Inventory Report: 185 Burnhamthorpe Rd. West, Featherstone Farm

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31: 185 Burnhamthorpe Rd. West, Featherstone Farm

1. Description of Property Municipal Address 185 Burnhamthorpe Rd. West Name (if applicable) Featherstone Farm Legal Description PT LT 17, CON 2 TRAFALGAR, NORTH OF DUNDAS STREET , AS IN 425564 ; TOWN OF

OAKVILLE Location of Property The property is located on the north side of Burnhamthorpe Rd. West, west of Sixth Line and

east of Neyegawa Blvd. Ownership Private Access Access was not granted. Photos taken from road, October 15, 2015 (AB) Current Use Residential- Agricultural Existing Designation Listed on the Register of Properties of Cultural Heritage Value of Interest (NOT Designated).

Description: “This property has potential cultural heritage value for its historic barn and former farmstead, historically associated with the agricultural development of Trafalgar Township.” Formally designated under Part IV of the OHA; designation By-Law 1992-237. De-designated in 2010 under By-Law No. 2010-074.

General Description The Featherstone farmhouse is a one-and-a-half-storey Victorian Gothic style frame house, with a central gable gothic arched window, trim, shingled roof and two storey rear addition (late 20th century). The main house is on a high point and set back from the road with an open grassy lawn lined with mature trees.

Priority Level Low

Figure 1: 185 Burnhamthorpe Rd. West (AB 2015)

Farmhouse

FrameGarage

Outbuilding

Shed

Burn

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. W.

Fourth LineFarmhouse

Barn

Pasture

Farmhouse

FrameGarage

Outbuilding

Shed

Burnham

thorpe R

d. W.

LEGEND

185 Burnhamthorpe Rd. W.

Cultural Heritage LandscapeInventory Map

Drawing not to scale

Corporation of theTown of Oakville1225 Trafalgar RdOakville, ONL6H 0H3

Watercourse

Site Structures

Vegetation

Assessment Boundary

Building

CHL Study Area

Heritage District

Heritage Trail

Parkland

Park Trail

Road

Cemetery

Inventory Report: 185 Burnhamthorpe Rd. West, Featherstone Farm

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2. Key Recommendations Priority = Low

Rationale for priority level:

• Part IV OHA designation was removed;

• Current listed status on Register provides sufficient protection; and

• Potential for development of surrounding landscape.

Recommendations for future action:

• Continue to keep this property Listed on the Register of Properties of Cultural Heritage Value of Interest (NOT Designated); and

• Consider initiating a rural properties study to evaluate and consider protection and planning for farmsteads as a group.

3. Documentation and Inventory of Built Form List of Built Features:

• One-and-a-half-storey Victorian Gothic style frame farmhouse, at top of rise. Large two storey rear addition added late 20th century;

• Wood frame garage with diamond upper window (wide wood siding); • Small wood frame outbuilding beyond garage (narrow wood siding) with pump out front; • Wood frame garage with diamond upper window (wide wood siding); • Large metal outbuilding associated with landscaping company located on the west side of property; and • Gravel driveway at main house and west towards metal outbuilding.

4. Documentation and Inventory of Natural Form List of Natural Features:

• Oak, Apple, Willow, Walnut, Manitoba Maple, Horsechestnut, Lilac, Rose of Sharon, Spirea, Red Cedar, Cedar, Pine; • Steeply rolling topography at road, with large open grassy areas between road and buildings.

Inventory Report: 185 Burnhamthorpe Rd. West, Featherstone Farm

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5. Design (Typology) ‘X’ all that

apply Categories of Cultural Heritage Landscape

Description

Designed Landscape “…clearly defined landscape designed and created intentionally by man.”

X Organically Evolved Landscape

“…results from an initial social, economic, administrative, and/or religious imperative and has developed in its present form in response to its natural environment”

Relict Landscape (Evolved Landscape)

“…in which an evolutionary process came to an end at some time in the past.”

X Continuing Landscape (Evolved Landscape)

“…retains an active social role in contemporary society closely associated with the traditional way of life, and which the evolutionary process is still in progress.”

Associative Cultural Landscape

“…justifiable by virtue of the powerful religious, artistic, or cultural associations of the natural element rather than material cultural evidence, which may be insignificant or even absent.”

6. Historical and Thematic Associations In 1828, the crown sold Lot 17, to Kings College, who then went on to sell the southern portion of land (100 acres) to John Featherstone.1 Featherstone is considered one of the early settler families in Trafalgar Township. Born in Weardale, County Durham, England in 1790, John married Jane Hodgins, and worked as a miner until the outset of the Industrial Revolution, 1829, at which point they moved to Canada.2 When they reached their destination of North Trafalgar in 1830, they began clearing the land in order to establish a farm, all the while residing at nearby Drumquin Farm.3

John son, John Featherstone Jr., purchased the farm in 1865.4 John Jr. set up a saw mill on the north end of the property and cut and sold lumber.5 He used some of this lumber to build a temporary home, which was incorporated into the one-and-a-half-storey Victorian home found on the property today.6 The Victorian home is believed to have been built circa 1870 and although the original kitchen was replaced, the original tongue and grove cladding remains under the vinyl siding. John Jr. Featherstone farmed the land for over three decades and the 1877 Map of Trafalgar shows a building and small orchard on his property (Figure 3).

