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Jean O'Donnell House

37, Herriott Street, Perth, Ontario, K7H, Canada

Formally Recognized: 1982/07/13

Front entrance; Rideau Heritage Initiative 2006
Jean O'Donnell Home
Side view; Rideau Heritage Initiative 2006
Jean O'Donnell Home
Upper floor; Rideau Heritage Initiative 2006
Jean O'Donnell Home

Other Name(s)

Jean O'Donnell House
The Hart House

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

1860/01/01

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2008/01/15

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

The Jean O'Donnell House is a two-and-a-half-storey frame building located at 37 Herriott Street, between Drummond Street East and Gore Street East. Also known as the Hart House, this residence was designed in the Italianate style.

The Jean O'Donnell House is recognized by the Town of Perth for its heritage values in By-law 2457 on 13 July 1982.

Heritage Value

The Jean O'Donnell house contributes to the visual significance of the streetscape of the main street of Perth. It is an excellent example of the Italianate style which was popular in Canada for town houses around the time of Confederation, complete with a square plan, hipped roof, and decorative bell-shaped dormer window.

The original owner, John Semple Hart, emigrated from Scotland and acquired property from three separate landowners. At 37 Herriot Street, he oversaw the construction of the Hart House until its completion in 1860. Hart also ran a bookstore and defacto cultural centre in the block he owned at 15-31 Gore Street East. In 1887, the Toronto Mail referred to Hart's bookstore as the finest bookstore in the country outside of Toronto and Montreal. Hart also purveyed international newspapers, stationary, wallpaper, musical instruments, and sheet music. He founded Hart's Canadian Almanac which was published for sixty-five years.

Sources: Town of Perth By-law 2457; Heritage Perth; Katherine Ashenburg, Going to Town: Architectural Walking Tours in Southern Ontario. (Toronto, Macfarlane Walter and Ross, 1996).

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements that reflect the heritage value of the Jean O'Donnell House include its:
- truncated hipped roof, graced by a decorative bell-shaped dormer window
- eaves along the roof line, decorated with dentil work and brackets
- flat-topped portico supported by columns surrounding the front entranceway
- sidelights with overhead transom surrounding a single paneled front entrance door
- rounded windows on the first and second floors, complete with shutters
- pediment-topped windows on the first floor
- curved surround of the double window located on the second floor
- east facing location on Herriott Street, north of Gore Street, Perth's main commercial street
- square plan

Recognition

Jurisdiction

Ontario

Recognition Authority

Local Governments (ON)

Recognition Statute

Ontario Heritage Act

Recognition Type

Municipal Heritage Designation (Part IV)

Recognition Date

1982/07/13

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

n/a

Theme - Category and Type

Function - Category and Type

Current

Residence
Single Dwelling

Historic

Architect / Designer

n/a

Builder

John Semple Hart

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

By-law 2457, Town Hall, Town of Perth

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

HPON06-0055

Status

Published

Related Places

n/a

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