Residential Walk
Residential Walk This walk begins at the historic Perth County Court House and travels along residential streets of interest ending at the Shakespearean Gardens. Approximate time: 1.5 hours BEGIN AT THE HISTORIC PERTH COUNTY PERTH COUNTY COURT HOUSE LOCATED AT THE CORNER HURON AND CHURCH STREETS 1 Perth County Perth County Court House This historic building replaced the original courthouse, which was built in 1853 when Perth County separated from the Huron District. Constructed in 1886, the building took two years to complete. It was designed by London architect, George F. Durand of London Ontario, who also designed the jail, located on St. Andrew Street, the old pump house (now Gallery Stratford) located on Romeo Street and the old hospital located on John Street. Built in the Queen Anne Revival Style, the building uses various architectural details including turrets, decorative chimneys, Italianate brackets and neoclassical features such as columns adorning the windows. Note the contrast of materials, colours and textures and the terra cotta details, which were created by sculptor Henry Plasschaert from the United States. It contains tile flooring, stained glass and other elegant appointments. It opened in 1887 on Queen Victoria s Golden Jubilee (50th year as queen) during a party costing $500, at which time, electric lights in the Perth County Court House were turned on, as in this year electricity became available in Stratford. This building is one of the most photographed structures in Stratford and remains an important landmark, which can be seen from several kilometres when entering Stratford from the East. PROCEED SOUTH CROSS ST. ANDREW STREET TO THE LIBRARY BUILDING 2 The monument on the lawn identifies the site of Central Public School, Stratford s first school. 3 The Stratford Public Library is one of the oldest Carnegie Libraries in Ontario. It opened on September 19, 1903 with little ceremony as many of the town residents were opposed to using money donated by Andrew Carnegie. As a result there is no sign identifying it as a Carnegie Library. The building was constructed with Neo Classical features and the original front door was located on the St. Andrew Street side. Additions changed the front entrance and an adjacent wing to the original structure. DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION ACROSS ST. ANDREW STREET
4 24 St. Andrew Street, This is the second registry office for the county constructed in 1910, now the home of the Stratford Perth Archives. To the left of the Archives is the old jail built in 1886, also designed by George F. Durand. Note how these two buildings compliment the Perth County Perth County Court House. WALK SOUTH ALONG CHURCH STREET 5 27 to 29 Church Street was constructed in 1872 and is an excellent example of a Gothic House. Features include the front gable complete with bargeboard and projecting finials, steeply pitched roof and decorative quoins. 6 33 Church Street is also Gothic constructed in the 1890s with red brick. Note the bargeboard, intricate wood detail on the verandah and the sidelight and transom windows on the front door. 7 57 to 61 Church Street is an early multi complex structure built with red brick. During the 1980s, the exterior façade was restored. AS YOU CROSS ST. PATRICK STREET, NOTICE 234 ST. PATRICK STREET FURTHER DOWN ON YOUR RIGHT 8 234 St. Patrick Street was built in 1869 and features grey stucco cladding and a back roof that identifies the house as an early Neo Classical Salt Box House. CONTINUE ALONG CHURCH STREET 9 100 Church Street is a Queen Anne Revival Style house with Neo Classical arched windows, Italianate brackets and a broken roofline. Note the use of the pediments and the design in the porch pediment. 102 104 Church Street was built 102 104 Church Street was built in 1868 as a Regency Cottage. The second storey was added in 1873, as were the quoins. 10 112 Church Street is an 1863 Ontario House, which features an interesting cathedral window in the gable. 123 Church Street is an Italianate house built during 1887 1888 with decorative brackets, ornate lintels (note the double window lintels on the front) and side bay windows. The decorative wrought iron cresting adorns the hipped roof and there is also a Stratford storm porch.
