Heritage Register

 RCP 1645 Lot 80 RP, 12R5789 Part 2, municipally known as 25 Walnut Street, Harrow Center, in the Township of Colchester South, within the Town of Essex, and the County of Essex. 

The Harrow British Methodist Episcopal Cemetery is found in Harrow Centre, within the Town of Essex. It is located immediately south of Sanford and Son Supermarket and attached parking space. It contains a series of tombstones set back from a wrought iron fence with an eastward facing gate and stone pillars. The site is currently inactive as a cemetery. 

Heritage attributes:  

Part of Lot 7, Concession Gore, Township of Colchester South, within the Town of Essex, in the County of Essex. 

Concession 1, Part of Lot 42, in the former Township of Colchester South, Essex County, Ontario. Lot Area-0.17 acres, Lot Frontage- 85.14 feet, Map Roll Number 620-17000- Cemetery. 

190 Bagot Street, Colchester - Christ Church (Designated)

Legal Description

PLAN 18 PT LT 5

General Description of Property

190 Bagot Street is located at the northeast corner of Bagot and Sulivan Street, opposite the Christ Church Cemetery (0 Sullivan Street) in the Hamlet of Colchester, Town of Essex.

Description of Property that has Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

The area of the property that demonstrates cultural heritage value or interest is the area that includes the white frame Church built in 1876.

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

Historical/Associative Value

The property has historical value or associative value because it has direct associations with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organization or institution that is significant to a community.

190 Bagot Street retains historical value because it has direct associations with people and an organization that was significant to the development of the Colchester Community. The historical value of the Christ Church lies in the building's connection to the religious, educational, and communal development of Colchester and the church’s overall connection to William McCormick and Reverand Richard Pollard.

The congregation of the Christ Church has a direct association with Reverend Richard Pollard, chaplain of the garrison at Amherstburg and the first ordained clergyman of the Church of England in Essex County. Reverend Pollard would serve as minister to congregations in communities throughout Essex County and encouraged each area to build a school. In 1807, Reverand Pollard would begin walking from his home in Amherstburg to minister a small Anglican congregation in Colchester, establishing and developing a small religious community within the small community.

In 1820, William McCormick would build the first iteration of the Christ Church on the site of the Christ Church cemetery out of limestone from Pelee Island, to accommodate the growing congregation. William McCormick was the son of Alexander McCormick, the first postmaster of Colchester, a magistrate, an elected Member of Parliament for Upper Canada from 1812 to 1824 and is largely credited within developing Colchester and later, Pelee Island.

By the 1860s, the bank of Lake Erie was quickly eroding, which caused concern for the longevity of the Church and by the 1870s the building needed major repairs. In 1872, a deed was registered for the current property of the church, and it was determined by the congregation that it would be better to build a new church rather than repair the original. The current church would be built in 1876.

Contextual Value

The property has contextual value because it is physically, functionally, visually or historically linked to its surroundings.

190 Bagot Street retains contextual value because it is historically, functionally, and visually linked to its surroundings, specifically the Christ Church Cemetery, the rectory at 220 Bagot Street, the Colchester Schoolhouse, and Lake Erie. The Christ Church played a role in establishing and developing a religious community and education within the community of Colchester. It is connected to several influential settler families and was a fundamental community space for these early settlers, many of whom are buried in the Christ Church Cemetery. Alongside this, the Christ Church temporarily served as the community’s schoolhouse, after the original log schoolhouse was lost to erosion. It would serve as the schoolhouse until 1881, when the Colchester Schoolhouse was built.

The property has contextual value because it is a landmark

190 Bagot Street retains contextual value because it serves as a defining feature in the community of Colchester and as a waypoint within the community.

Description of Heritage Attributes

The key heritage attributes that contribute to the historical/associative value of 190 Bagot Street includes:

• The mass, form, and style of the Church building,
• The white, wooden cladding in a clapboard siding style,
• The church tower with cross finial,
• The brick chimney,
• All existing window openings and the twelve (12) stained glass windows,
• All existing door openings,
• The building's roofline and peak.

The key heritage attributes that contribute to the contextual value of 190 Bagot Street include:

• The location of the Church Building at the northeast corner of Bagot and Sullivan Street.

0 Sullivan Street, Colchester - Christ Church Cemetery (Designated)

Legal Description

PLAN 18 LOTS 3&4 PT LOT 2 E/S BAGOT PT LOTS 2 TO 4 & W/S CLITHEROW

General Description of Property

 0 Sullivan Street is located on the southern side of Sullivan Street, opposite Christ Church (190 Bagot Street), at the intersection of Bagot Street and Sullivan Street, in the Hamlet of Colchester, in the Town of Essex.

Description of Property that has Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

 The area of the property that demonstrates cultural heritage value or interest is the area that includes the cemetery and the 1957 Christ Church Memorial Chapel.

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest Historical/Associative Value

 The property has historical value or associative value because it has direct associations with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organization or institution that is significant to a community.

The Christ Church Cemetery is the final resting place of Colchester’s earliest settlers and settler families with the earliest headstone dating back to the early 19th century. Alongside this, the Christ Church cemetery has direct associations with the Christ Church, having been the site of the original Christ Church built in 1820 and dedicated in 1821. Christ Church is a significant spiritual pillar for the Community of Colchester. The Christ Church cemetery includes a replica chapel of the original Church that was lost to erosion in the late 19th century. The replica was built in 1957 using limestone from the ruins of the original church. An engraved stone marks the location of the original church on the cemetery lands.

