Description of Historic Place

55 Elizabeth Street is located on the south side of Elizabeth Street, west of Waterloo Street North, in the City of Stratford. The two storey buff brick residence was constructed in 1878.

The property was designated by the City of Stratford in 1994 for its heritage value under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act (By-law 2-94).

Heritage Value

55 Elizabeth Street was originally built in 1878 during Stratford's railway boom for John Farquharson Jr, a local grocer. The residence is also associated with the prominent Ahrens family. In 1886, Alfred E. Ahrens purchased the property. Ahrens came to Stratford to practice dentistry; however, he also took an active interest in politics and became an alderman in 1890. In 1891 he was elected as the Liberal member of the Provincial Parliament and was also a member of the Odd Fellows and Tecumseh Masonic Lodge.

Ahrens' wife Isabella Ahrens (nee Day), also made significant contributions to the community. She was a very talented pianist and organist, serving in several local churches and was actively involved in the Perth County Music Teacher's Federation. Following in her mother's footsteps, their daughter Cora Ahrens became renowned not only in Stratford but throughout Canada for her expertise in playing and teaching piano.

55 Elizabeth Street is a good example of the Italianate style of architecture. Typical of this style is the horizontal massing and low-pitched hip roof. Also typical of Italianate style are the wide bracketed eaves, round hooded windows and the bullet window in the open pediment with bargeboard finial. Also of note is the iron cresting on the widows walk, the Stratford porch with side veranda and the original one-over-one windows.

Source: City of Stratford, By-law 2-94.

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements that contribute to the heritage value of 55 Elizabeth Street include its:
- two storey buff brick exterior
- horizontal massing
- hip roof
- widows walk with iron cresting
- Stratford porch
- side veranda
- one-over-one windows
- wide bracketed eaves
- round hooded windows
- window shutters
- bullet window
- open pediment
- bargeboard finial
- brick voussoirs
- brick chimney