11 135 Church Street is an Italianate house built in 1873 and features a bay window adorned with brackets, which are replicated above the front door. 136 Church Street dates from1863 and has an ornate verandah and bargeboard. 12 149 Church Street has an interesting roofline and bay window with a neo classical pediment on the porch. 157 Church Street is also a Queen Anne Style house complete with pediments, turret, different windows, and an ornate chimney. The large verandah adds to the charm of the building. 13 166 Church Street is an 1892 Queen Anne building made in buff brick. Interesting features include a pediment, Italianate brackets and bay window. There is also a stained glass transom window and sandstone lintels over the main window on the lower and upper levels. Note the Romanesque round arched window on the top storey. 169 Church Street was constructed in 1879 in the Italianate style and features brackets under the eaves and pediment, which are replicated on the bay window. The ornate verandah is original. Note the stained glass window over the double front door. 14 182 Church Street was constructed in the summer of 1892 for local cheese dealer, Thomas Ballantyne Junior. This Queen Anne building has a Romanesque window at the front and over the door and matching side and front verandahs. Note the decorative brickwork and the half moon window in the front gable. PROCEED TO THE CORNER OF CHURCH AND CAMBRIA STREETS
15 208 Church Street* was erected in1889 for John Alexander Davidson, one time president of British Mortgage and Trust. A late Victorian home, it is designed in the Queen Anne Revival Style and features many interior and exterior original details. Note the tin roof on the side bay. TURN WEST ONTO CAMBRIA STREET. 16 200 Cambria Street is a Queen Anne house built during 1894 1895. Note the sandstone around the windows, the shingle scaling in the pediment and the decorative porch with a sunburst design in the pediment. 209 Cambria Street dates from 1880. Notice the ornate brackets on the upper and lower bay windows as well as on the pediment. 17 210 Cambria Street* is a Gothic house built in 1870. Italianate features include front and side bay windows with brackets. The original chimneys, masonry, windows, finials and roof are still intact.
220 Cambria Street* is a majestic Queen Anne Revival Style house built in the 1890s. Note the contrasting colours, materials and the windows. Of interest are the round Romanesque arches and windows and decorative chimneys. 227 Cambria Street* was built in the summer of 1873 and is an excellent example of a triple gable Gothic house. The front door has a bracketed transom and arched sidelight windows. TURN RIGHT ONTO SHREWSBURY STREET. 18 57 Shrewsbury Street was built in 1893 in the Queen Anne Revival Style with decorative brickwork, varied rooflines and Romanesque windows. 19 48 Shrewsbury Street. The first floor was built in 1872. The second floor was added in 1880. 20 16 to 20 Shrewsbury Street was built in two stages. The left side was constructed in 1871 in the Italianate style. The right side was added in 1882 in the Second Empire style complete with a mansard roof. Note the frieze detail, the third floor window and the Neo Classical rounded gazebo like verandah. At one time this building was the Windermere Sanatorium, which provided hot water therapy relief for individuals suffering arthritis and other ailments. AT THE CORNER OF ST DAVID AND SHREWSBURY STREETS, LOOK TO THE RIGHT TO SEE 265 ST. DAVID STREET.
22 265 St. David Street. Built in 1866 as a Regency Cottage; the second storey was added, as was the large portico by the Walsh family. It remained in the family for several generations and was recently restored. TURN LEFT ONTO ST. DAVID STREET. 23 305 to 353 St. David Street. 305 St. David Street has Queen Anne features, which include the Neo Classical verandah and the hipped roof. Note the second floor columned porch. 313 St. David Street is an Italianate house built in 1875 after a tender for construction was granted in 1873 for $5,390. Note the double round head window at the centre and the bay windows with cresting. Dr. H. B. Kenner built 325 St. David Street in 1937 1938 in the Georgian Revival style. It features a hipped roof and stone headers and keystones. Originally a Regency Cottage constructed around 1869; 335 St. David Street had a gable added to it, which makes the house resemble an Ontario Cottage. 343 St. David Street*is designated as an Ontario Cottage and dates from1871. There is unusual brick in the quoins and frieze and an abbreviated widow s walk. 351 to 353 St. David Street* is a Gothic triple gabled home built in 1867 for contractor John Holmes. Originally a single family home, it has been sympathetically altered for use as a duplex. The gables still have the finials and trefoil bargeboard. The oriel window above the brick storm porch is the most arresting feature of the front elevation. TURN RIGHT AT ST. VINCENT STREET AND WALK TO THE CORNER OF DALY AVENUE.
