Intention to Designate 30 South St W, Dundas (Osler House)

Description of Property

The 0.52-hectare property at 30 South Street West is comprised of a two-storey brick residence constructed circa 1847, known as the Osler House, located on the corner of South Street West and Lyons Lane in the community of Dundas in the City of Hamilton.

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

The cultural heritage value of the property lies in its design value as a representative example of residential Neo-Classical architecture, as demonstrated by its symmetrical façade, hipped roof, projecting central pediment, Tuscan columns, triglyph fascia, and modillioned cornice. The property also demonstrates a high degree of craftsmanship in the form of its Tuscan columns, fascia with triglyphs, modillion cornice, and bracketed eaves.

The historical value of the property lies in its direct association with William Miller (1810-1891), the original owner of the building. Miller worked as a lawyer in Dundas for 18 years before being appointed the first judge of the newly formed County of Waterloo in 1853, a position he held for 35 years. The historical value of the property also lies in its direct association with Featherstone Lake Osler (1805-1895), an Anglican clergyman who moved to Dundas with his wife and children after being appointed rector the joint parish of Ancaster & Dundas in 1857 by Bishop John Strachan (1778-1867). While living in Dundas, Osler established a night school for boys working in the local mills, and among his students was Charles Victor Roman (1864-1934), a doctor and civil rights activist who became the first Black person to graduate from Hamilton Collegiate Institute in 1884. Three of Osler’s children who were raised at 30 South Street West rose to national prominence: Britton Bath Osler (1839-1901) a lawyer; Sir Edmund Osler (1845-1924), a businessman and founder of the Royal Ontario Museum; and, Sir William Osler (1849-1919), a doctor considered to be the father of modern medicine. While William Osler contributed to many advances of modern medicine, his history is also complicated by his endorsement and perpetuation of racist views. 

The contextual value of the property lies in its role in defining the historic character of South Street and the community of Dundas. The property is historically and visually linked to its surroundings as part of the surviving mid-nineteenth century streetscape, and is sited on its original location, formerly fronting onto what is now Osler Drive, named in honour of the Osler family. Due to its large lot size, significant tree canopy and deep setback of the building, the property is considered to be a local landmark. 

The key attributes that embody the cultural heritage value of the property as a representative example of residential Neo-Classical architecture and its association with previous owners William Miller and Featherstone Lake Osler, include:

• All four elevations and the roofline of the two-storey brick building, including its:
  • Low-hipped roof with its:
    • Flanking brick-clad chimneys;
    • Bracketed eaves; and,
    • Modillion cornice;
  • Brick façades;
  • Flat-headed hung wood windows with storms, plain lug sills, brick voussoirs, and shutters;
  • Segmentally arched hung wood windows with storms, plain lug sills, brick voussoirs, and shutters;
  • North elevation with its:
    • Projecting central gabled bay;
    • Plain wood soffit;
    • Plain bracketed eaves;
    • Arched windows with radiating voussoir, plain lug sill, and shutters;
    • Flat-headed window openings with one-over-one hung wood windows with storms, plain lug sills and shutters;
    • Covered porch with Tuscan columns, central pediment, triglyph fascia, modillioned cornices, and flanking French doors with storms and shutters;
    • Carved wood front doors and doorframe with transom and sidelights;
  • South elevation with its:
    • Segmentally arched doorway with three pane glass transom and stone lug sill;
    • Bracketed eaves on the first-storey porch.
• East, north and south elevations and the roofline of the one-and-a-half storey carriage house with its:
  • Brick façades;
  • Segmentally-arched window openings with plain lug sills and double hung wood windows; and,
  • Segmentally-arched door openings.

The key attributes that embody the contextual value of the property as a defining feature of the historic character of South Street West and the community of Dundas and a local landmark include the:

• Deep setback from South Street West with grassed lawn in between; and,
• Mature tree lines along all four property lines, including the cucumber magnolia tree in the north yard.