September 20th, 2020:

Second Empire Architecture in Ontario – Top 32 Picks

Second Empire Architecture in Ontario

Second Empire, 1860-1880 – The mansard roof is the most noteworthy feature of this style and is evidence of the French origins. Projecting central towers and one or two-story bays can also be present.

Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Aylmer Book 1 – 445 Talbot Street West – mansard roof, iron cresting, window hoods on dormers
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Belleville Book 3 – 257 Bridge Street East, The Phillips-Burrows-Faulknor House – Glanmore National Historic Site – Harriet Phillips inherited this property from George Bleecker, her grandfather. Glanmore reflects the tastes of the well-to-do in late nineteenth century Canada. The grand house, built by local architect Thomas Hanley, was built in 1882-1883 for wealthy banker John Philpot Curran Phillips and his wife Harriet Ann Dougall, the daughter of Belleville’s Judge Benjamin Dougall. It is in the Second Empire style with mansard roof with elaborate cornices and brackets, dormer windows, iron cresting, a built-in gutter system, and multi-colored slate. The 9,000 square foot home cost $7,000 to build in 1883. The impressive suspended walnut staircase cost $62.50.
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Brockville – 181 King Street East – Gill House – 1878 additions of roof and wings – mansard roof, dormers, window hoods with keystones, iron cresting around rooftop balcony, central tower, bay windows
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Goderich – 20 Wellington Street South – The “Strachan House” was built by Adam McVicar, builder of the lighthouse, in 1880. A schooner brought 40,000 bricks to Goderich to construct this mansion for Donald Strachan, a prominent businessman. The Second Empire house features a mansard roof of patterned slate, and a tower crowned with iron cresting, and intricately molded window headings.
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Guelph Book 1 – Second Empire style – mansard roof, trichromatic tile work, window hoods on dormers, cornice brackets
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Fisherville, Nanticoke, Selkirk Book – 27 Erie Street South, Selkirk – James Cooper built this house in 1870. In 1878 he sold it to George Hoover. The frame house has irregular massing and is in the Second Empire style. It has an over-sized horseshoe dormer with barge board and finial, elaborate window molds with pediments. The three-story tower has four dormers in the mansard roof. The Fess family purchased it in 1947.
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Cornwall – 36 Fourth Street West – St. Columban’s Rectory – Second Empire domestic architecture with mansard roof and detailing; window hood, trim on gable, bay window, cornice brackets; open railing on porch and wraparound verandah
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Eden Mills Book – Grand Central Hotel, Hillsburgh – 1880s – originally it was a carriage works, transformed into a hotel, served as a bank since the early 1900s – Second Empire – mansard roof with dormers, corner quoins, paired cornice brackets
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Hamilton Book 1 – 163 Jackson Street West was built for pharmacist/entrepreneur Tristram Bickle c. 1850 – Second Empire style, mansard roof, dichromatic tile work; ionic capitals on pillars, cornice brackets, corner quoins. Bishop T.B. Fuller moved here in 1884. From 1892 to 1932, Southam newspapers owner William Southam lived here. In 1954, Ken Soble launched CHCH TV here.
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Hamilton Book 3 – Mansard-roofed three-story tower – Frederick William Fearman was the son of a shoemaker who emigrated from England in 1833 with his parents at the age of eight. He started his business with a store selling smoked and salted meats on Hughson Street between King and King William, moved to a MacNab Street North location near the farmers’ market, and eventually expanded to become W. Fearman Packing Company Limited, with a large factory at Rebecca Street and Ferguson Avenue on the Grand Trunk Railway line. The company slaughtered, hung, salted, smoked and canned pork, beef, veal and lamb for shipment around the world. Fearman built his mansion, “Ivey Lodge”, at 90 Stinson Street in 1863. It is three-story, limestone block with a Mansard-roofed tower as its front entrance; it has bay and arched windows, dormers, verge board trim, and a green metal roof.
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Jarvis – 45 Talbot Street – Second Empire style – mansard roof, dormers in roof, single cornice brackets, cornice return on small gables on window dormers
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Kingston Book 1 – 85 King Street East – 1877 – three story Victorian Second Empire style stone mansion – mansard roof, dormers, verandah, bay windows
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Kingston Book 5 – 116 Bagot Street – Second Empire, Mansard roof with dormers and window hoods, second floor balcony, bay windows, cornice brackets, dentil molding, pillared entrance
