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.

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