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Egerton Morden House

6145, Corwin Avenue, Niagara Falls, Ontario, L2G, Canada

Formally Recognized: 1999/04/12

The front view of the Egerton Morden House; City of Niagara Falls, date unknown
Egerton Morden House
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Other Name(s)

n/a

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

1875/01/01

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2008/07/25

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

The Egerton Morden House, built in 1875, is a rare example of a board and batten residence in Niagara Falls and stands out with its unique asymmetrical L-shaped plan and three-sided bay arrangement. Decorative wood shingles and a sweeping, curved roof compliment the distinct appearance and exemplify Italianate and Stickley style architecture. The salmon-coloured house is situated at 6145 Corwin Avenue, relocated here from its original site on Dorchester Road.

The property is designated for its heritage value by the City of Niagara Falls under By-law No. 99-73.

Heritage Value

The house's blend of styles harmonizes with the surrounding natural landscape. The exterior colouring of soft salmon with "ox blood" red earth trim blends well with the natural environment on which it is situated. The house is located in an area of Niagara Falls that boasts many other heritage properties of a similar age, but the Egerton Morden House is certainly one of a kind with its unique, harmonious design.

The original owner, Egerton Morden, was a United Empire Loyalist who moved to Welland County from Pennsylvania. He was a successful and well-respected horticulturalist and businessman. In 1875, Morden built the house on its original Dorchester Road site and established the Niagara Falls Nurseries on the property. Morden's expertise on horticulture was highly sought after and he had a great deal of influence over fruit production in the Niagara Peninsula.

The house is a rarity, as it is the only known board and batten dwelling in Niagara Falls. Houses of this design are usually cottage homes that are meant to be in harmony with nature and ideals of romanticized images of aesthetic rural life. The interior features a one-storey kitchen and bedroom extension to the rear. The house's board and batten finish has varying widths of boards in a vertical arrangement, consistent with other asymmetrical features, such as, its L-shape design and the sweeping roof over the front door. Decorative brackets at the corners of the front bay have a sunburst pattern, applied roundels and acorn drops. The three-sided bay stands out at the front of the house, and the decorative wood shingles further contribute to the house's strong and impressive architectural character.

Source: By-Law No. 99-73 Summary of Heritage Significance, Planning and Development, City of Niagara Falls, 1999.

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements that reflect the heritage value of the Egerton Morden House include its:
- location on the property as part of Morden's original parcel of land that included its original site on Dorchester Road
- board and batten construction, the only one known to exist in Niagara Falls
- three-sided bay front
- vertical arrangement of random width boards, emphasizing the elongated windows with extended trim
- pent roof on the rear extension
- sweeping curved roof over the front entrance giving the entranceway a dramatic appearance
- front gable with three sections of original patterned shingles
- ornamental roof brackets with a sunburst pattern and flower motif, applied roundels and acorn drops
- six front windows with one over one sash and another pair of windows with four panes over four at the front of the house
- colouring of the house so that it harmonizes with the natural surroundings
- proximity to Culp Street, which features other houses of similar age and designated for their heritage value

Recognition

Jurisdiction

Ontario

Recognition Authority

Local Governments (ON)

Recognition Statute

Ontario Heritage Act

Recognition Type

Municipal Heritage Designation (Part IV)

Recognition Date

1999/04/12

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

n/a

Theme - Category and Type

Peopling the Land
Settlement

Function - Category and Type

Current

Historic

Residence
Single Dwelling

Architect / Designer

n/a

Builder

Egerton Morden

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

Planning and Development 4310 Queen Street City Hall Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6X5

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

HPON07-0493

Status

Published

Related Places

n/a

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