Notice of intention to designate 19 Head Street

On September 24, 2024, Oakville Town Council resolved to pass a Notice of Intention to Designate the following property under Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. O.18, as amended, as a property of cultural heritage value and interest:

Georgia Cottage
19 Head Street
Part Lot 2, Block 97, Plan 1, as in 492068; Oakville

Description of property

The property at 19 Head Street is located on the north side of Head Street, between Bond Street and Rebecca Street. The property contains a circa 1855 one-and-a-half storey frame house known as Georgia Cottage.

Statement of cultural heritage value or interest

Design and physical value

Georgia Cottage has design and physical value as a representative example of a vernacular Oakville frame house with general Georgian and Neoclassical architectural influences. The home was built circa 1855 with characteristics influenced by Georgian elements of the home include its symmetrical façade and fenestration, as well as the simple rectangular massing and frame construction with stucco cladding. The Neoclassical elements still present are the transom window above the door, the wooden sash windows 2/2 panes, and wooden window pediment lintels. A unique element is the Gothic Revival-style bargeboard. 

Historical and associative value

Georgia Cottage has historical value as it has direct associations with the Thomas family, who were important in the development of the Town of Oakville, including Merrick Thomas’ wife, Esther, who was the first long-time owner of the house, and her son, Robert Murray Thomas, who was a respected member of the community and did important work as a deaf teacher in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The house is over 150 years old, and the Thomas family and descendants owned it for 109 years. The property is also associated with George Atkins, a farmer who played a key role in the early development of the Ontario Junior Farmers Association and the Halton Region Conservation Authority. He was a radio and television broadcaster and started Farm Radio International, a radio broadcasting company for developing countries. He earned many awards, received an honorary degree from the University of Guelph and was named a Member of the Order of Canada. 

Contextual value

Georgia Cottage is important in defining, supporting, and maintaining the character of the area, a historic residential neighbourhood that developed in the mid- to late-1800s to support the local industries along the harbour and lakefront. It is one of the oldest houses in the neighbourhood and its presence adds to the historical character of the area. It sits on a corner lot, making it a prominent structure in the neighbourhood. The property is physically, functionally, visually, and historically linked to its surroundings and its presence is a reminder of the residential and working-class history of the neighbourhood. 

Description of heritage attributes

Key attributes of the property at 19 Head Street that exemplify its cultural heritage value as a vernacular house frame house with general Georgian and Neoclassical influences, as they relate to the west, south and east elevations of the original one-and-a-half storey portion, include: 

• The form and massing of the rectangular one-and-a-half storey structure with side gable roof;
• Stucco cladding;
• Fenestration of the windows and front entrance;
• Wooden front door with vertical panels and window, with wooden transom window above;
• The presence of two-over-two wooden windows with wooden trim and wooden pediment lintels; and
• Wooden Gothic Revival-style bargeboard on east and west gables.

Any objection to this designation must be filed no later than October 28, 2024.  Objections must be directed to the Town Clerk at townclerk@oakville.ca or 1225 Trafalgar Road, Oakville, Ontario L6H 0H3. The objection must include the reasons for the objection and all relevant facts.

Further information respecting this proposed designation is available from the Town of Oakville. Any inquiries may be directed to Carolyn Van Sligtenhorst, Supervisor of Heritage Conservation at 905-845-6601, ext.3875 (TTY 905-338-4200), or by email at carolyn.van@oakville.ca. 

Issued at the Town of Oakville on September 27, 2024.