Prepared By:

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HERITAGE REPORT: REASONS FOR HERITAGE DESIGNATION

Pendergast Log House

3864 Countryside Drive

July 2011

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PROFILE OF SUBJECT PROPERTY:

ROLL NUMBER 10-12-0-003-11400-0000

PIN NUMBER 142190049

MUNICIPAL ADDRESS 3864 Countryside Drive

WARD NUMBER 10

LEGAL DESCRIPTION Con 8, EHS, Pt. Lot 16

PROPERTY NAME Pendergast Farm

CURRENT OWNER Hayford Holdings Inc.

CRITERIA GRADE A

CURRENT ZONING

OWNER CONCURRENCE? Yes / No

CURRENT USES AND FUNCTIONS Vacant

PREVIOUS OWNERS AND OCCUPANTS

CONSTRUCTION DATE Circa 1867 RESOURCES ON SUBJECT PROPERTY INCLUDED IN DESIGNATION (circle)

Building Cemetery-Burial site Structure-object

Historic site Cultural heritage landscape

RELEVANT COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS

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1.0 REASONS FOR HERITAGE DESIGNATION:

The property at 3864 Countryside Drive is worthy of designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value or interest. The property meets the criteria for designation prescribed by Province of Ontario (regulation 9/06) under the three categories of design or physical value, historical value and contextual value.

1.1 STATEMENT EXPLAINING THE CULTURAL HERITAGE VALUE OR INTEREST OF THE PROPERTY:

The cultural heritage value of 3864 Countryside Drive is related to its design or physical value as an intact example of a 19th century vernacular log house. The log cabin is the first building style erected by European settlers upon their arrival in Upper Canada. Few remain in Ontario. For many settlers, log houses were intended to be temporary lodging. As settlers began to develop their farms, it was not unusual for them to retain their original log home. Log homes were uses as either sheds or utility buildings once a more substantial home was erected. In some cases the primitive structure was kept as the main house but disguised with a veneer of brick, stucco or clapboards. In such instances, the log house would generally be expanded with wings and upper storeys. Such a practice demonstrated social status and prosperity.

The property also has historical or associative value as it can be associated with Brampton’s early settlers. Captain John Abraham Odlum received grants for over 1000 acres of land in Northern Toronto Gore in 1829. The Crown Patent for Lot 16, Concession 8, ND was issued to Odlum in 1834. Abraham died in 1857 and Wiliam G. Odlum sold Lot 16 in two parts in 1857, with the east 81.5 acres of land going to Frances C. Berry. The earlier Census Return (1851) records Nicholas and Frances Berry and their family as occupants of a two storey frame tavern. Details from the census reveal that Nicholas Berry was born in Ireland circa 1813 and that his profession was an innkeeper. His wife Francis was born in England circa 1818. Although Francis Berry had bought the land two years earlier, Tremaine’s map (1859) continues to note William Odlum as the owner of the east half of Lot 16. A building is not shown on the property at this time.

The Census Return (1861) reports that innkeeper Nicholas Berry and his family occupied a one storey frame house; the location was recorded in the agricultural return. It is probable that the family did not move to Lot 16, Concession 8 ND until after 1861, and that the they built a log house at this time. Land records show that Nicholas Berry and his wife Francis registered a mortgage on the land in 1863 and again in 1871. Lynch’s Directory (1873-4) notes Nicholas Berry as the owner of Lot 16, Concession 8 ND, Toronto Gore Township.

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William Shaw bought the property from Nicholas Berry and others in February 1877. The Illustrated Historical Atlas (1877) continues to show James Berry on the property with a farmhouse and orchard marked on Countryside Drive in the location of the present farmhouse. Samuel Shaw sold the property to Robert Shaw in 1883. Land records indicated Francis Charlotte Berry registered a conveyance of ownership to Robert Shaw in 1887.

Assessment rolls indicate that John Pendergast began leasing the farmhouse and property from Robert Shaw in 1890. Pendergast continued to lease the property until he bought the farm in 1910. The Census Return (1901) notes John and Margaret Pendergast and family leased and lived in the 8-room log house. At least one Pendergast family member has resided in the log house for 85 years since 1890.

The Pendergast family has been a longstanding household in Brampton’s history. Anthony Pendergast left Ireland in the spring of 1842 and eventually made a home in the Claireville area, where he met his wife Julia Doyle. They settled in the Toronto Gore and had six children, one of which was John Pendergast.

When John Pendergast began renting the farm, he was required to build a barn on the property as part of the agreement. There was a barn just west of the present location so in 1903 it was moved and put on a stone foundation. After he took ownership of the log house, he began doing extensive renovations. The log farmhouse was clad with a brick veneer in 1921 with bricks from the Brampton Brickyard, sand from the mortar from Innis Farm, gravel from Ackroyd’s pit in Chinguacousy Township, and lumber and other supplies from Weston, Ontario. The renovation was a collaborative effort from various Brampton settlers including James Watson, mason, Wilbin Heard, brick layer, John Stubbs, carpenter, Mr. Doney, plumber and Mr.Robertson of Orangeville, plasterer.

