Description of Historic Place

Set into the hillside of Murray Street facing south, Central School is an Italianate three storey buff brick structure with an addition to the west. It is surrounded on the north, west and east by 19th century residential housing. Immediately to the south of the building is Victoria Park, which leads to the Peterborough County Courthouse at the top of the hill.

Central School has been recognized for its heritage value through the City of Peterborough By-Law #05-196.

Heritage Value

Within the context of the development of Peterborough's education system, Central School is extremely important. Built on the site of Peterborough's first log schoolhouse, Central School, or Union School as it was originally named, was built to replace both common and grammar schools in the area. Construction started in 1857, and the new school opened on January 3, 1860. The school soon exceeded its capacity of 400 students, and in 1871, a new school building was built to the west of the original structure to provide additional space. Another classroom addition was built in 1891 on the rear of the original building, as well as a new gymnasium in the mid 1890's. The 1860 and 1871 buildings are currently physically linked in yet another (modern) addition.

Central School remains important to the thousands of local students (and their families) who graduated over the years. Included among the alumni is the Right Honourable Lester B. Pearson, Prime Minister of Canada, and Nobel Peace Prize winner. Pearson, who lived in Peterborough while his father was the minister at George Street Methodist Church, graduated from Central School in 1908. Pearson returned to Peterborough for Central School's 100th Anniversary in 1960.

A dominant feature on the streetscape, Central School remains a good example of the Italianate style, despite past renovations. The projecting frontispiece (that was formerly a tower), wide overhanging eaves, and tall windows are hallmarks of the style, as is the low-hipped roof on the original building. The 1871 addition retains similar features to the original structure, but is not as emphatically Italianate in style.

Source: Central School Heritage Designation Brief, City of Peterborough By-Law #05-196

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements that embody the Italianate style of Peterborough's Central School include:
- buff coloured brick walls on both original building and 1871 addition
- all decorative brick work (quoins, voussoirs, string courses)
- projecting frontispiece in the original structure (remaining tower)
- original fenestration and dormers
- double stack chimneys on both original and 1871 buildings
- all entrances on the original and 1871 buildings
- wide overhanging eaves, fascia and soffits on both buildings
- low hip roof on original building and medium pitch hip roof on 1871 addition