The property has historical value or associative value because it yields, or has the potential to yield, information that contributes to an understanding of a community or culture

The Christ Church cemetery yields and has the potential to yield information that contributes to an understanding of the Colchester and Harrow communities. Interred at the cemetery are members of the area’s earliest families including, but not limited to, the Levergood, Brush, Pardo, Wright, and Adams families. This site is representative of the relationships that were present between the early settler families. It also has the potential to yield information about the types of burials and headstones that were common throughout the decades, and past members of the Christ Church congregation.

Contextual Value

 The property has contextual value because it is important in defining, maintaining or supporting the character of an area.

The Christ Church cemetery is located within the area of the Christ Church (Built in 1876) and the Colchester Schoolhouse (built in 1881). Together, these buildings and cultural landscapes comprise the location of the area’s earliest spiritual and educational institutions. The location of the Christ Church cemetery helps maintain and define the historical character of the area.

The property has contextual value because it is physically, functionally, visually or historically linked to its surroundings

The Christ Church cemetery retains its contextual value because it is historically, functionally, and visually linked to its surroundings, specifically with the Christ Church located at 190 Bagot Street (built in 1876); the Colchester Schoolhouse (built in 1881); and, Lake Erie. It still serves as an active cemetery for members of the Christ Church congregation and helps preserve the history of some of the areas earliest settler families

Description of Heritage Attributes

The key heritage attributes that contribute to the historical/associative value that has direct associations with the institution of Christ Church and persons interred at the cemetery which have significance to the community, includes:

• The Cemetery’s location at the southern side of Sullivan Street and parallel to the banks of Lake Erie; and,
• The 1957 limestone Christ Church Chapel existing on the cemetery lands, including the chapel’s roof line, window openings, limestone brickwork, and large cross carving on the eastern wall of the chapel above the entrance.

The key heritage attributes that contribute to the historical and associative value which yield, of has the potential to yield, information that contributes to the understanding of the Colchester community and culture, includes:

• All existing burials and headstones. The key heritage attributes that has contextual value that is important in defining, maintaining and supporting the character of the area includes:
• Its location adjacent the Christ Church at 190 Bagot Street and the Colchester Schoolhouse at 195 Bagot Street.

The key heritage attributes that contribute to the contextual value of the Christ Church Cemetery that are physically, functionally, visually or historically linked to its surroundings includes:

• The location of the cemetery adjacent to the Christ Church at 190 Bagot Street
• The grave markers identifying the final resting place of Colchester’s earliest settlers and their families
• Shared burial pattern symbolic of collaboration between Colchester’s settler families and of a large religious community
• Location, mass, form, and style of the limestone 1957 replica chapel
• Location of all existing burials and headstones.

179 County Road 50 West, Colchester - John Snider House (Designated)

Legal Description

CON 1 PT LOT 73 T/W & S/T ROW’S

General Description of Property

179 County Road 50 is a 1.4 hectare residential lot located on the south side of County Road 50, just west of Walnut Lane and the Hamlet of Colchester, and fronting on Lake Erie.

Description of Property that has Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

The area of the property that demonstrates cultural heritage value or interest is the area that colonial style home built in 1813.

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

Design/Physical Value

The property has design value or physical value because it is a rare, unique, representative or early example of a style, type, expression, material or construction method.

179 County Road 50 retains design and physical value because it is a rare representation of a colonial home built in a Loyalist architectural style with inspiration from a log house. The house demonstrates this style primarily through its layout, the materials used to construct it, the roof line, and the windows and window placement.

Historical/Associative Value

The property has historical value or associative value because it has direct associations with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organization or institution that is significant to a community.

179 County Road 50 retains historical or associative value because it has direct associations with John Snider who built the home in 1813. John Snider was a United Empire Loyalist (U.E.L) who settled in Colchester in the 1790s following his family’s escape from the United States after the American War of Independence. Like other United Empire Loyalist’s, Snider refused to fight alongside the revolutionaries during the American War of Independence, remaining loyal to the British Crown, and migrated north immediately following the conflict to avoid persecution.

Many loyalist families were granted land in both Upper and Lower-Canada by the government of King George III for their loyalty to the crown. This aided in the further settlement of both Upper and Lower-Canada and in the development of English-speaking Canada.

Snider was granted the entirety of Lot 73 just west of the village of Colchester by King George III. It is purported that from the house's location, builders were able to hear cannons being fired during the Battle of Lake Erie on September 10, 1813. Snider died on May 17, 1828, and he and his wife, Elizabeth, are buried at the Tofflemire-Snider Cemetery just east of the Hamlet of Colchester.

The property has historical value or associative value because it yields, or has the potential to yield, information that contributes to an understanding of a community or culture.

179 County Road 50 retains historical or associative value because it has the potential to yield information on the lifestyle of some of the earliest settlers in the area and showcases the parcels that were often granted to United Empire Loyalists by King George III. The house showcases the types of materials and construction methods of the era and is connected to one of the first settler families in the area.

Description of Heritage Attributes

The key heritage attributes that contribute to the design and physical value of 179 County Road 50, includes:

• All existing window openings and door openings,
• The limestone and walnut logs forming the foundation and walls,
• The brick chimney,
• The existing shape of the roof line and roof peaks.

