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The house located at 61 John St. East was built on what was originally the west lot of Miss Hayes’ property. It was built in 1949 by Vic Turner. He was a retired farmer from the Scotch Settlement. The structure became the home of Vic and his wife (Irene) in February, 1949. Vic sold fertilizer and worked for Holland River Gardens. The small, 1½-storey, frame house had a garage underneath on the east side of Nelson Street. (1, 2)

The structure located at 98 John St. East was the home of the Collings family years ago. The large, two-storey, frame and stucco-clad house has a long shed at the back that was once used for automobile storage (and later as a utilities room). Before World War II, there was a small building used for repairs and a blacksmith shop located east of the house. Along the lane fence at the south end of the property was a large, one-storey building used for storing marsh hay. South of the main house was a cement sidewalk that led to Holland Street. There was a garden (and later, grass) on each side of the house. Originally, the family owned a horse stable located at 100 John St. East.
Bill Peters and his wife were housekeepers for Ernie Collings Sr. when he lived here around 1907. Ernie owned marshland on the west side of the Holland River at the 10th Line. Years later the house was bought by James Armstrong and his wife Jane (Saint). Jim was a marsh hay worker and he owned land above the 10th Line on the west side of the river. Jim was an implement sales man on Holland Street (around the time of WWII) after marsh haying was finished. He also ran a garage at 11 Holland St East with Fred Gregory after Dennis Nolan closed his garage. Jim and Jane raised their daughters in this house. Daughter Shirley and her husband Bill Watson remained in the house after Jim and Jane died, but it was eventually sold. (1, 2)

The mid-block building located on the north side at 101 John St. East was built pre-1900 in the Gothic Revival Cottage style. Originally, there was a woodshed across the back. It was the home of Mrs. Leduc or Mrs. Paul Courier, a French descendant from the old lumber mills. She wove rugs and blankets and repaired clothing. After her death the house was rented. Howard Robson and his wife lived here with part of their family, namely, Alvin, Garret and Phyllis. The building then became the home of Henry Pringle and his wife Joan. He was a retired railroad section man and owner of a garage on Holland Street. It was still the home of Joan Pringle when this photo was taken in 1995.
The 1½-storey, three-bay house has a rectangular plan, a centre hall, and a symmetrical façade.
Its medium-pitched, gable roof has a centre gable over the entrance. The building has small windows with low floor to ceiling heights. There are double-hung windows in rectangular openings with plain, wood frames and sills. The entrance porch, its windows, screen door, and the metal awnings are not original. A brick chimney at the exterior wall is also a recent reconstruction. The building has wood frame construction, vinyl siding and a parged stone foundation. Originally, the cladding was stucco. According to the 2000 inventory, the building’s basic form is camouflaged by the later additions. (1, 2, 3)

The first hydro substation in Bradford was located on Nelson St. (south of John St. East). It was built in 1916 (or 1918) by Tom and Len Saint on a small piece of property owned by the foundry on Holland Street. (1, 2)
Please contact the Bradford West Gwillimbury Public Library (905-775-3328) if you have any other information about this photo.

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 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)