Description of Historic Place

The Steiner Residence is located at 1401 King Street North, on the west side of King Street, north of Spring Street, and south of Albert Street, in the Village of St. Jacobs, within the Township of Woolwich. The two-storey rubble stone and brick building was constructed in circa 1858.

The property was designated by the Township of Woolwich, in 1994, for its historical or architectural value or interest, under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act (By-law 74-94).

Heritage Value

Located in the heart of the Village of St. Jacobs, the Steiner Residence makes a valuable contribution to the historic streetscape. The Conestogo River, just two streets away, serves as a scenic backdrop.

The property was purchased by John Wideman, in 1856, who commissioned the construction of the two-storey rubble stone and brick building, now known as the Steiner Residence. It is believed that Mr. Wideman originally ran his butcher shop on the main floor and lived above. The hand forged butcher's rack remains insitu on the ground floor. The house was named after the Steiner family, who owned the property between 1913 and 1993.

The Steiner Residence is a fine example of vernacular Georgian style architecture, which was common in the St. Jacobs area in the middle of the 19th century. The first-storey is constructed of rubble stone and features massive corner quoins. Locally made red-brick set in English common bond triple brick is used for the second-storey as well as the attic. The unusual three-bay first-storey façade has the original 8 over 8 double-hung sashes, which were a typical feature of period storefronts. The second-storey expresses the Georgian fashion with a four-bay style façade. From King Street, the north and south two-bay profiles, the low gable roof and return eaves can be seen. The building's façade has remained essentially unaltered for over 100 years.

Source: Township of Woolwich, By-law 74-94.

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements that contribute to the heritage value of the Steiner Residence include its:
- hand forged butcher's rack found on the first-storey
- rubble stone construction with massive corner quoins on the first-storey
- locally made brick on second-storey and attic set in English common bond triple brick
-three-bay first-storey façade with original 8 over 8 double hung sash
- four-bay style of second-storey façade
- low gable roof with return eaves on north and south elevations
- location in the centre of St. Jacobs
- location in close proximity to the Conestogo River