The key heritage attributes that contribute to the historical/associative value that has direct associations with John Snider and the Snider family include:

• The location of the house on the southern side of County Road 50, along the northern shore of Lake Erie,
• The location of the house on the lands with a view of Lake Erie and the surrounding farmland,
• The views and vistas of Lake Erie from the house,
• Unencumbered access from the House to Lake Erie

120 Talbot Street North, Essex Centre – Grace Baptist Church (Designated)

Legal Description

PLAN 206 LOT 3 LOT 4

General Description of Property

120 Talbot Street North is located on the west side of Talbot Street within Essex Centre. It is comprised of the Grace Baptist Church: a red brick church that was built in 1875 on Medora Avenue and moved to the current property following the 1907 Essex Rail Explosion.

Description of Property that has Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

The area of the property that demonstrates cultural heritage value or interest is the area that includes the Grace Baptist Church building built in 1875.

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

Historical/Associative Value

The property has historical value or associative value because it has direct associations with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organization or institution that is significant to a community.

120 Talbot Street North retains significant historical or associative value because it has direct associations with beliefs, organizations, and institutions that are significant to the community. The church was built on the southern side of Medora Ave. in 1875 and was a pillar within the community, aiding in the development of religion, education, and community within Essex Center. The church housed some of the earliest congregations in Essex Center, such as the Methodist Episcopal Church congregation from 1875 until 1884 and the First Baptist Church starting in 1888.

The church was built in 1875, primarily through the efforts of George Wilson, a local businessman and property developer who worked closely with Alexander Cameron, Edwin C. Lewis, and James Robinson, and was dedicated on December 5th, 1875. It served as the Methodist Episcopal Church until 1884 when the church amalgamated with another Methodist Church in the community, the Grace Methodist Church located on the corner of Fox and Gordon Street. After its closure, the building would become an educational pillar within the community. Church trustees would rent out the building temporarily to the local school board and serve as the 1st public high school in Essex Center from 1884 until 1885, with the original Essex High School opening.

In 1888, the church was sold to a local Baptist Congregation for $1,000 and would become the First Baptist Church of Essex. In 1907, the church was severely damaged following the 1907 Essex Rail Explosion, with only the church’s frame being salvageable. The congregation opted to move the church frame to its current location on Talbot Street following the incident and worked to restore the building to its former glory. Each member of the congregation could pledge 10 cents to purchase bricks for the exterior and fund the rebuilding effort.

The church would remain open until 1969, when the expanding congregation would move into a larger building on Maidstone Ave. A new congregation would take over the building soon after and rename it the Grace Baptist Church of Essex.

Contextual Value

The property has contextual value because it is physically, functionally, visually or historically linked to its surroundings.

120 Talbot Street North retains contextual value because it is both functionally and historically linked to its surroundings. It is historically linked to its surroundings due to its relocation to the property following the 1907 Essex Rail Explosion, as a means for the congregation to preserve their beloved church. This allowed the church to remain a part of the community and help shape the look of Talbot Street North.

It is functionally linked to its surroundings as there is still an active congregation within the building and it continues to serve as an important religious and communal space within the Town of Essex.

Description of Heritage Attributes

The key heritage attributes that contribute to the historical/associative value of 120 Talbot Street North includes:

• The location of the church on the western side of Talbot Street North within Essex Centre,
• The mass, form, and style of the church building,
• The red brick cladding on all levels of the building,
• All existing window openings and stained-glass window pieces with brick voussoirs and underscored by brick sills,
• Inset engraved stone,
• The roof lines and peaks.

Key Exterior attributes that contribute to the contextual value of 120 Talbot Street North, Include its:

• The location of the Church on the western side of Talbot Street North within Essex Centre.

Legal Description

PLAN 267 LOTS 8 TO 11 LOTS 21 TO 23 PT LTS 7 & 24 PT CLSD ALLEY

General Description of Property

49 Talbot Street South is located on the eastern side of Talbot Street within Essex Centre. It is comprised of the Essex United Church: a large red brick church that was built in 1908 and expanded in 1958.

Description of Property that has Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

The area of the property that demonstrates cultural heritage value or interest is the area that includes the original portion of the Essex United Church built in 1908.

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

Historical/Associative Value

The property has historical value or associative value because it has direct associations with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organization or institution that is significant to a community.

49 Talbot Street South retains significant historical or associative value because it has direct associations with beliefs, organizations, and institutions that are significant to the community. The Essex United Church served as a pillar within Essex Center, helping develop and maintain an important religious and communal space within the community from 1908 until its closure in 2024.

The Essex United Church is connected to one of the earliest Methodist congregations to have formed in Essex Center and the congregation dates back to the 1870s. The original church, the Canada Methodist Church, was built in 1876 and was located on the corner of Fox Street and Gordon Avenue. In 1884, the congregation of the church would grow as the community’s two Methodist churches amalgamated and the church was expanded to accommodate this growth.

In 1907, the church was damaged beyond repair during the 1907 Essex Rail Explosion and the congregation opt to build a new church in 1908 on the present property. Construction of the new church was done under the congregation's guidance, and the cornerstone would be laid on May 25, 1908. The first service in the new church was held on February 28th, 1909.

In 1925, the church would officially become Grace United Church, with the amalgamation of the Methodist and Presbyterian churches of Canada and the establishment of the United Church of Canada. In 1946, the building would become the Essex United Church and in 1958, the church would undergo a massive expansion to accommodate the rapidly growing congregation. This expansion would include the addition of a new hall, several classrooms for the extensive Sunday School class, a vestry, boardroom, and a parlor.

