Description of Historic Place

445 Provost Lane is situated on the west side of the street in the former Town of Fergus, now the Township of Centre Wellington. This one-and-a-half storey cut stone building was constructed in 1890.

The property was designated, for its historic and architectural value, by the Town of Fergus, under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act (By-law 3073).

Heritage Value

445 Provost Lane is associated with James H. Steele, its first proprietor. Mr. Steele was a partner in Steele Brothers Grocery and Dry Goods Store, a family enterprise that was founded in 1876 and remained a fixture in the business section of Fergus for 75 years.

445 Provost Lane is an example of excellent craftsmanship using quality materials. The original portion of the home was built in 1890, with a rear extension, matching the original structure in height and style, being added around the turn of the century. The design of the house is remarkable for its display of six full-height masonry gables, with two on each side and one on the front and one on the rear. The walls were constructed of limestone that was quarried locally. The round-headed windows in the forward most side gables feature semi-circular arches, cut from limestone quarried in Guelph Township.

Source: Town of Fergus, By-law 3073, 1991.

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements that contribute to the heritage value of 445 Provost Lane include its:
- locally quarried limestone as primary building material;
- six full-height masonry windows
- tape-pointed walls in ashlar pattern
- round-headed windows in the forward most side gables which feature semi-circular arches
- curved arches built of limestone above windows and doors
- three-sided bay window in the front wall built of limestone