Description of Historic Place

The building located at 107 James Street is situated on a corner lot fronting James Street, and flanking Victoria Crescent and Henderson Street in the former Village of Elora, now the Township of Centre Wellington. This two-storey stone vernacular building was constructed in 1852.

The property was designated for its cultural heritage value and interest by the Township of Centre Wellington under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act (By-Law 2006-073).

Heritage Value

The building at 107 James Street is situated in a residential community, which includes three church buildings, numerous other designated homes, and two parks. The neighbourhood is of significant historic character and dates back to one of the earliest periods of settlement in Elora. 107 James Street contributes to the historic character of the surrounding neighbourhood. The siting of this building is unique in that the James Street facade looks out onto the open space of Hoffer Park, while the Victoria Crescent elevation looks out onto Victoria Park. These open spaces have surrounded the building from the date of its construction.

The building at 107 James Street is a fine example of a well-built stone home that has stood for more than 150 years with few visible changes made to its outward appearance and siting. The vernacular home was built in 1852, making it among the oldest buildings in Elora. Since its construction, the home has been continuously occupied.

107 James Street has been carefully maintained, and closely resembles its original construction. The building is well designed, with pleasing lines and symmetrical features. Almost all of the ground floor windows are original, and the cedar shake shingles on the roof reflect the structure's original appearance. The original siting of the home remains largely intact with the exception of a portion of land north of the structure which was absorbed during the construction of Henderson Street.

Source: By-Law 2006-073, Township of Centre Wellington

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements that contribute to the heritage value of 107 James Street include its:
- well-built stone construction with few visible alterations
- exterior stonework, including window and door openings
- original windows, including the transom and side lights surrounding the front door
- cedar shake roof
- roof line and roof shape
- unrestricted views of Hoffer and Victoria Park
- original siting
- location in the historic neighbourhood