The church’s pipe organ would be installed in 1927 by the Casavant family of Quebec, who are famous organ builders who are known for their craftsmanship and have work across the world.

Contextual Value

The property has contextual value because it is important in defining, maintaining or supporting the character of an area.

49 Talbot Street South retains contextual value because it maintains and supports the character of the surrounding area through the materials used to construct the building being similar to the surrounding area. The red brick seen in the church can be seen in the homes at 54 Talbot Street South, 94 Talbot Street South, 98 Talbot Street South, and 102 Talbot Street South.

Alongside this, the building helps define and maintain the character of Talbot Street South due to its size. The buildings size helps define Essex Center’s skyline and serves as a main focal point within the community. The congregation of this church was comprised of the two congregations from the former Grace Methodist and the Methodist Episcopal Churches after they amalgamated in 1884. Following the 1907 Essex Rail Explosion, the congregation advocated for the construction of a new church and would lay the cornerstone of the new church on May 25, 1908.

The property has contextual value because it is a landmark.

49 Talbot Street South retains contextual value because it serves as a well-known marker within Essex Center due to both its size and longstanding history. It also serves as a defining feature of the community’s landscape, an important feature in maintaining the area’s character, and as a waypoint within Essex Center.

Description of Heritage Attributes

The key heritage attributes that contribute to the historical/associative value of 49 Talbot Street South, includes:

• The location of the church at the eastern side of Talbot Street within Essex Center;
• The mass, form, and style of the original church built in 1908, excluding the 1958 additions;
• The red brick cladding on the original church, excluding the 1958 additions,
• All existing windows and stained-glass pieces with limestone voussoirs and underscored by brick sills on the sanctuary and original portion of the church,
• The large red brick tower and square belfry with bell from the Canada Methodist Church, • The existing roof lines and peaks,
• The small square roof belfry and all existing finials,
• Inset engraved cornerstone,
• Small circular vent openings on the northern and southern side of the building;
• The existing limestone foundation,
• The brick chimney,
• Geodetic Survey of Canada benchmark on the south-eastern side of the building,
• The 1927 Casavant Organ with 27 stops over 3 manuals,
• The tin ceilings,
• The balcony within the sanctuary.

The key heritage attributes that contribute to the contextual value of 49 Talbot Street South, includes:

• The location of the church at the eastern side of Talbot Street within Essex Centre,
• The original 1908 church structure and all additions made, excluding the 1958 additions.

54 Talbot Street South, Essex Centre – Robert B. Potts House (Designated)

Legal Description

PLAN 207 LOT 3 PT LOT 4 RP 12R4953 PART 1 PART 3

General Description of Property

54 Talbot Street South is located on the east side of Talbot Street within Essex Centre. It is comprised of the Dr. Robert B. Potts House: a red brick house that was built prior to 1885 in the Queen Anne Revival architectural style.

Description of Property that has Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

The area of the property that demonstrates cultural heritage value or interest is the area that includes the house built prior to 1885.

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

Design/Physical Value

The property has design value or physical value because it is a rare, unique, representative or early example of a style, type, expression, material or construction method.

54 Talbot Street South retains significant design or physical value because it is a rare example of a late 19th century Victorian hybrid home built in the Queen Anne Revival architectural style, that also showcases clear inspiration from the Gothic-Revival and Italianate styles.

The house was built prior to 1885, with the property having surveyor plans done by James S. Laird in 1878, at a time when the Queen Anne Revival style was popular amongst the wealthy upper middle classes. The style is marked by red brick, bay windows, differing wall textures, and steep, gabled roofs. These features can be seen throughout the building at 54 Talbot Street South, alongside decorative corbels and gables.

Contextual Value

The property has contextual value because it is important in defining, maintaining or supporting the character of an area.

54 Talbot Street South retains significant contextual value because it is important in defining and maintaining the character of Talbot Street South. The building helps define and maintain the character of the area through the material that was used to construct it being similar to buildings in the surrounding area. The red brick cladding that is seen on the exterior of the house is similar to that used to build the Essex United Church (49 Talbot Street South), 94 Talbot Street South, 98 Talbot Street South, and 102 Talbot Street South.

Description of Heritage Attributes

The key heritage attributes that contribute to the design/physical value of 54 Talbot Street South includes:

• The mass, form, and style of the house;
• The Bay windows on the front of the building,
• The red brick cladding in a common brick bond,
• All existing window openings topped with brick voussoirs and lines with wooden sills/frames,
• Decorative corbels lining the bay windows,
• The existing roof lines and peaks,
• The door opening and surrounding wooden frame.

Key exterior attributes that contribute to the contextual value of 54 Talbot Street South, include its:

• The location of the house on the western side of Talbot Street.

Legal Description

PLAN 263 PT LOT 31 RP 12R5646 PART 1

General Description of Property

138 Albert Street is located on the western corner of Albert Street and Medora Avenue West within the settlement area of Essex Centre. It is comprised of the Charles Roberts House: a two-storey, red brick house that was built in 1876 or 1877 in the Second Empire architectural style.

Description of Property that has Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

The area of the property that demonstrates cultural heritage value or interest is the area that includes the two-storey, red brick house built in the 1800s.

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

Design/Physical Value

The property has design value or physical value because it is a rare, unique, representative or early example of a style, type, expression, material or construction method.

138 Albert Street retains significant design or physical value because it is an example of the Second Empire architectural style, which is rarely seen in Essex Center in the condition that it is in. The house was built as a part of an 1876 or 1877 development of the north end of Talbot Street, initiated by George Wilson and Alexander Cameron.

