Showing 24 results

The Dr. Lewis Campbell House is a mid-block building located at 33 John St. East. It was built in 1900 in the Eclectic Edwardian style. Dr. Lewis H. Campbell was a well-known physician, athlete, and field lacrosse player. He travelled with the local lacrosse team to Australia (where they were undefeated). The team continued playing in India and Europe before coming back home. He had the house (and his office) built here the summer he got married. He married a nurse after his first wife’s early death and continued to live and practise here until his own death. The house was then sold to another doctor. Originally there was a full, two-storey horse stable with a loft behind the house. On the south-west corner there was a room for storing harnesses, blankets, etc. This faced the back lane and was clapboard with a peaked, metal roof. At the rear of the house there was also a brick, one-storey garage and storage for a cutter, buggy, etc. It was on the north side of the laneway and was later made into a small house with a verandah closed in on the south side for Kowalchuch (a small market gardener) and his family of two girls.
The 2½-storey house has an ‘L’-shaped plan (a Gothic feature). The steeply-pitched, hip roof has a large, hipped dormer. There is a large, projecting, second-floor bay window with a balanced window opening at the ground floor. Classically-inspired colonnettes on brick and stone piers at the porch entrance are another Edwardian feature. The eaves line is not consistent. Front, projecting roof eaves are higher than at the rear of house. This is more typical of an Arts and Crafts detail. The entrance door has sidelights and the double-hung windows have decorative, multi-pane, upper-sash windows. There are rusticated stone highlights at the belt course, ground floor window sills and porch colonnettes bases at the front façade. The house has brick masonry construction. A balcony infill above the porch does not appear to be original. The roof skylight and replacement entrance stairs and railing are also modern additions. According to the 2000 inventory, the house is unique and grand, with an eclectic mix of many original details. It also notes that it was difficult to see the structure due to the surrounding trees. (1, 2, 3)

The structure located at 70 and 72 John St. East is a double, T-shaped, frame house once owned by Jim Spence (the former owner of the Spence Lumber Company). Jim and his children, Minnie (Hammel) and Alex, lived on the east side of the building (72 John St. East). His son eventually took over the lumber business. Jim rented the west side of the building (70 John St. East) to Harry Barron. In later years it became the home of Casey Stewart, his wife Annie (George Harman’s sister), and their daughter Velma. Casey worked for Jessie Sutherland before moving to Toronto. Ted Gore, an English World War I veteran, also lived here at one time with his family of two sons. (1, 2)

The mid-block building located at 84 John St. East was built around 1920-1930’s in the Ontario Vernacular Cottage style. It was erected on property that was originally owned by Tom Saint and was the site of his storage lot (behind his business on Holland St. East). Tom was a noted stone mason, brick layer, and plasterer. He ran his own business from 1871-1925, at which point his son Leonard took over. A two-storey shed and horse stable (with loft above) stood on this lot originally. There was a 6’ wide and 7’ deep open ditch running from Barrie Street beyond Colborne Street. Tom had a large number of hard cement cloth bags that were used as abutments for a pole bridge. Tiles were eventually laid and the ditch was filled before World War II. The storage property was sold years later.
This 1½-storey, three-bay cottage has a rectangular plan, a centre hall, and a symmetrical façade. A box hall was typical for this style. It has a shallow-pitched, hip roof with dormer windows. The enclosed porch has a hip roof with a raised entrance, a single door opening, and windows on the three exposed sides. Its roof is supported on double, wood half-pilasters that are infilled with brick. There are large windows (with low floor to ceiling heights) to the primary rooms on each side of the porch and double-hung windows at the ground floor. The 2/2 windows appear to be original. They are set into rectangular openings with a brick, rowlock course above and concrete sills. The house has wood frame construction, brick siding and a parged, stone foundation. Aluminum siding is found on the dormers and porch. There is a single, brick masonry chimney at the centre of the house. According to the 2000 inventory, the one-storey rear addition and dormers do not appear to be original because of the style of windows, different roof types, and the shallowness of the main roof pitch. It also notes that some other building elements did appear to be original. (1, 2, 3)

The house located at 113 John St. East (on the southeast corner of John and Nelson Streets) was the last house on John Street East. This area was known as French Town at the time because of the French families living there who had come to Bradford to work at the sawmill and planing mills. Fred Stoddart’s pasture fields were over what is now called Colborne Street.
The small, one-storey, square-frame house with a cement cellar was built by Dan Collings in the 1940’s. He used materials from the barns behind his house in the construction. Dan eventually moved to Holland Street. He died in his 97th year. The house was sold to Couvert during World War II. Later it was owned by Len Fuller, his wife, and sons (George and Leonard). (1, 2, 4)

The mid-block building located on the north side at 15 John Street East was built around 1890 in the Eclectic Neoclassical style. It was the home of Miss Arnold, a well-respected member of the community, during WWI. Dick Saint had part of the house before and during WWII. The building is currently (in 2014) owned by Giuseppe (Joe) Campagnola. It has been his family’s home since the mid 1950’s.
The two-storey, rectangular building has symmetrical openings and a centre hall plan. A medium-pitched, hip roof with a curbed deck above is a Regency Revival feature. It is reminiscent of construction before a belvedere or cupola is added and it accentuates the horizontal roof-line. The upper-floor windows are narrower than the lower ones (neoclassical features). This suggests late nineteenth-century construction. The full-width, front verandah is another Regency Revival feature. Elaborately-carved, wood brackets and turned wood posts at the verandah are original. The typical low porch railing and wood newels at the stair railing are more Gothic Revival features. This building has rusticated, loadbearing, cement-block construction and a cement-block foundation. These blocks were made by William Turner during WWI. The block pattern is considered to be interesting. According to the 2000 inventory, this unique house has been well-maintained and many original features remain. It also notes that the ground-floor replacement windows with sliders, screen door, and window A/C unit are unsympathetic with the original design. (1, 2, 3)