24 100 to 88 Daly Avenue* As you cross Daly Avenue, note 100 Daly Avenue which was built for jailor Hugh Nichol. An excellent example of the Queen Anne Style the building features a shaped pediment windows, sandstone headers and original front and side verandahs. 88 Daly Avenue is a Queen Anne building constructed in 1891 for wagon maker, Henry Baker. It remained in the Baker family for several generations. Features include the fieldstone foundation, upper storey porch and the original verandah. 25 42 St. Vincent Street is a Gothic house with finial and some bargeboard on the gable. The front door has bracketed transom and sidelight windows. 26 Optional At the bridge, to the left is Avon Street which curves up the hill. Halfway up the street on the left hand side is 51 Avon Street, the former Annie MacPherson Home for children. 27 51 Avon Street*, the former Annie MacPherson Home for children The Home Children were children transported from Britain and sent to Canada and Australia beginning in the 1870s. They were then sent to different homes throughout these countries, in most cases severing the ties to their families in England. The property received a federal Parks Canada plaque recognizing the significance of the Home to Canadian immigration and the contribution of the Home Children to Canada. The House itself was built in a Second Empire style complete with a mansard roof. Note the Italianate brackets adorning the soffits and the protruding bay windows and Stratford storm porch. RETURN TO ST. VINCENT AND PROCEED LEFT ALONG THE STREET UNTIL YOU REACH DOUGLAS STREET AND TURN LEFT.
28 98 Douglas Street has many unique features including the hipped roof with small brackets, bullseye window with four keystones and Neo Classical rounded verandah with second floor walkouts. 29 122 Douglas Street is an 1874 Gothic house with steeply pitched gables, Italianate bay windows with brackets. Note the round arched window and decorative brick detail. 131 Douglas Street was constructed in the fall of 1872 and features unusual brick. Of special interest are the quoins, brackets under the soffits and on the bay window as well as the wrap around verandah. Note the steeply pitched side gable. 30 151 Douglas Street was built in the 1870s and is a triple gabled Gothic style house. Notice the windows in the smaller gables and the finials extending over the roofline. Built in 1894, 159 Douglas Street is a Queen Anne Revival Style house. Features include the hipped roof; Romanesque arched windows, stone sills and an unusual verandah with horseshoe shaped detail. 31 170 Douglas Street* is an excellent example of the fairly uncommon Jacobean style with a steeply pitched roof and small paned windows. 171 Douglas Street is a Queen Anne Revival with front and side gable and larger corner brackets. Notice the shingle in the matching pediments. AT JOHN STREET, LOOK ACROSS TO 126 JOHN. 32 126 John Street is an Italianate house with eave returns in the front and side gables, large brackets, front and side square bay windows and cornice detail carried through on the windows. PROCEED NORTH ALONG JOHN STREET.
33 150 John Street is a Queen Anne Revival style house with a neo classical rounded style wraparound verandah and dentil detail below the eaves and on the porch. 158 John Street was built in 1891 1892 for Sheriff John Hossie. It has Romanesque style features with unusual windows, floral bargeboards and turned finials. TURN EAST AT NORMAN STREET 34 118 to 93 Norman Street. 118 Norman Street was built between 1875 1876 and features a slate roof, two storey bracketed bay window and gable with bargeboard. 98 Norman Street* is an 1876 Italianate house complete with decorative soffit brackets and decorative brickwork around the windows. Also of interest are the sunburst window, which appears above the door and the storm porch with side verandah. 93 Norman Street is a Queen Anne Revival Style with decorative brick over Romanesque windows and a sunburst pattern in the pediment over the door. 35 89 Norman Street* dates from 1889 and is Italianate with brackets and dentil detail, side bay, decorative verandah, fieldstone foundation and circular gable window.59, 58 and 64 Norman Street are Regency Cottages identified by the steeply pitched hipped roof and centre hall plan. 64 and 58 Norman Street are very similar except for the portico built on 64.