The Second Empire architectural style is characterized by its use of towers, turrets, the mansard roof line, balconies, and dormer windows that were lined with lavish moldings. It was popularized in Ontario by the wealthy upper-middle classes during the 1860’s and remained popular until the late 1880’s, due to its lavish designs and many embellishments. These characteristics can be seen used throughout the building at 138 Albert Street.

Historical/Associative Value

The property has historical value or associative value because it has direct associations with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organization or institution that is significant to a community.

138 Albert Street retains historical value because it has direct associations with different people that are significant to Essex Center and the surrounding areas, including George Wilson, Charles W. Roberts, and Myron C. “Tiny” Roberts.

The home was built under the guidance of George Wilson. Wilson was a businessman who worked closely with Alexander Cameron in establishing several industries within Essex Center, including grain warehouse with a grain elevator (which was built in 1874/5), a public hall and mercantile store ("Wilson Hall" was primarily used by religious communities before they built their own places of worship, council elections, political gatherings, and other civic purposes essential to building the town), and a general store. This home was built as part of an 1876 or 1877 development of the north end of Talbot Street, initiated by George Wilson and Alexander Cameron.

Alongside this, the house was owned by Charles W. Roberts, the founder of C. W. Roberts & Sons Meat Market, and his family. He opened C. W. Roberts & Sons Meat Market in 1912 and ran it until his death in 1931 with his sons Franklin and Earl. His sons took it over after his death and ran the business until October 1962, when they sold it to Gerry and Herman Schinkel. Before opening his business in 1912, he was an occupational farmer in Colchester South from the 1880’s and into the 1900s, when he moved to Essex Center to start his business.

It was also the home of Charles Roberts youngest son, Myron C. Tiny Roberts, a local jazz musician and the leader of his 15-man band the Tiny Roberts Orchestra. They frequently played at the Coral Gables (a dance hall in Windsor), the Roxy Ballroom in Walkerville, the McGregor Hotel, and on the decks of the Boblo boat's ballroom. The orchestra was popular throughout Windsor- Essex County during the latter half of the 1920s and into the 1930s. He would make several popular albums in Windsor and Detroit, working with musicians like Benny Goodman, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey.

Contextual Value

The property has contextual value because it is physically, functionally, visually or historically linked to its surroundings.

138 Albert Street retains contextual value because it is historically linked to its surroundings because it was a part of a development done by George Wilson to expand the northern side of Talbot Street and allow for greater settlement within Essex Center. This development would include the creation of three new streets that would run parallel to Talbot Street (Albert, Harvey, and Thomas) and several new houses to accommodate the rapidly growing population in Essex Center.

Description of Heritage Attributes

The key heritage attributes that contribute to the design/physical value of 138 Albert Street, includes:

• The mass, form, and style of the house,
• The red brick cladding in common brick bond,
• All existing dormer window openings with wooden moldings,
• Decorative corbels and gables on roof,
• The distinctive tower and turret,
• The mansard roof line,
• Red brick chimney,
• The porch,
• All existing roof lines and peaks and the decorative shingles,
• Decorative corbels lining the roof,
• The door opening and surrounding wooden frame and transom,
• The bay windows.

The key heritage attributes that contribute to the historical/associative value of 138 Albert Street, include its:

• The location of the house on the western corner of Albert Street and Medora Avenue West.

Key exterior attributes that contribute to the contextual value of 138 Albert Street, include its:

• Location of the house on the western corner of Albert Street and Medora Avenue West.

0 County Road 12 – African Methodist Episcopal/New Canaan Cemetery (Designated)

Legal Description

CON SMR N PT LOT 18

General Description of Property

The African Methodist Episcopal Cemetery, also referred to as the New Canaan Cemetery, is located at 0 County Road 12, on the south side of County Road 12, just west of the hamlet of Gesto. The cemetery is not visible from the street front and is accessed from County Road 12 through a 22-foot wide right-of-way. It is comprised of the A.M.E/New Canaan Cemetery: a small historically Black cemetery that dates back to the early 19th century and houses _ headstones on a cement pad.

Description of Property that has Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

The area of the property that demonstrates cultural heritage value or interest is the area that includes the cemetery all existing marked and unmarked burials.

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

Historical/Associative Value

The property has historical value or associative value because it has direct associations with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organization or institution that is significant to a community.

0 County Road 12 retains significant historical value because it has direct associations with significant people, such as Delos R. Davis, and the New Canaan settlement, a historically Black settlement that was settled by individuals who had come to Canada via the Underground Railroad. The African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E)/New Canaan Cemetery, also known as the Chavis Cemetery due to the number of Chavis’ buried there, is the only remaining part of the New Canaan Settlement.

New Canaan was a small, historically Black, settlement that was established by African American freedom seekers who arrived in Canada in the early 19th century, via the Underground Railroad. Families first began settling in Colchester North in the early 1830s, with the desire to own land and establish communities for themselves. The very first freedom seekers settled in New Canaan in the early 1830s and by 1840, it was a thriving community comprised of about 20 families living in and around the area. They acquired land through "Clergy Reserves" and the Canada Company, a private land development company that worked to aid in the colonization and settlement of land in Upper Canada. At the community’s peak in 1900, it consisted of 2 churches, a cemetery, a school, and a small grocery store with a post office, and in 1909, the population reached approximately 60 people.

