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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 two-storey house located at 205 Simcoe Road was bought and renovated by Mr. Bruce around 1928. Len Saint did the cement work and the plastering. William Ward and his family lived here later. He raised dogs and had a greenhouse and a garden at the back. He moved to James St. after he retired. (1, 2)

This one-storey, cove-sided house is located on a hill at 207 John St. West. It was built well and has been maintained well over the years. Originally, there were stables and a woodshed behind the house. It was once the home of the Robert Spence family. Daughters, Kay (a hairdresser) and Isabel, lived here. After Mr. Spence died, the house was sold. The family inherited, and then moved to Bertha Sinclair’s house on Holland Street. (1, 2)

The Hulse House is located mid-block on the west side at 208 Barrie Street. It was built post-1900 in the Eclectic Edwardian style. The two-storey, ‘L’-shaped building has a hip roof. A projecting, two-storey wing has a gable roof. Edwardian features include the large window openings and transom lights over the principal windows (which appear to be original) and the precast, concrete sill and lintel and projecting keystone at the main-floor front window. A variety of materials and textures, including rusticated block and wood siding (at the gable), is a Queen Anne feature. The moulded roof curb in the hip roof with broad eaves is an Italianate feature. The house has its original windows, block masonry construction, and a block foundation. According to the 2000 inventory, the metal siding and trim at the gable and soffits conceals the original wood trim. It also notes that the original porch at the entrance has been replaced by a metal awning that is not sympathetic with the original design. (1, 3)

The mid-block building located at 21 Joseph St. was built around 1880 in the Gothic Revival style. It is a 1½-storey, ‘L’-shaped building with a steeply-pitched, gable roof. The house has large window openings with high floor to ceiling heights and large replacement windows. It has wood frame construction and new, board and batten siding. The original cladding was stucco. According to the 2000 inventory, all early wood siding in Bradford was either cove or shiplap siding. This new siding is not historically accurate and it would have been painted a colour. A replacement porch, while generally in keeping with the original building style, does not reflect historically-accurate detailing and finishing. It also notes that little of the original building is visible except for the basic form. (1, 3)

The two-storey house located at 21 Simcoe Road was built by George Stoddart before World War I. Originally, it was clad in brick and there was a large barn at the rear across the full lot. There was also a 2’-square dumb waiter in the house. It was operated by a pulley system and used to move things from the basement to the upper floors. Mrs. Stoddart and her son (George) lived here for many years. Tom Bell retired from the Bank of Commerce in the 1930’s, and he and his wife and daughter (Dorothy) were next to live in this house. Dorothy lived here until her father died and she was too old to remain. (1, 2)

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)

This two-storey structure is located at 218 Simcoe Road. It is the fourth house on the west side (south of the “Y” in Simcoe Road). Robert Stewart, his wife, and family lived here many years ago. His son George, who married Ethel Waldruff, played lacrosse and was a painter and paper hanger for Billie Sutton. Robert owned 75 acres of land and worked as the town clerk for 25 years. He also farmed (and later rented) his land. Ed Cave and his wife (Ida) and daughter (Violet) moved to this area from Newton Robinson and eventually bought and worked a farm. He delivered milk and had a dairy in town. Ed was a staunch Orangeman who played King Billie riding his white horse at the 12th of July parade. There was a gravel pit on the property. He eventually sold his farm to Mike Sklencar, John Kulha, Steve Brinkos and John Kashmere. They divided the remaining land and sold the lots along Simcoe Road. The large house was converted into four apartments that were used as their living quarters while they each built a house. The structure was still being used as an apartment building in 1995. (1, 2)

The Queen’s Hotel (located at 22 Holland St. West) was built circa 1850, and was originally the Western Hotel. This photo (taken in the fall of 1995) shows the structure just before a major renovation. The hotel went “dry” during World War I. Bradford, like all of Ontario, was experiencing prohibition (even though Bradford had voted “wet”). The building originally had two storeys. A third floor and a flat roof were added later. It was heated with an old steam engine that had the undercarriage removed. The engine first burnt 4’ stacks of hardwood, then coal, and finally, oil. Eventually a new furnace was installed (most likely natural gas). The building was always warm and thought of as a home away from home.
Harry Lang, Celina and their children (Evelyn, George and Audrey) moved here from North Bay and bought the building in the 1920’s. They ran the Temperance House, and a board and dining service at this location. They had long-time help and boarders. Little John Cook ran a shop selling ice cream, chocolate bars, and smokes on the east side (down one step). A bus stop was added when bus service started. Len and Art Saint put a cement addition on the back of the building around 1938. At the rear, there was a chicken house, a roofed, open shed, and a laneway. Another shed ran south, and to the west was an ice house. There was open space to the north before the laneway and a barn for hay and horses. The barn had two stories and below there was a pig sty. North of the laneway there was another open shed, car storage, and a cooking kitchen on the back of the hotel (a little east of the back entrance). Jack Wilson worked for Harry Lang for many years. Mitch Hepburn brought in beer in 1934 and the building opened as the Queen’s Hotel. Businessmen had to chip in to buy a liquor license and Hepburn was the first supplier. Business was excellent and the hotel was really crowded. Before the arrival of the beer, the locals had used it as a place to play dominoes and checkers, and to conduct hunt camp and other organizations’ meetings. (1, 2, 4)

The Clarence Wood House is located mid-block on the west side at 220 Barrie Street. It was built around 1880 in the Gothic Revival style. This structure was the home of Clarence and Bessie Wood many years ago.
The 1½-storey, ‘L’-shaped building has large window openings with high floor to ceiling heights and a medium-pitched, gable roof. There are decorative, wooden brackets at the front porch and decorative trim at the gable. The dichromatic brick quoins, belt course pattern, and window headers (with keystones) are not original. They are, however, considered to be in keeping with the age of the building. Replacement brick at the window heads appears to have twentieth-century steel reinforcement. The house has brick masonry construction. According to the 2000 inventory, the projected greenhouse bay window and skylights are unsympathetic with the original design. It also notes that other renovations are somewhat in keeping with the original building design. (1, 3)