Description of Historic Place

The Gingerich Property, located at 1 Shadybrook Court, is situated on the southeast corner of Shadybrook Street and Shadybrook Court, west of Mannheim Road, in the Village of Mannheim, now the Township of Wilmot. The one-and-a-half-storey stone residence was constructed in circa 1863.

The property was designated, by the Township of Wilmot in 1993, for its historic and architectural value and interest, under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act (By-law 93-32).

Heritage Value

The Gingerich Property, juxtaposed with the surrounding newer development, offers a perspective into the early life of the Village of Mannheim and presents a clear reminder of that past.

The home on the Gingerich Property was constructed in circa 1863 by Peter Gingerich, a Mennonite born in Upper Canada. Records indicate that the Gingerich family began farming on the property as early as 1851, when Peter's father, Jacob S. Gingerich, worked the land. Peter gained proprietorship of the land, on which a sawmill was also situated, in 1858, when he purchased it from Samuel Bricker.

The stone Mennonite Georgian residence situated on the Gingerich Property features a layout and orientation typical of Mennonite stone house construction practices. The residence is one of only a few bank houses, houses which are built into a hill, in Wilmot Township. The house has a rectangular plan, a medium gabled roof and is symmetrical. The four-bay façade is oriented to face the south, which looks onto Shadybrook Court, with a fully exposed stone basement. The five-bay rear elevation is oriented to the north and looks onto Shadybrook Street. Another element characteristic of the Mennonite Georgian style is the large verandah which spans two-storeys of the rear façade and is constructed of plaster.

The small, rectangular wing attached to the west elevation of the house features slightly different stone work which exhibits a lesser quality of workmanship than the main portion. This is thought to have been the original building on the property, with the larger portion of the house being added later. Nonetheless, the west wing features rooflines, fascia, soffit and cornice returns which match the style of the main building, as well as a brick chimney.

Sources: Township of Wilmot, By-law 93-32, 1993; Features to Designate, The Gingerich/Sasonow-Knight House, Township of Wilmot L.A.C.A.C., 1993.

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements that contribute to the heritage value of the Gingerich Property include its:
- stone construction
- symmetrical features
- rectangular plan
- orientation on the property, with the façade to the south and rear elevation to the north
- exposed stone basement on the south façade
- two-storey verandah and plaster construction on south façade
- medium gable roof with wood shingles, wood soffit and boxed plain cornice returns
- five-bay north rear elevation, four-bay south façade
- flat, rectangular 6 over 6 windows including stone surrounds and voussoirs and wood sills
- original windows on east elevation
- six-panel wooden doors with plain wood panelled embrasure, wood lintel and stone sills on façade and rear elevation
- restored brick chimneys on east and west elevation
- rooflines, fascia, soffit and cornice returns on the west wing which match those of the main building
- window and door location on the exposed basement
- siting within a newer development