The cemetery is also the final resting place of Delos R. Davis, the first Freedom Seeker to become a lawyer in Canada, and the first Black man to make the King's Counsel in the British Empire. Davis would have a large impact on the community of New Canaan and nearby Black communities, like Harrow and Gilgal, as he advocated for the education of children. Before becoming a lawyer, he taught at the Gilgal A.M.E school in the early 1870s, until he resigned and began pursuing his career in law. He began to study law under attorney Charles Robert Horne and would become a Notary for the Province of Ontario on June 19, 1873. Due to his race, he was unable to complete his education, as the Law Society of Ontario required that all students work with an established lawyer, before writing their examinations for The Bar. No lawyer in the area would hire him and he was unable to complete his education until 1886, after a special act authorizing the Supreme Court of Judicature for Ontario to admit him as a solicitor. This act was pushed by M.P.P William Douglas Balfour and on Nov. 15, 1886, Delos R. Davis was admitted to The Bar.

The property has historical value or associative value because it yields, or has the potential to yield, information that contributes to an understanding of a community or culture.

0 County Road 12 retains significant historical or associative value because it has the potential to yield information about the New Canaan Settlement and the area's earliest families and their lives. The property provides evidence to the settlement of New Canaan by some of the earliest freedom seekers and can help showcase the community’s development and eventual fall.

Alongside this, the property is significant because of its associations with numerous influential Black families from across Windsor and Essex County, including the Chavis, Davis, and Nolan families.

Contextual Value

The property has contextual value because it is physically, functionally, visually or historically linked to its surroundings

0 County Road 12 retains contextual value because it is physically and historically linked to its surroundings due to it being the only remaining part of the New Canaan Settlement.

Description of Heritage Attributes

The key heritage attributes that contribute to the historical/associative value of 0 County Road 12 includes:

• Its location on the south side of County Road 12 in the former settlement of New Canaan,
• All existing burials and headstones,
• The cement pad with inset headstones.

Key attributes that contribute to the contextual value of 0 County Road 12, includes:

• Its location on the south side of County Road 12 in the former settlement of New Canaan. 

4005 County Road 11, Harrow–Central Grove African Methodist Episcopal Church (Designated)

Legal Description

CON 4 PT LOT 9

General Description of Property

4005 County Road 11 is located in an agricultural area on the Northwest corner of County Road 11 and 4th Concession Road, just North of the Settlement Area of Harrow on a 1.5 Hectare lot.

Description of Property that has Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

The area of the property that demonstrates cultural heritage value or interest is the area that includes the Central Grove Methodist Episcopal Church (a red brick Church built in 1910) and the Central Grove Cemetery which includes a large white monument.

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

Historical/Associative Value

The property has historical value or associative value because it has direct associations with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organization or institution that is significant to a community.

4005 County Road 11 retains significant historical and associative value because it has direct associations with people and an organization that is significant to both the community of Harrow and the Black community of Windsor and Essex County.

Built in 1910 with the frame of the original Grace Methodist Church in Essex to replace an earlier structure, the Central Grove African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E)l Church has continued to be an important space for the development of religion and community within Harrow and the surrounding area.

The Central Grove A.M.E. church was originally founded in 1888 by local Black families after Reverand Joesph O’Benyon, a preacher from Sarnia, came to the area and hosted an evangelical campaign promoting the doctrines of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The property was purchased in 1888 from Theodore Larabee for $200.00 by members of a small committee, namely James Johnson, Henry Graham, James W. Dennis, Squire Hamilton, and Peter Jackson. Originally, the congregation met outside until a small frame church was built at the end of 1888. The church was named Central Grove due to its location, being a central location for people from the communities of Pleasant Valley, Gilgal, and New Canaan.

In 1910, church trustees acquired the frame of the former Grace Methodist Church of Essex for $210.00, that was heavily damaged because of the 1907 Essex Rail Explosion. Members of the congregation and the surrounding Black settlements worked to construct a new facade, under the leadership of William Kersey and Ezra Davey.

Anthony Banks was one of the members of the congregation that helped construct the new church. He was very involved with the Colchester South community and the Central Grove A.M.E Church, as he was one of the founding members in 1888. He advocated for access to education and served as a schoolboard trustee. Banks was also the 1st Black constable of Essex County, appointed on April 12th, 1881, the Deputy Warden for the Ontario Game and Fishing Commission, a Bailiff, and Road Master. He is buried in the cemetery behind the church, along with his wife, Susan.

Delos R. Davis also helped construct the new church. He was the first Freedom Seeker to become a lawyer in Canada, and the first Black man to make the King's Counsel in the British Empire. Davis would have a large impact on the community of New Canaan and nearby Black communities, like Harrow and Gilgal, as he advocated for the education of children. Before becoming a lawyer, he taught at the Gilgal A.M.E school in the early 1870s, until he resigned and began pursuing his career in law. He began to study law under attorney Charles Robert Horne and would become a Notary for the Province of Ontario on June 19, 1873. Due to his race, he was unable to complete his education, as the Law Society of Ontario required that all students work with an established lawyer, before writing their examinations for The Bar. No lawyer in the area would hire him and he was unable to complete his education until 1886, after a special act authorizing the Supreme Court of Judicature for Ontario to admit him as a solicitor. This act was pushed by M.P.P William Douglas Balfour and on Nov. 15, 1886, Delos R. Davis was admitted to The Bar.

The property has historical value or associative value because it yields, or has the potential to yield, information that contributes to an understanding of a community or culture.