The Morton House is located mid-block on the south side at 18 John St. East (between Barrie and Nelson Streets). There is a common laneway adjacent to the lot on the south side. The house was built around the 1860-80’s in the Gothic Revival Cottage style. It was the home of Miss Morton, an Anglican Church Sunday School teacher. George Morton, who was born in Holland Landing, served overseas in WWI. When the second Bradford Post Office was built in 1935-36, he became the Post Master and held that position until he died.
The 1½-storey, three-bay cottage has a two-storey, rear wing that originally contained a two-storey stable and loft above. It was attached to the bake shop’s stable. There was also a large verandah on the laneway side. The garden on the east side of the house eventually became the location of a house built by Emery Belfry.
The 2000 inventory noted that the house has a modified rectangular plan and a centre entrance hall. There is a medium-pitched, gable roof with a centre gable over the entrance and a symmetrical façade. The existing porch and second-floor balcony railing replace the original verandah. The original half sidelights (with lower wood panelling) and transom at the entrance door still remain. The house has narrow window openings. Ground-floor windows are double-hung with 2/2 panes and round-arched, decorated, wood trim. A bay window on the west side (at the ground floor) has a shallow, hip roof set on a plain, wood cornice. The second-floor windows and sliding door are not original. There is a single, exterior chimney on the west side. The house has wood frame construction with painted, stucco cladding. The inventory also notes that some original details are overshadowed by the newer porch addition. (1, 2, 3)

The William Campbell House is located mid-block on the north side at 43 John Street East. It was built around 1880 in the Gothic Revival style. This structure was once the home of William H. Campbell Sr. (a grain merchant) and his wife Bessie (Sutherland). His son Lewis was a doctor, and William L. (Billie) was a druggist. His daughter (Elizabeth/Libby) was born close to the day of the great fire of 1871 (Libby was born 15 May 1871 while the fire began on 25 May). She never married, though she took over her father's business after his death and remained in this house until her own. Dr. S. Hecking and his family purchased the house in the 1950’s and had it remodeled. He had one son (Stephen Jr.) and one daughter. As of 1995, Doctor Hecking was retired, training horses, and still riding occasionally.
The 1½-storey, ‘L’-shaped main building has a one-storey, rear addition. It also has a medium-pitched, gable roof with tall chimney stacks. An elaborately-carved bargeboard and brackets support the wrap-around porch. The wide entrance has sidelights and a transom. There are large window openings, high floor to ceiling heights, and large windows (4/4 sash windows at the ground floor). The structure has load-bearing, brick masonry construction and a stone foundation. According to the 2000 inventory, additions, replacement doors and the second-floor windows on the well-maintained house stray from the original design intent. (1, 2, 3, 5)

The mid-block structure located at 44 John St. East was built pre-1900 in Amsterdam (on the east side of the Holland River) in the Ontario Vernacular style. It was later moved to this site. This house was once the home of George Ogilvie, a tailor on Holland Street. He had moved here from Bond Head. After his death, it became the home of Dave Ogilvie and his family. When the house was remodeled, the bathroom was redone and stuccoed by Dick Saint, the carpentry work was done by Art Saint, the plumbing was done by Oswald Davey, and Ted Gapp did the wiring.
The two-storey, two-bay house has a rectangular plan with a side hall, an asymmetrical façade, and a medium-pitched, hip roof. An enclosed, entrance porch with a truncated, hip roof is raised slightly above grade. It has a single door and windows on three sides. The porch appears to be a later addition. The house has small window openings, double-hung windows (not original), and plain, wood trim and sills. Wood frame construction is covered with vinyl siding and there is a parged, stone foundation. The original cladding was probably wood. According to the 2000 inventory, the house has few building elements (other than the form) that appear to be original. It also notes that the house probably had few decorative details originally. (1, 2, 3)

The structure located at 78 John St. East was built by George Saint in 1900. The two-storey, frame house had a kitchen at the rear. When George moved to Toronto (around 1916), it became the home of Miss Minnie Parkhill for many years. She finally married James Ferguson, who was from western Canada. She died in World War II and James returned to the west. After the war, it became the home of Harold Gwyn (a veteran) and his family. He owned a plumbing and heating business. (1, 2)

The mid-block building located on the north side at 93 John Street East was built pre-1900 in the Gothic Revival Cottage style. A large horse stable and a barn for storing marsh hay once stood behind the house. A fence also ran across the length of the rear of the property. Brunnetto Caesar lived here with his wife Grace (Stamper). He worked on the marsh harvesting marsh hay and as a teamster. He later bought a tractor and did custom work (draining and breaking marshland). Bill Wilson and his wife bought the house after World War II. He worked on the railway and retired here. He had a large garden at the rear, as well as a barn. Bill eventually sold the house to Ferrara and moved away.
The 1½-storey, three-bay house has a rectangular plan with a centre hall, a symmetrical façade with a centre gable over the entrance, and a medium-pitched, gable roof. The entrance porch does not appear to be original because the peak and eaves of the hip roof of the porch interfere with the ground and second-floor windows. Double-hung windows are set into rectangular openings with plain, wood frames and sills. The house has wood frame construction, stucco cladding, and a parged, stone foundation. According to the 2000 inventory, the main-floor windows, screen door, and the two-storey addition at the rear are not original. (1, 2, 3)
Please contact the Bradford West Gwillimbury Public Library (905-775-3328) if you have any other information about this photo.