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Kingsville Book 1 – 76 Main Street East – Annabelle’s Tea House and Restaurant – Built in 1859 – Second Empire style – dormers with window hoods in mansard roof, paired cornice brackets. Anna Belle Miriah Brien Evans was Susanne’s grandmother, for whom tea was an essential part of her day. Tea time for her grandma was an institution. At 4 o’clock on a regular basis, she would proceed to the kitchen as if reminded by an internal clock. Susanne would get the small china tea set and set the table by the window in the dining room. There, as the sunlight streamed in, they would sip tea, have a biscuit, or two, and talk about the day. These are childhood memories that Susanne cherishes. In her honor, she created a place for people to spend time together and perhaps create lovely memories of their own. Tea time has a way of making an ordinary day an occasion.
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Listowel – 469 Main Street West – Second Empire style, Mansard roof, dormers with window hoods, built of Wallace brick – was once on edge of town and operated as the Last Chance Hotel – last chance for a drink before leaving town
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Midland Book 1 – 213-219 King Street – Second Empire – mansard roof, dormers, dichromatic brickwork
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Morrisburg – 31 Lakeshore Drive – Second Empire style – projecting central tower, concave mansard roof, dormers; has eighteen stained glass windows, each with a different color scheme
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Niagara-on-the-Lake Book 1 – 6 Picton Street – The Prince of Wales Hotel established 1864 – Second Empire style, mansard roof, dormers, window hoods, dichromatic brickwork, cornice brackets, second floor balcony
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Orangeville Book 1 – 16-18 Wellington Street – King House c. 1888 – Second Empire style – large brick house, mansard roof, ornamental ironwork
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Orillia – #84 – E.J. McCrohan, Harness Maker c. 1880 – Second Empire style, mansard roof, iron cresting around roof, finials on dormers, second floor balcony, corner quoins
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Ottawa Book 1 – Wellington Street – Langevin Block – is an office building facing Parliament Hill. As the home of the Privy Council Office and Office of the Prime Minister, it is the working headquarters of the executive branch of the Canadian government. The building is named after a Father of Confederation and cabinet minister Hector Langevin. Built of sandstone from a New Brunswick quarry between 1884 and 1889 – Second Empire style – Mansard roof, dormers, grotesque sculptures (fantastic or mythical figures used for decorative purposes)
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Paris Book 3 – 87 Willow Street – Second Empire style – mansard roof, tall windows, dormers
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Perth – 26 Drummond Street West – Second Empire – mansard roof, dormers with window hoods, tower, voussoirs and keystones, turned veranda roof supports with decorative capitals
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Port Perry – Corner of Water and Queen Streets – In 1840 Peter Perry purchased forty acres in downtown Port Perry and in 1844 he built a frame building which house a store, trading post, and a home for his agent, Chester Draper. Immediately after Perry’s death is 1851, the property was bought by Mason and Phillips who turned it into a hotel. Henry Charles purchased it in 1867. The present yellow building was built after the fire of 1884. The hotel had thirty rooms including a dining room and at the street level were two stores including a sample room where salesmen could display their wares. They named it the St. Charles Hotel after Henry Charles.
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Simcoe – 217 Colborne Street – Second Empire style – mansard roof, dichromatic tile work
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
St. Catharines Book 5 – 15 Welland Avenue – Second Empire – mansard roof with dormers with window hoods, three-story tower, pediment, cornice brackets, voussoirs and keystones
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
St. Marys Book 1 – 236 Jones Street East – Ercildoune was originally built as a wedding gift to George Carter’s daughter Charlotte when she married Henry Lincoln Rice in 1880. The home is built in the Second Empire style, a very rare style of home in St. Marys.
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Stouffville Book 1 – Main Street – Second Empire style – mansard roof, dormers with window hoods
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Waterdown – 299 Dundas Street – Second Empire style, mansard roof, dormers in roof, cornice brackets, two-story tower-like bays
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Wingham – Town Hall A.D. 1890 – Mansard roof, dormers, cornice brackets
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Woodstock Book 1 – 126 Graham Street – c. 1860 – Second Empire – symmetrical three-story white brick, mansard roof, dentils, decorative cornice with large brackets, two-story bay windows flank entrance, decorated cut stone lintels, rough faced stone lintels second floor, dormers have decorative wooden frames, large front door is flanked by transom and side lights, an open portico protects the entrance – now Park Place Retirement Centre
Second Empire Architectural Photos, Ontario
Peterborough Book 1 – 359 Downie Street – Second Empire style, mansard roof, window hoods, 2 story bay windows