4005 County Road 11 retains significant historical and associative value because it has the potential to yield information about the communities of New Canaan, Pleasent Valley, and the Black community of Harrow. The church was connected to several historic Black communities within the surrounding area and served as a space for members of those communities to congregate and interact with each other. The church would aid in the greater development of the Black community and serves as a reminder of all of these settlements.

Alongside this, the property can provide information about prominent Black families connected to the church through the Central Grove Cemetery. It provides information on the family history of those families, their lifestyles, and the types of burials and headstones that were commonly used throughout the cemetery’s use.

Contextual Value

The property has contextual value because it is physically, functionally, visually or historically linked to its surroundings.

4005 County Road 11 retains contextual value because it is physically linked to its surroundings due to the Central Grove Cemetery. The Central Grove Cemetery is a historically Black cemetery that was established as early as the 1860s by African American freedom seekers who had come to Canada after fleeing slavery in the United States via the Underground railroad. The cemetery has connections to various prominent Black families and is still in use by the descendants of those original families.

The property has contextual value because it is a landmark

4005 County Road 11 retains contextual value because it serves as a landmark. It is a well-known marker within the community due to its longstanding history and connection to the Black community of Windsor and Essex County. It also serves as a waypoint within the Town of Essex, as it sits at the intersection of County Road 11 and the 4th Concession Road.

Description of Heritage Attributes

The key heritage attributes that contribute to the historical and associative value of 4005 County Road 11 includes:

• The mass, form, and style of the church,
• The red brick cladding on the exterior of the sanctuary,
• All existing window openings and wooden sills,
• Wooden molding above windows,
• Roof line and peak, 
• Inset stone on the front façade,
• Fieldstone foundation,
• The wooden door and white molding above the door frame,
• All existing burials and headstones,
• The white monument in the middle of the cemetery.

The key heritage attributes that contribute to the contextual value of 4005 County Road 11 as being physically, functionally, visually and historically linked to its surroundings and as a landmark includes:

• The location of the Church and cemetery on lands at the northwest corner of County Road 11 and the 4th Concession Road, central to the communities of Pleasant Valley, Gilgal, New Canaan and Harrow.
• The location of the cemetery on the lands.

11 King Street, Harrow – E. F. Darby’s Drugstore (Designated)

Legal Description

RCP 1645 LOT 32

General Description of Property

11 King Street West is in the commercial district of the former Township of Harrow, now Town of Essex, on the south side of King Street, in between 15 King Street West and 5 King Street West.

Description of Property that has Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

The area of the property that demonstrates cultural heritage value or interest is the area that includes the two-storey, brick commercial building built in the late 19th century.

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

Historical/Associative Value

The property has historical value or associative value because it has direct associations with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organization or institution that is significant to a community.

11 King Street West retains its historical and associative value because it has direct associations with E. F. Darby, the first Mayor of the Town of Harrow following its incorporation in 1930. E. F. Darby was instrumental in lobbying the government of Ontario to pass a special statue that would incorporate the Town of Harrow.

Edmund F. Darby was also the Town’s druggist (pharmacist) and registered optometrist. The commercial building was constructed in 1890. Darby operated his business, Darby’s Drug Store, from 11 King St. West for over 50 years.

Contextual Value

The property has contextual value because it is important in defining, maintaining or supporting the character of an area.

11 King Street West is located within the area of downtown Harrow. Downtown Harrow includes several buildings which are the earliest buildings blocks of Harrow’s commercial district. 11 King Street West is important in defining, maintaining and supporting the character of downtown Harrow because it is one of the original building blocks of Harrow and is reflective of architecture for late 19th century commercia buildings.

Description of Heritage Attributes

The key heritage attributes that contribute to the historical/associative value that has direct associations with E.F. Darby includes:

• The buildings' location in the commercial district of Harrow along King Street.

The key heritage attributes that contribute to the contextual value of 11 King Street West includes:

• The location of the building in the commercial district of Harrow,
• The mass, form, and style of the commercial building,
• The brick cladding on all elevations of the building,
• All existing window and door openings and the decorative features around them.

Legal Description

RCP 1645 LOT 34

General Description of Property

3 King Street West is located in the former township of Harrow, now Town of Essex, on the south side of King Street and at the corner of King Street West and McAffee Street, opposite 21 King Street East.

Description of Property that has Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

The area of the property that demonstrates cultural heritage value or interest is the area that includes the two-storey red brick commercial building

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

Historical/Associative Value

The property has historical value or associative value because it has direct associations with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organization or institution that is significant to a community.

3 King Street West retains its historical and associative value because it has direct associations with John McAfee. McAffee was a civil engineer who worked for Hiram Walker in the 1880s and surveyed the area in and surrounding Harrow for the construction of the Lake Erie, Essex, and Detroit River railway. McAfee was also an influential businessman who helped develop Harrow’s downtown core during the late 19th century, helped organize the first Harrow Fair in 1878, and contributed much to the growth of Harrow and the surrounding rural areas.

The building is one of the original building blocks of downtown Harrow, having been built prior to 1883, prior to the completion of McAffee Street in 1888.

Contextual Value

The property has contextual value because it is important in defining, maintaining or supporting the character of an area.

3 King Street West is located within the area of downtown Harrow. Downtown Harrow includes several buildings which are the earliest buildings blocks of Harrow’s commercial district. 3 King Street West is important in defining, maintaining and supporting the character of downtown Harrow because it is one of the original building blocks of Harrow and is reflective of architecture for late 19th century commercia buildings.

