Intention to Designate 280 Wilson St E, Ancaster (Former Gurnett General Store)

Description of Property

The 0.2-hectare property municipally addressed as 280 Wilson Street East, Hamilton, is comprised of a two-and-a-half-storey vernacular brick commercial building constructed circa 1872, known as the former Gurnett General Store. The property is located on the south side of Wilson Street East, between Halson Street and Church Street, in the historic Village of Ancaster, in the community of Ancaster, in the City of Hamilton.

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

The circa 1872 two-and-a-half-storey brick structure located at 280 Wilson Street East has physical value as a representative example of a vernacular rural commercial building influenced by the Italianate style of architecture. The features typical of the Italianate style include the decorative brick elements, such as the buff brick quoining, buff brick detailing under the eaves and buff brick trim and drips on the second and third storey windows with decorative keystones, which also display a high degree of craftsmanship.

The property has historical value for its association with the Gurnett family, long-serving merchants in the Ancaster area, who operated a general store in Ancaster village between 1830 and 1939. The property is also associated with George Gurnett (1792-1861), a prominent early-nineteenth century politician, who ran the Gore Gazette, Ancaster’s first newspaper. George would later move to Toronto where he would open another newspaper and later serve as Toronto’s fourth mayor.

Contextually, this property supports and maintains the historic nineteenth-century village character of Wilson Street East. Sited on its original location surrounded by other nineteenth-century buildings of Ancaster’s historic village core, this property is functionally, historically, and visually linked to its surroundings.

Key attributes that embody the physical value of the property as a representative example of a rural vernacular commercial structure influenced by the Italianate style of architecture and in displaying a high degree of craftsmanship, and historical value for its associations with the prominent Gurnett family, include the:

• Front (west) and side (north and south) elevations and roofline of the 1872 brick building, including its:
  • Front gable roof with projecting eaves;
  • Symmetrical front elevation, including its:
    • Stretcher bond brick facade; 
    • Segmentally-arched window openings with red brick voussoirs, decorative keystones with floral motifs and stone lug sills;
    • Decorative buff brick elements, including the corner quoining, stepped brick under the front gable eaves, and the trim and drips surrounding the red brick voussoirs on the second and third storey windows; and,
  • Brick side elevations laid in Common bond.

The contemporary additions on the rear of the subject property are not considered to be of cultural heritage value or interest.

Key attributes that embody the contextual value of the property as a supporting element in the historic character of Wilson Street East and Ancaster Village, include its:

• Location fronting onto the public right-of-way along Wilson Street East.