Bradford United Church is located at 66 Barrie St. The structure in this photo was built in 1865 in the Gothic Revival style. There was an original church built on this site in 1851. The 1½-storey building has a rectangular plan, tall and narrow window openings, and a steeply-pitched, gable roof. The enclosed narthex is a recent addition. It is not considered to be consistent with the original style. Tall, gothic-style, trefoil arched openings light the nave. A round, rose window (with muntins set in the shape of a cross) is set into the gable portion of the façade. These cross-shaped muntins replace the original four-leaf clover muntins. The vergeboard has small, gothic arches. Octagonal pinnacles are found at each of the four corners. These pinnacles were originally topped with ornamental spires. Shallow buttresses extending the full height of the façade divide it into three parts. The trefoil arch and the three-part façade refer to the Trinity. There is brick masonry construction with stucco cladding and a parged, stone foundation. The original dichromatic brick cladding is concealed under the stucco cladding. Originally, the underlying red brick walls had buff-coloured brick buttresses and framing at the door and window openings. According to the 2000 inventory, the building is in good condition with some original features. (1, 3, 4)
The mid-block building located on the west side at 60 Barrie St. was built pre-1900 in the Ontario Vernacular Cottage style. The one-storey, three-bay cottage has a symmetrical façade, a square plan, and a centre hall. A box hall was typical for this style. It has a shallow-pitched, hip roof and small window openings with low floor to ceiling heights. The double-hung windows at the ground floor have plain, wood trim and sills. Some 2/2 windows appear to be original. The enclosed porch was added at a later date. It has a single door opening to one side. The house has wood frame construction with vinyl siding (probably wood originally) and a parged, stone foundation. There is a single, brick, masonry chimney at the centre of the house. According to the 2000 inventory, few existing building elements appear to be original (other than the form). It also notes that the cottage probably had few decorative details originally. (1, 3)
The southwest corner of John and Barrie Streets, which is now recognized as 28 Barrie St., was a vacant lot for many years. When Highway 11 was widened, Allan (Wink) Crake built a service station here. Bill Aikens ran it until his death during WWII. After the war, Mr. Hodgson (a retired O.P.P. officer), and then Frank Adamson, ran it. When the station closed, the pumps were removed and the structure became a Becker's Milk store. It was still in operation when this photo was taken in 1995. (1, 2)
The one-storey building with a flat roof located at 23 Barrie St. (as seen in the photo) replaces the round, metal building originally found on this site. It was an implement store and later the home of a pop business moved here by Keenty O’Keife (?) and run by Dave Smith (who helped deliver in and around the county). The building became a Chinese restaurant owned by Jack Pong around 1938. He ran it until after WWII (when he moved to Holland Street). (1, 2)
The mid-block building located at 31/33 Bingham St. was built around 1880 in the Neoclassical Duplex style. George “Duke” Lowe built and rented the north half (31), and he and his family lived in the south half (33). He was a farmer who raised cows and pastured them on a vacant lot on the south side of Centre Street. He also cut marsh hay, raised pigs, had an ice house, and delivered ice. He started the first garbage pick-up in Bradford. Ted Bulpit and his wife and son (Ted) lived at 31 Bingham St. for many years. The six-bay structure with one-storey (narrow) rear wings is set close to the street. Unlike most Neoclassical buildings which have two storeys, this is only a single-storey dwelling. It has a shallow-pitched, gable roof and a formal, symmetrical façade. The slightly-raised entrances are paired in the centre of the façade and each one has a parged-stone entrance platform with steps. Both doors (not original) are set into high, segmented arch openings with glass transoms. The original glass has been replaced with a solid panel. This building has small window openings with low floor to ceiling heights. The front windows (with high sills) are set into segmented arch openings with plain, wood frames and sills. A 2/2 window at the far north end is original, but the other windows are more recent replacements. The shutters are not original. This building has brick, masonry construction with stucco cladding and a parged, stone foundation. There is a cellar. The bricks used for the cladding were salvaged from damaged sections of the Town Hall after the severe storm of 1878. According to the 2000 inventory, this building is a modest example of workers’ housing with some original details remaining. (1, 2, 3)
The two-storey building (with a cellar) located at 35 and 37 Bingham St. (on the northeast corner of Bingham and Centre Streets) was built by Sam Bernick many years ago. He bought the small lot from George “Duke” Lowe. (1, 2)