36 36 Norman Street dates from 1864 and is Gothic with ornate brackets and intact finials along with leaded windows. CROSS OVER ST. VINCENT STREET NORTH CONTINUING EAST 37 16 Norman Street is an Italianate house, which features many of its original details. These include the arched windows in varied sizes, ornate brackets and dentil detail and storm porch with arched windows and column detail. Note also the square bay with the second floor porch. TURN LEFT AT DOUGLAS STREET AND RIGHT AT HURON AND CROSS THE BRIDGE. 38 Enjoy a stroll through the Shakespearean Gardens and Centennial Gardens behind the Perth County Court House, which will return you to the starting point. THIS COMPLETES YOUR RESIDENTIAL WALK. www.welcometostratford.com
ARCHITECTURAL VOCABULARY The following terms are provided to assist you in making your strolls around Stratford more interesting and enjoyable. Space does not permit us to point out the features of all buildings you may pass and picking out the details on your own will make the experience more complete. Baluster A carved column or upright post supporting a handrail. Bargeboards (vergeboards) The ornamental boards, often fretted, hanging from the edge of the protective gable or verge of Gothic Revival buildings. Often called gingerbread detail. Batten A strip covering a joint between vertical boards, as in board and batten Bay (a) A compartment or division of a façade usually indicated by an opening such as a door or window (b) A projection, as in a bay window. Bracket Any overhanging member projecting from a wall, to support a weight, generally formed with scrolls or volutes. Corbel A masonry projection on the courses of a wall, each course projecting slightly beyond the next below it. Intended to carry the weight of the cornice, it is often decorative. Cornice Horizontal moulded projection at the top of a building. Coursing A continuous horizontal row of brick or stone in a wall. Cresting Ornamental finish along the top of a wall or roof. Dentil Small rectangular block, similar in effect to teeth, found in the lower part of a cornice. Dichromatic brickwork Brickwork laid in two colours, also called bichromatic. Finial Ornamental terminating on an apex of a gable, pinnacle, spires, etc. Frieze The part of a cornice below the facia board and soffit, flat on wall surface, sometimes highly decorated Gable The triangular portion of a wall, between the enclosing lines of a sloping roof. Headings The area immediately over a window or door. Keystone The central wedge shaped stone of masonry arch. Label A door or window moulding extending part way down the sides. Lintel A horizontal length of stone, iron, timber or reinforced concrete, carrying the weight of the wall above a window or door. Oriel Window An upper floor bay window supported by corbels. Palladian Window A window in three parts, the centre section larger and arched at the head, the smaller sections on either side having squared heads. Pediment The triangular area above a portico or window or door. Pilaster A rectangular feature in the shape of a pillar but projecting only about one sixth of its breadth from a wall. Portico A small porch with pillars supporting a roof. Quoins The accentuated members of a corner, often formed of stone, but also fashioned of brick, appearing to bond the corners of a building. Sidelights Glass panels on either side of a door. Transom The rectangular member and sash above a window or door. Verandah An open portico, gallery or balcony, usually roofed, along the outside of a building Regency Style One of the earliest brick house styles in Stratford popular from the later 1850s to the early 1870s. Gothic Revival Style Features include gables, finials and the decorative wooden bargeboard or ornate gingerbread gable trim, popular in Stratford 1871 1890s Second Empire Style Identifiable by its third storey which is a mansard roof with dormer windows and Italianate brackets. Italianate Style Features include asymmetrical shape, two storey structure, protruding bay windows and prominent, ornate brackets. Queen Anne Revival Style First style to have a broken roof line (different heights). Emphasis is on contrasting building materials and colours, architectural features and windows. A prominent feature is the fish scale or wood shingling which appears on the top storey of residential buildings. Queen Anne Box Style Working man s home, post WWI until the late 1920s. Features include ab a shaped pediment with fish scale and a boxlike structure. Edwardian Revival Style Named after King Edward I, features include Neo Classical lines, pressed tinwork or cornice work adorning under the soffits. Jacobethan Style Combination of Jacobean and Elizabethan architecture. Features include large bay windows, round arched doorways, brick and stone with wooden work. Foursquare Style Based on the work of American architect, Fran Lloyd Wright, square in structure and very simplistic in design, popular during the 1920s 30s
The contents of this historical walk were originally developed by the Perth County Historical Foundation and the Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (Heritage Stratford). The information has been revised and updated by the Stratford Perth Archives in partnership with Stratford Tourism.