A phone was installed in 1910 by the Bolton Telephone Company managed by Mr. Caldwell. The hydro was installed in 1930 by Mr. Perry of Toronto at a cost of 40 cents an outlet. Until this time, there was a hand operated pressure pump in the basement for water pressure. The Pendergast home was a staple in the neighborhood; when the township had the official opening of a bridge in 1827, fellow residents visited the home for refreshments.

In 1950, the front verandah was enclosed and a back porch was added on with the help of Father Howe. In October of 1970, an oil furnace was installed. During the winter of 1971 new bathroom fixtures and a new kitchen and taps were installed by Keith Pendergast. That fall, part of the wall between the kitchen and living room was removed and two doorways closed off. The kitchen and wainscoting in the living room was paneled in Birch. The renovations were carried out by Keith Pendergast and John

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Kearns. Edward Pendergast carried on the farm after his father’s death until retiring in 1975.

The cultural heritage value of the property is also connected to its contextual value as it reflects the history of Brampton. The character of the existing setting is rural, and that of a former farm complex. Therefore, the house reflects Brampton’s significant agricultural past. This rare log house also alludes to early settlement practices in Brampton

The statement explaining the cultural heritage value or interest of the property, including a description of the heritage attributes of the property along with all other components of the Heritage Report: Statement of Reasons for Heritage Designation, constitute the "reason for heritage designation" required under the Ontario Heritage Act.

1.2 DESCRIPTION OF THE HERITAGE ATTRIBUTES OF THE PROPERTY:

Unless otherwise indicated, the reason for designation apply generally to all exterior elevations, facades, foundation, roof and roof trim, all doors, windows, other structural openings and associated trim, all architectural detailing, construction materials of wood, stone, brick, plaster parging, metal and glazing and related building techniques, fencing, all trees, shrubs, hedgerows, other vegetation and the grounds and vistas generally. The designation only applied to the log portion of the structure. The grounds and vegetation are not included in the designation.

To ensure that the cultural heritage value of this property is conserved, certain heritage attributes that contribute to its value have been identified specifically and they include:

Design / Physical Value: A vernacular log house Squared log walls are clearly visible inside the attic of the building and in the

ground floor front room; unhewn round logs are visible from the basement Sidewalls are atypically higher on the second floor, thus allowing low windows to

be installed on the front and back of the building under the eaves Log construction comprises substantial main logs of between 13 inches and 20

inches in diameter and smaller logs in between as infill The ground floor of the main section is supported on unpeeled logs measuring

more or less 12 inches placed at 3 feet spacing. On the attic floor, log construction appears to extend at least to the tops of the

knee walls and may include the gable ends as well.

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Side gable-roof Enclosed front vestibule built as an open porch in 1921 3-bay front façade with centre door and flanking window openings Original log construction of main block shows no evidence of visible rot or insect

damage and appears solid; where inspected, the logs seemed to be firm and dry. The log structure does not appear to be significantly modified aside from a

modification of the kitchen door.

Historical / Associative Value: Associated with the Pendergast family, a longstanding household in the City of

Brampton; members of the Pendergast family have resided in the log house for 85 years (1890-1975)

The vernacular log house reflects 19th century settlement practices Craftsmanship and materials used in construction are a reflection of Brampton

and local area

Contextual Value: Contributes to the rural and agricultural character of the area.

2.0 GENERAL PROPERTY DESCRIPTION:

The property is situated in the former Toronto Gore Township.

The lot is rectangular shaped. The dimensions of the main block are approximately 28 feet by 20 feet.

The plan of the principle structure is a simple rectangle-shape.

The principle elevation (main façade) is emphasized by the following elements: 3-bay front façade with centre door and flanking window openings Enclosed front vestibule The structure sits on a random course fieldstone foundation.

Landscaping elements include: The site is well treed and the farmhouse is not visible from roadside

Adjacent property features include: A long gravel drive leads northward from Countryside Drive onto the property,

where it is surrounded by trees.

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3.0 HERITAGE EVALUATION / CRITERIA NOTE:

The subject property meets the criteria for designation prescribed by the Province of Ontario under Ontario Heritage Act Regulation 9/06.

The property was listed in the Municipal Register of Cultural Heritage Resources in October 12, 2005. It was rated a Category A.

4.0 POLICY FRAMEWORK

In the context of land use planning, the Province of Ontario has declared that the wise use and management of Ontario’s cultural heritage resources is a key provincial interest.

