) is an unconvincing substitute for the original. It also notes that the property has been maintained well. (1, 3)
The Stoddart House is located at 250 Barrie Street. It was built around 1870 in the Eclectic Neoclassical style. Some of the early settlers in the Bradford area were members of the Stoddard/Stoddart family. John Stoddard settled along the Bond Head Road in 1829. In later times, Major George W. Stoddart was the reeve of Bradford. The two-storey building has a rectangular form and a centre hall plan. There is a symmetry in the large window openings (with high floor to ceiling heights). The double-hung windows with painted-wood lug sills are also neoclassical features. The medium-pitched, hip roof, wrap-around porch (with original turned wood post supports), and remaining wood brackets and decorative trim are Regency Revival features. A projecting, bay window at the ground-floor living (or dining) room is a Gothic Revival feature. The house has solid, brick construction and a stone foundation. According to the 2000 inventory, the metal screen door at the entrance is unsympathetic to the original design. It was also notes that the porch needed repair. (1, 3)
Located on Holland St. at the corner of Barrie St. This building was originally a hotel (Central Hotel, Uneeda Hotel and in 1900 the H. Hulse Hotel). In 1951 the bank was held up by the Boyd Gang which had robbed a number of banks in the Toronto area and Montreal. The robbery resulted in a shootout with Bradford police. There is a bullet lodged in the building across the street from the bank which was the police station at that time. Today this building is the CIBC bank.
The Bradford Witness was the local newspaper. It was first published on February 20, 1879 by Mr. E. Garrett. He was born in Hampshire, England, but settled in Bradford with his parents when he was only one year old in 1856. Before starting The Witness, he worked for Mr. Broughton who published the South Simcoe News, another Bradford newspaper. The fire of 1892 destroyed the offices of The Witness, and the two papers amalgamated, with E. Garrett as proprietor.
