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 mid-block building located at 25 Joseph St. was built pre-1900 in the Ontario Vernacular style. The 1½-storey, three-bay ‘farmhouse’ has a modified, ‘L’-shaped plan with an off-centre hall. It has low and medium-pitched, gable roofs. The enclosed porch was probably open originally. There are discontinuous eaves line. The entrance is raised slightly above grade level and the steps are not original. Originally, there was probably only a single entrance door via a porch. An entrance door with metal awning may be a later modification. The building’s 2/2 sash windows with plain, wood trim may be original, but the metal awnings at the windows and the door are not. Wood frame construction is covered with vinyl siding. The original cladding was probably wood cove siding. This structure has a parged, stone foundation. According to the 2000 inventory, the modest house has had cosmetic, and some minor, organizational modifications over time. (1, 3)
The Thorpe House is located at 33 Joseph St. (on the northeast corner of Joseph and Moore Streets). It was built pre-1900 in the Ontario Vernacular style. The two-storey, two-bay house has a simple, rectangular plan, a side hall, and a medium-pitched, hip roof. A large addition has been added to the rear. The original, wood trim is still apparent around the replacement windows and door. Wood frame construction is clad with vinyl siding. The original cladding was shiplap siding. According to the 2000 inventory, the modern, metal awning over the entrance is not sympathetic with the remainder of the building. It also notes that this modest house probably had few decorative details originally and that few existing building elements (other than the building’s form) appear to be original. (1, 3)
