Many homes in Cobourg are connected to the history of the town.
Here are
some of them.
Called Sidbrook because of its most recent use as a Private Hospital, this is one of Cobourg's best known Heritage buildings.
According to the town bylaw which gave Heritage designation to the building, the "villa" was originally two storeys and had a flat roof, built for Cobourg Railway director Henry Mason.
In 1868, the structure was altered to add the "High Italianate design" and the large west wing and hipped roof. Toronto architect Kivas Tully, who designed Victoria Hall, was involved in this work.
The third floor of the building was added in 1900 by William Abbott of Pittsburgh, an associate of industrialist Andrew Carnegie. Also added at that time was the "Beau-arts Corinthian portico with balcony and its one-storey Corinthian porch," according to the town bylaw.
Inside, heritage designation protects the woodwork, ceilings, foyer paneling and staircase.
"Sidbrook is a rare surviving example of an early Victorian villa in Cobourg and also an example of the grand summer houses that once line Cobourg streets," the bylaw states as the reasons for designation and preservation of the building.
Current plans for the building are to convert it to 6 Condominiums. Text updated Jan 19, 2009 - Photo taken 2007.
More on Americans in Cobourg. Sidbrook in better days.
Click on any photo for a larger version
Built by John Spencer, the first sheriff of Northumberland County - this is Cobourg's oldest surviving house. The house was later owned for over a century by the Daintry family. [More on George Daintry]. The bow windows on either side of the front door are rare in Canada - although they were not part of the 1827 construction. The location is at or very near the place where Eliud Nickerson built the first log cabin in the area.
The building currently houses Revival Upholstery.
A charming lakeside regency cottage built by James Calcutt Jr., retaining its original wrap-around verandah and spacious lawns. [Some would disagree with who built it - see James Calcutt Story].
This cottage is right on Cobourg's main beach facing south and is now part of the Breakers Motel.
Cedar Hedge - 465 George street, 1871
The residence of James Crossen, proprietor of the Cobourg Car Works, manufacturer of Railway Cars. [Full story on James Crossen - More].
The house features substantial board and treillage on the porch and handsome ironwork above the bay windows.
The house is currently privately owned and occupied.
Click on any photo for a larger version
220 Church street ~1820's
Photo from 1987 before the building was demolished to make way for
the current Condominium building. At the time, it was reported to be
the oldest home in Cobourg. In Cobourg 1798 – 1948 by
Edwin C. Guillet, published in 1948, it was listed as one of the oldest
houses in Cobourg, saying it was occupied in the 1820s.
Photo by Kieran McAuliffe who lived here in the mid 1900's.
445 Monk Street ~ 1850's - at the end of Tremaine Street
The house was built in 1845 and the east wing added in the
1850's. George S. Boulton was the first owner.
There
were several other owners of the house before it was purchased by General Orlando Poe in 1894. After Mrs Poe's death her daughter
owned the house until 1953.
Kieren McAuliffe lived here
~1960 and supplied the photo taken ~ 1985
George S. Boulton was a key person in the development of Cobourg - more.
Brigadier General Poe was William T. Sherman’s chief engineer in Sherman’s notorious march through Georgia in the American Civil War. Poe was also a cartographer for the army. After the war, Poe was Chief Engineer on the Great Lakes for the (U.S.) Army Corp of Engineers. He died as a result of a fall into a lock he was inspecting.
Illahee Lodge
Located on Lake Ontario at 110 Ontario street S., it was originally
called Lakelands and was originally built in 1878. It was later
the residence of William Riddell, who obtained the first B.Sc.
at Victoria College, Cobourg, in 1877, and later became an eminent
lawyer.
In 1906 Mr. Riddell became a Justice of the Supreme Court of Ontario.
Mr. Riddell's wife was Anna Crossen, the daughter of James
Crossen,
who was the proprietor of the Cobourg Car Works. The Sorias, who
had long rented the home, bought it around 1899 and owned it until
1914 when Madame Margaret Soria sold it to Charles Kerr of Toronto,
son of Senator William and Myra Field Kerr of Cobourg.
The property is now the site of a new development of high-end townhomes and Condos. It is understood that the lodge will be preserved but made into a single family dwelling.