A set of Provincial Policy Statements (PPS) provides planning policy direction on matters of provincial interest in Ontario. These statements set the policy framework for regulating the development and use of land. The current set of policies was last reviewed in 2005. At that time the cultural heritage policies were strengthened considerably.

The relevant heritage policy statement is PPS 2.6.1, which states that: “significant built heritage resources and significant cultural heritage landscapes shall be conserved”.

PPS 2.6.1 is tied to Section 3 of the Ontario Planning Act which stipulates that land use planning decisions by municipalities “shall be consistent with” the Provincial Policy Statements.

The policy is also integrated with the Ontario Heritage Act. This piece of legislation grants municipalities powers to preserve locally significant cultural heritage resources through heritage designation. Decisions as to whether a property should be designated heritage or not is based solely on its inherent cultural heritage value or interest.

City Council prefers to designate heritage properties with the support of property owners. However, Council will designate a property proactively, without the concurrence of a property owner as required. These principles are reflected in Brampton’s Official Plan. The relevant policies are as follows:

4.9.1.3: All significant heritage resources shall be designated as being of cultural heritage value or interest in accordance with the Ontario Heritage Act to help

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ensure effective protection and their continuing maintenance, conservation and restoration.

4.9.1.5: Priority will be given to designating all heritage cemeteries and all Class A heritage resources in the Cultural Heritage Resources Register under the Ontario Heritage Act.

4.9.1.6: The City will give immediate consideration to the designation of any heritage resource under the Ontario Heritage Act if that resource is threatened with demolition, significant alterations or other potentially adverse impacts.

These principles are also guided by recognized best practices in the field of heritage conservation in Ontario and in Brampton’s Heritage Program.

Council Resolution HB054-2005:

The following recommendation from the Brampton Heritage Board Meeting of April 19, 2005 was approved by Planning, Design and Development Committee on May 2, 2005 and by Council on May 9, 2005: “that the development of a proactive strategy to ensure heritage designation of all Category A heritage resources be endorsed.”

5.0 ALTERATION HISTORYAND HERITAGE INTEGRITY NOTE:

5.1 Recommended Restoration Measures:

The following recommendations for future restoration and conservation are included for information purposes only. They are provided for the benefit of present and future property owners. These recommendations are non-binding. Property owners are under no obligation to restore any lost or missing attributes or features:

Removal of brick cladding to reveal the original log structure Restoration of the overall integrity of the log house Preparation of a conservation plan for the log structure

5.2 Alteration History:

The following alterations were made to the building: Brick cladding added in 1921 Electricity was installed in the farmhouse in 1930 The front verandah was enclosed and a back porch was added in 1950

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An oil furnace was installed in 1970 New bathroom and kitchen fixtures were installed in 1971

6.0 RARITY NOTE: The house is a rare example of an original log house in Brampton.

7.0 NOTE ON ARCHAEOLOGICAL POTENTIAL: None

8.0 EXCLUSIONS:

There are no exclusions to the scope of designation. The reasons for designation apply generally to all exterior elevations, facades, foundation, roof and roof trim, all entrances, windows, structural openings and associated trim, all architectural detailing, construction materials of wood, stone, brick, plaster parging, metal and glazing, their related building techniques, all interior spaces detailing and finishes, along with all contextual and landscaping features as cited.

9.0 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

Cultural Heritage Assessment of Log Farmhouse, Hillcrest Farms, 3862 Countryside Drive; Unterman McPhail Associates, March 2010

“Hillcrest Farms” Research Report, City of Brampton

3864 Countryside Drive Listing Report, October 2005, Jim Leonard

Cultural Heritage Resource Report: Built Heritage & Cultural Landscapes in The Vales of Humber Estate Lands (Secondary Plan Area 50), City of Brampton, Unterman McPhail Associates, July 2008

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L 4-1010.0 LOCATION MAPS:

Figure 1: Current location of Log House on the North‐west corner of McVean Dr. and Countryside Dr.

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Figure 2: Aerial image of the log house depicting the rural character of the property

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Figure 3: Birdseye view indicated the location of the farmhouse, driveshed and barn

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L 4-1311.0 IMAGES:

Archival Photos:

Figure 4: John Pendergast and family

Figure 5: Anthony Pendegrast and Julia Doyle

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Figure 6: John and Margaret Pendergrast

Figure 7: The house in 1920, prior to renovations and brick cladding

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Figure 8: The house in 1922, after renovations

Figure 9: The house in 1979

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October 2005 Site Visit:

Figures 10 and 11: Brick cladding of log cabin

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Figure 12 and 13: Attic detail revealing original log construction of the farmhouse

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November 2010 Site Visit:

Figure 14: Stone details in the basement

Figure 15: Visible aspects of the log construction

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Figure 16: Brick cladding has been removed from the south‐east façade to reveal timber construction

underneath

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Images from Cultural Heritage Assessment:

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