Notice of intention to designate Wilkinson-Pigott Farm, 3269 Dundas Street West

On September 8, 2026, 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:

Wilkinson-Pigott Farm
A portion of 3269 Dundas Street West
Parts 1 through 10 of on Registered Plan 20R-23176
PIN: 24927-0212

Description of property

The property at 3269 Dundas Street West is located on the north side of Dundas Street West, just west of the former village of Palermo. The property contains an evolved cultural heritage landscape that includes the remnants of the Wilkinson-Pigott Farm. The property originally consisted of approximately 200 acres of mixed-use farmland on with several structures, intentional plantings and circulation system and evolved to include recreational structures to enhance family life on the farm. The agricultural fields are not included in the heritage designated area, which is limited to the lands of Parts 1 through 10 on Reference Plan 20R-23176.

Statement of cultural heritage value or interest

The Wilkinson-Pigott farm is of cultural heritage value as the remnants of a mixed-use farm complex in Oakville that was in active use as a working farm from the middle of the 19th-century into the 21st-century. The proximity to water and the variety of tree types, hedgerows and general landscaping around the two farmhouses are important natural elements that reflect a typical family farm lifestyle. The designated portion of the property lies along Dundas Street West, extending along the entrance laneway and curving northwest towards the barn. The Fourteen Mile Creek lies to the west of the designated boundary.

Design and physical value

The Wilkinson-Pigott Farm consists of a mixture of building structures, vegetation and landscape features in a layout typical of a 19th century farm complex. Originally, the farmhouse was at the front, set back from the highway facing south, surrounded by gardens and recreational areas. The barn and other agricultural buildings were to the north, close but well separated from the farmhouse, designed to prevent the spread of fire and odours to the living areas. 

The original farmhouse was moved further back to the north from its original location and has since been demolished; however, its foundations have been marked to demonstrate its spatial relationship within the landscape. The 1947 Pigott house was constructed in the original location of the farmhouse. While not considered historic itself, the location of the Pigott house helps to demonstrate the evolving character of the farm landscape while the Pigott family expanded their recreational uses of the property for the enjoyment of their family.

The two remaining buildings that have physical value are the original portion of the gabled barn along with its silo and the summerhouse structure. The gabled barn, not including the modern additions, is representative of 19th century farm buildings and the trend of re-using historic materials in barn construction. The summerhouse demonstrates the evolving use of the property during the Pigott family’s occupation of the property, incorporating recreation into the practical farm landscape.

Historical and associative value

The Wilkinson-Pigott Farm has historical and associative value with the Wilkinsons and Pigotts, well-known families of Trafalgar Township, both of whom owned and operated the farm on this property at various times. 

Francis Wilkinson built the original farmhouse on the property circa 1850. Francis married Clarissa Simons, the daughter of one of the first European settlers of Trafalgar Township, Bildad Simons. Francis and Clarissa’s descendants owned and farmed the property until the 1920s, building the original portion of the gabled barn located to the northwest of the house.

The next significant occupancy of the property is that of the J. M. Pigott family. The Pigott family is associated with Pigott Construction, a large Hamilton construction company which was started by Michael Pigott. Joseph M. Pigott was born in 1885 and was 60 years old when he purchased the farm. He had 6 sons. Much of the existing recreational landscaping occurred during the time the Pigott’s lived on the property. They moved the original farmhouse to the north and built a new house on its location in 1947, and constructed the summerhouse, pool, and shuffleboard court. The Pigott family operated the farm until the 1990s, winning numerous awards for their livestock at the Royal Winter Fair. When the land was sold, it was rented to a former employee of the Pigott family who continued to farm the property well into the 2020s.

Contextual value

The Wilkinson-Pigott Farm is a representative remnant example of 19th century agricultural development in Trafalgar Township. It retains components of a typical mixed use farm complex characterized by the location of its buildings, the designed landscape features and their spatial interrelationships.

Description of heritage attributes

Key heritage attributes of the Wilkinson-Pigott Farm that reflect its cultural heritage value as a 19th/ 20th-century farmstead in southern rural Ontario include:

• Its location is close to the early settlement of Palermo on the historic Dundas highway and proximity to the Fourteen Mile Creek;
• The range of building types and their placement on the site signifying the variety of historic uses and activities that took place on the property, including:
  • The foundation footprints of both the original and 1947 farmhouses;
  • The original portion of gabled barn and concrete silo;
  • The summerhouse structure;
• The landscaped and treed setting around the foundations of the two farmhouses;
• The recreational spaces created by the Pigott family, including the pool area and outline of the shuffleboard court; and
• The clearly defined road circulation pattern related to the farm uses of the property.

Any objection to this designation must be filed no later than October 13, 2026.  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 regarding this proposed designation is available from the Town of Oakville. Any inquiries may be directed to Kristen McLaughlin, Heritage Planner at 905-845-6601, ext.3908 (TTY 905-338-4200), or by email at kristen.mclaughlin@oakville.ca. 

Issued at the Town of Oakville on September 10, 2026.