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)
There was a vacant lot located at 11 Holland St. East after the big fire of 1871. Dennis Nolan built an addition to his Model T Ford dealership (located at 9 Holland St. E.) on this vacant lot. Len Saint used cement to build the new structure and Art Saint did the carpentry. The cars arrived at the railroad station in boxcars and then were brought to this new building. There was a display room at the front. At the rear was another service department with a door on the west side leading to the laneway at the rear. In time, Jim Armstrong and Fred Gregory opened a garage at this location. Charles Roberts also ran it and had a taxi business. Armstrong sold the building to Patchett, who turned the upstairs into a bowling alley (while also still running a taxi business) with a garage in the back. (1, 2) There was also a vacant lot located at 13 Holland St. East after the fire of 1871. Russell “Curly” Curtis (from Newmarket) married Aileen Church and they built a butcher shop here after WWII. Years later it became the site of the Simpson order office (which was run by Mrs. Fallis). (1, 2)
The house located at 138 Hurd St. (on the southeast corner of Hurd and Essa Streets) was built in the Ontario Vernacular Cottage style around 1860-90. It was the home of Howard Bowser many years ago. He worked for Dennis Nolan. The one-storey, three-bay ‘cottage’ has a simple, square plan and a pointed, hip roof. It also has a symmetrical façade and there is a lack of decoration or a porch addition. The entrance door has a transom above. Narrow windows (replacements) have plain, wood lug sills and trim. This modest house has wood frame construction and a parged, stone foundation. The original stucco is now covered by wood cladding. According to the 2000 inventory, the building once had a small porch at the front entrance and a large verandah at the rear. (1, 3)
The building located at 5 Holland St. East (near the northeast corner of Holland and Barrie Streets) has solid-brick construction. The office of veterinarian Dr. Stephenson (who lived on Queen Street across from the public school) was on the ground floor at this address. Grain buyers worked upstairs. They had their own stairway and a huge, walk-in safe. Later, that space was turned into an apartment that became the home of Rae Green after WWII. Around 1928 or 1930, Fred Buck (a pharmacist) opened a drugstore on the ground floor. It later became Brackens Drugstore and was run by Mr. Harrison. (1, 2) The building located at 9 Holland St. East (beside 5 Holland St. East) also has solid-brick construction. It was the site of Dennis Nolan and Jim’s Model T Ford dealership. There was a garage with an elevator. Overhauling was done in the basement and painting was done upstairs. Hugh Bannerman pumped gas and Rose MacEwan was the bookkeeper. Nolan had as many as 10 employees working for him at one time. Mr. Martin moved in around WWII and opened a used furniture and appliance store here. It was later sold to Bob Sewery, a WWI veteran. (1, 2)
