Description of Historic Place

The William Cunningham House is located at 19 Barry Avenue, on the south side of Barry Street, west of Queen Street South, in the former village of Streetsville, now the City of Mississauga. The one-and-a-half storey red brick residence was constructed in circa 1860.

The property was designated, by the City of Mississauga, in 2004, for its heritage value, under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act (By-law 468-2004).

Heritage Value

The William Cunningham House is associated with William Cunningham, its builder and original owner. Cunningham's family emigrated from Dunbarton, Scotland settling in Streetsville. William and his brother Matthew operated a tinsmithy at the corner of William and Queen Street. In 1902, William's nephew donated the tinsmithy building to the Streetsville Library Board and it was used as the Streetsville Public Library, until 1967.

Although built in the 1860s, the William Cunningham House reflects the Regency style, with its one-and-a-half-storey height, low hip roof and paired ornamental chimneys. There is some aspect of the Georgian Revival style as seen in the quoins. The window heads are segmented with console keystones, popularized in the mid-1860s. One window has a flat-arch radiating voussoir, which was popular in the 1850s.

In circa 1990, the dwelling was divided and split into two residences, with one residence having its address on Barry Avenue, while the rear portion of the building has its address on Victoria Street.

Source: City of Mississauga, By-law 468-2004.

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements that contribute to the heritage value of the William Cunningham House include the:
- one-and-a-half-storey red brick exterior
- low hip roof
- three-bay facade
- paired bracketed chimneys
- polychrome brick quoins
- polychrome corbelled frieze
- enclosed porch
- door with segmented head
- painted keystones
- three-light transom
- six over six windows
- segmented window heads
- console keystones