Home / Accueil

203 William Street

203, William Street, City of Stratford, Ontario, Canada

Formally Recognized: 2006/01/09

Of note is the asymmetrical design.; Paul Dubniak, 2008.
203 William Street
Featured are the decorative bargeboards.; Paul Dubniak, 2008.
203 William Street
Featured is the front entrance and veranda.; Paul Dubniak, 2008.
203 William Street

Other Name(s)

203 William Street
McLennan House

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

1877/01/01

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2010/03/22

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

203 William Street is situated on the south side of William Street, east of Waterloo Street South, in the City of Stratford. The two-and-a-half storey frame residence was constructed in 1877.

The property was designated, by the City of Stratford in 2006, for its heritage value, under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act (By-law 8-2006).

Heritage Value

203 William Street is associated with Colonel W. F. McCulloch, who owned much of the land in this area of Stratford including the land on which the home was built. McCulloch was instrumental in the development of Stratford, building many of the first mills and commercial properties on the north side of Ontario Street.

Built in 1877 as a rental property, the home is also associated with the McLennan family. David McLennan, a produce dealer, became a tenant of the home in 1883 and the owner in 1888. McLennan's son, John Cunningham McLennan, became an outstanding Canadian scientist whose research and publications brought international recognition to the University of Toronto's physics laboratory. John McLennan's success in liquefying helium contributed to this recognition and led to his knighting in 1935. The McLennan family owned and lived in the house until 1950.

203 William Street is a good example of the Italianate architectural style. Typical of this style are the large ornate brackets, protruding bay windows and asymmetrical design. The gables feature wooden bargeboards. The asymmetrical design strayed away from the balanced and symmetrical design of the earlier Gothic style, popular in Stratford, and indicated a change in building trends.

Source: City of Stratford, By-law 8-2006.

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements that contribute to the heritage value of 203 William Street include its:
- two-and-a-half storey asymmetrical design
- cross-gable roof
- wooden windows, sills and surrounds
- bargeboards
- frieze
- “L” shaped floor plan
- ornate brackets
- covered entrance and veranda
- bay window

Recognition

Jurisdiction

Ontario

Recognition Authority

Local Governments (ON)

Recognition Statute

Ontario Heritage Act

Recognition Type

Municipal Heritage Designation (Part IV)

Recognition Date

2006/01/09

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

n/a

Theme - Category and Type

Expressing Intellectual and Cultural Life
Architecture and Design

Function - Category and Type

Current

Residence
Single Dwelling

Historic

Architect / Designer

n/a

Builder

David Nichol

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

City of Stratford Office of the City Clerk Administrator City Hall 1 Wellington Street Stratford, ON N5A6W1

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

HPON10-0061

Status

Published

Related Places

n/a

SEARCH THE CANADIAN REGISTER

Advanced SearchAdvanced Search
Find Nearby PlacesFIND NEARBY PLACES PrintPRINT
Nearby Places