Description of Historic Place

The Cockshutt Plow Company, located at 66 Mohawk Street, is on the north side of Mohawk Street, west of Emilie Street, in the City of Brantford. The three storey red brick industrial building was constructed in 1903.

The property was designated, by the City of Brantford in 2002, for its cultural heritage value, under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act, By-law 135-2002.

Heritage Value

Located at 66 Mohawk Street, the office buildings and warehouse of The Cockshutt Plow Company are situated in an industrial area. It is in close proximity to residential neighbourhoods that, at one time, provided housing to the industry's workers and their families.

The Cockshutt Plow Company is associated with the development of the agricultural industry in Canada, particularly that of the Prairie Provinces. The company was very prosperous and expanded to the Mohawk site, in 1903, where they bought 33 acres of land and employed 900 people. The Cockshutt Plow Company manufactured farming equipment and the Tiller Combine was invented here in 1930. The company contributed to World War II by building aircraft parts, grenades and other war equipment. During this time they employed as many as 5000 workers.

Built in 1903, the Office and Time Office buildings of the Cockshutt Plow Company are representative examples of late nineteenth century industrial architecture in Brantford. The Office building has a flat roof and is rendered in red brick. For the most part, the building's original exterior has stayed intact. To the back of the Office building is a three storey building, formerly used as a warehouse that has been partially demolished. The building displays a high degree of craftsmanship in its brickwork. In particular on the front facade is a semi circular pattern of bricks, below the roofline, that contains a stone inscribed with the company name. A red brick facade was added to the Time Office building, in 1912, to match the Office building.

Source: City of Brantford, By-law 135-2002.

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements that contribute to the heritage value of the Cockshutt Plow Company include its:
- location in an industrial area of Brantford
- proximity to the surrounding residential area
- company inscription in stone on the building
- three storey red brick exterior
- flat roof
- gable shaped brickwork above the entrance with a stone label of “Office”
- windows with lug sills
- fenestration
- symmetry of the front facade
- cut-stone foundation
- brick voussoirs
- triple arcade with name stone
- two brick columns flanking in the main doorway
- column details
- inscription of the years 1877 and 1903
- corbelling at the roof line