Description of Historic Place

The Herbert Denison House is located at 1207 Lorne Park Drive, on the north side of Lorne Park Drive, between Garden Road and Queen Victoria Avenue, in the City of Mississauga. The one-and-a-half storey residence was constructed in circa 1890 and is currently clad in aluminum siding.

The property was designated, by the City of Mississauga in 1983, for its cultural heritage value, under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act, By-law 281-83.

Heritage Value

Located in the Lorne Park neighbourhood, the picturesque silhouette of the Herbert Denison House stands out on Lorne Park Road. The homes on the street have become in close proximity to each other and are a combination of older homes and very modern ones, none of which are as notable as 1207 Lorne Park Drive. The Herbert Denison House is a very prominent landmark on the streetscape, imparting character to the neighbourhood of traditional suburban houses.

The Herbert Denison House is associated with many different owners, including the Denison, McDougall, and Tedder families, all of whom were responsible for various additions to the structure. Land records indicated that there were no buildings on this site in 1877. A portion of the house is believed to incorporate a log structure known as the McGill Cabin, which was constructed in circa 1858 and subsequently moved to the site. Most notably is the home's distinctive octagonal tower, which was added by Herbert Denison. It was salvaged from a nearby building and rolled down the street, where he incorporated it into the home's design. The architectural evolution of the home mirrors the passing of families through the house and their love for this structure.

The Herbert Denison House is an unusually rich example of the picturesque vernacular style of the 1880s. This is depicted with its variety of gabling and ornately carved bargeboard and gingerbread that was hand carved by Herbert Denison. The structure was added to over the years, with the two-and-a-half storey tower marking the most notable addition. The octagonal tower provides a romantic Asian influence with its two-tiered pagoda roof. The veranda complicates the house's massing and adds to the variety of roof types utilized. The porches, balconies and verandas added to the Herbert Denison House give it an airy spatial quality and are testament to the high degree of craftsmanship demonstrated by its builders.

Sources: Heritage Structure Report, City of Mississauga, February 17, 1982; Toth, Edna. Gingerbread House: a Lorne Park Landmark, The Mississauga News, May 25, 1990; The City of Mississauga By-law 281-83.

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements that contribute to the heritage value of the Herbert Denison House include its:
- one-and-a-half storey construction
- steeply pitched gable roof
- gingerbread in all the gables and along the eaves
- stone foundation
- log walls covered in clapboard
- two-and-a-half storey projecting octagonal tower, topped with a pagoda-like, two-tiered roof and a finial
- varying sized two-over-two, double hung windows
- small gothic window in front gable
- wrap around veranda with bellcast mansard roof, cambered posts and intricate gingerbread