When John Jr Featherstone died in 1899, his son William E. Featherstone assumed ownership, but kept his principal residence in Oakville while other family members work the farm.7 William Featherstone was a prominent citizen in Oakville, serving as Mayor in 1914 and 1915, as well as Worshipful Master of Oakville Masonic Lodge. In 1934 William sold the property to his son Emerson Featherstone, who transferred it to his son Donald Featherstone in 1975.8 Donald Featherstone owned the property until at least 1992 when it was designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act (By-law 1992-237).

1 Town of Oakville, By-Law No. 1992-237 2 Ibid. 3 Ibid. 4 Ibid. 5 Ibid. 6 Ibid. 7 Ibid. 8 Ibid.

Inventory Report: 185 Burnhamthorpe Rd. West, Featherstone Farm

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During the late 20th century a fire destroyed a portion of the home and the large two storey addition was rebuilt (Figure 4). The property was de-designated in 2010, under By-law No. 2010-074.

Figure 3: Featherstone Farm shown on 1877 Map of Trafalgar (Pope, 1877)

Inventory Report: 185 Burnhamthorpe Rd. West, Featherstone Farm

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Figure 4: Polaroids tracking the fire and reconstruction of the two storey addition, date unknown (Town of Oakville)

7. Contextual Associations Surrounding Landscape:

The property is located on the north side of Burnhamthorpe Rd. West. This portion of Burnhamthorpe Road has retained its rural character on the north and south side of the street. The area surrounding the property is primarily comprised of large agricultural fields, some of which may be historically linked to the property.

Inventory Report: 185 Burnhamthorpe Rd. West, Featherstone Farm

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8. Evaluation (O. Reg 9/06)

O.Reg.9/06 Criteria Criteria

Potentially Met (Y/N)

Potential Justification

1. The property has design value or physical value because it,

i. is a rare, unique, representative or early example of a style, type, expression, material, or construction method,

Y

With its Victorian Gothic farmhouse, well-established vegetation, and concentrated arrangement of house, laneway, outbuildings, and features such as water pumps, the Featherstone property may be a representative example of a 19th century, Trafalgar Township farm.

ii. displays a high degree of craftsmanship or artistic merit, or N Not shown.

iii. demonstrates a high degree of technical or scientific achievement. N Not shown.

2. The property has historical value or associative value because it,

i. has direct associations with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organization or institution that is significant to a community,

Y

Associated with several prominent members of the Featherstone family, who played a significant role in the agricultural and civic development of Trafalgar Township.

ii. yields, or has the potential to yield, information that contributes to an understanding of a community or culture, or

N Not known.

iii. demonstrates or reflects the work or ideas of an architect, artist, builder, designer or theorist who is significant to a community.

N Not shown.

3. The property has contextual value because it,

i. is important in defining, maintaining or supporting the character of an area, N Not shown.

ii. is physically, functionally, visually or historically linked to its surroundings, or Y

The Featherstone Farm property may have historical links with the surrounding agricultural fields. It may also be part of a larger farming landscape along Burnhamthorpe Road.

iii. is a landmark. N Not shown.

Inventory Report: 185 Burnhamthorpe Rd. West, Featherstone Farm

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9. Photographic Documentation

Figure 5: View of 185 Burhamthorpe Road (AB 2015)

Figure 6: Trees along road, large aluminum outbuilding in background (AB 2015)

Inventory Report: 185 Burnhamthorpe Rd. West, Featherstone Farm

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Figure 7: Outbuildings to west of house (Town of Oakville, 2009)

Figure 8: 185 Burnhamthorpe Road, front elevation (Town of Oakville, 2008)

Inventory Report: 185 Burnhamthorpe Rd. West, Featherstone Farm

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Figure 9: 185 Burhamthorpe Road, rear elevation (Town of Oakville, 2009)

Figure 10: View of surrounding agricultural fields (Town of Oakville, 2009)

Inventory Report: 185 Burnhamthorpe Rd. West, Featherstone Farm

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10. Analysis & Recommendations Potential Heritage Value:

The Featherstone Farm property may have heritage value as a representative example of a 19th century farmstead and because of its historical associations with 19th century farming in Oakville. Its heritage value will depend on the integrity of the property (the extent to which it retains original elements of a 19th century farmstead) in comparison with other farmsteads in the Town. The value may lie in the collection of buildings created for agricultural purposes, and their placement on the site and in relation to the road and fields, more than in individual buildings.

Actions:

The Featherstone Farm property is one of a number of former farmsteads listed on the Town Register of Properties of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest. It may be beneficial for the Town to look at these farmsteads as a group before making decisions about their heritage value and the appropriate means of protection. The property was once designate under Part IV of the OHA (By-Law No. 1992-237), however the designation has been removed; such a property may be better conserved through zoning or other planning measures.

A ‘low priority level is recommended for the following reasons:

• Part IV OHA designation was removed;

• Current listed status on Register provides sufficient protection; and

• Potential for development of surrounding landscape.

11. Sources Ashe, David and Burnell, Joyce. "Oakville Street Names and Landmarks," (London, ON: Burnell Creighton Publishing), 2007.

Town of Oakville Heritage Register: Section F. Last updated: October 24th, 2014. Found online at http://www.oakville.ca/assets/2011%20planning/hrtg-SectionF-2015.pdf

---. A By-law to designated 185 Burnhamthorpe Road West as a property of historical and architectural value and interest. By-Law No. 1992-237.

---. Heritage Planning Photograph Collection.

Pope, J.H. Illustrated Historical Atlas of the County of Halton, Ont. Toronto: Walker & Miles. 1877. Accessed online August 2015, from http://digital.library.mcgill.ca/countyatlas/searchmapframes.php