Description of Heritage Attributes

The key heritage attributes that contribute to the historical/associative value that has direct associations with John McAffee includes:

• The buildings' location at the corner of King Street West and McAffee Street.

The key heritage attributes that contribute to the contextual value of 3 King Street West, includes:

• The location of the building in the commercial district of Harrow,
• The mass, form, and style of the commercial building,
• The red brick cladding in common brick bond on all elevations of the building,
• All existing window openings topped with rowlock and header brick voussoirs on the building,
• Decorative inlaid white bricks,
• Decorative frieze on the front façade.

44 King Street East, Harrow – Former Harrow Municipal Building (Designated)

Legal Description

PLAN 1236 LOT 30 LOT 31

General Description of Property

44 King Street East is located in the commercial district of the former Township of Harrow, now Town of Essex, on the North Side of King Street, in-between 34 King Street East and 60 King Street East.

Description of Property that has Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

The area of the property that demonstrates cultural heritage value or interest is the two-story, brick commercial building built in 1939.

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

Historical/Associative Value

The property has historical value or associative value because it has direct associations with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organization or institution that is significant to a community.

44 King Street East retains significant historical and associative value because it has direct associations with the incorporation of the Town of Harrow in 1930 and to J. H. Madill, a local business owner who helped fund the construction of the building. The building served as the community’s municipal building from 1939 until 1999 when the Town of Harrow amalgamated with the Town of Essex. The building housed all municipal offices, a banquet hall, the library, hydro offices and the Post office until it was moved to its current location at 38 King Street.

The property has historical value or associative value because it demonstrates or reflects the work or ideas of an architect, artist, builder, designer or theorist who is significant to a community.

44 King Street East retains historical and associative value because it reflects the works of prominent Windsor architect, J. C. Pennington, who designed the building in 1938. James Carlisle Pennington, or J. C. Pennington, is a well-known architect who is credited with designing hundreds of buildings throughout Windsor and Essex County during the early to mid-20th century.

Pennington was responsible for designing buildings such as the Carnegie Library in Essex Center and the additions made to the Essex High School in the 1920s. This building is a great example of his work throughout Windsor and Essex County which was largely reflective of early to mid-twentieth century commercial and public buildings.

Contextual Value

The property has contextual value because it is a landmark

44 King Street East retains contextual value because it serves as a landmark. It is a well-known marker within the community due to its longstanding history and connection to the community of Harrow. It also serves as a waypoint within Harrow, as it is occupied by the OPP headquarters of the Town of Essex.

Description of Heritage Attributes

The key heritage attributes that contribute to the historical/associative value that has direct associations with the incorporation of the Town of Harrow in 1930 includes:

• The location of the building on the north side of King Street East.

The key heritage attributes that contribute to the historical/associative value that demonstrates or reflects the ideas of an architect who is significant to a community include:

• The mass, form, and style of building,
• The brick cladding on all elevations of the building,
• Decorative white stone cladding,
• Decorative stone reading “Harrow Municipal Building”,
• All existing window and door openings and stone sills.

The key heritage attributes that contribute to the contextual value of 44 King Street East as a landmark includes:

• The location of the building on the north side of King Street East in the commercial district of Harrow.

This commercial building has historic ties to John McAfee. McAfee contributed much to the growth of Harrow.

The architectural style of this building is reflective of most 19th century commercial red brick buildings.

Built in 1896-1897, this was the home of the station master for the former Lake Erie and Detroit Railway built by Hiram Walker, M.P O’Connor. O’Connor was the Harrow station master from 1891-1918, and this house was likely built for him.

 The St. Clements Church Roman Catholic Church was an important spiritual pillar in the community of McGregor and served the local Catholic families in the area. Construction of the church began in 1879 and was finished in 1903, with preservation techniques and restoration of the church continuing to this day.

This residential building, built before 1881, is a good example of a Victorian era farmstead that was common across Ontario during the late 19th century. The architectural style is a good example of the Victorian era but holds some elements that are like the style of the late Georgian era. 

The building's architectural design makes it an important feature of South Talbot Street, a region of town that was developed before the town was officially incorporated in 1884. This building is a good example of a hybrid Victorian design, combining a variety of architectural design elements that were popular at the time.

In 1886 the property was conveyed to the Essex Centre Congregation of the Methodist Church (now the Essex United Church).

The house on the property may have been the parsonage for the ministers of the Methodist church until 1943, housing ministers such as Reverend W.S Pascoe, James Whiting, and Gorman Gifford. The building's architectural design makes it an important feature of South Talbot Street, a region of town that was developed before the town was officially incorporated in 1884.

The building's architectural design makes it an important feature of Talbot Street South.

Talbot Street South was a region of the town that was developed before the town was officially incorporated in 1884.This building is a good example of a hybrid Victorian design, combining a variety of architectural design elements that were popular at the time.

The Ferriss family is the first recorded family to have settled in this area around the Second Concession.

The Ferriss Cemetery remains on the site in memory of some of the municipality’s earliest pioneers, including both pioneers, Joseph and Catherine Ferriss. The cemetery is plotted in a cross layout and houses headstones from the 19th century. 

After the American Revolution, Rudolph Huffman, a United Empire Loyalist, came to this part of Canada from Virginia on May 4, 1792.  He obtained 600 acres along the shores of Lake Erie. This cemetery lies on a part of that original 600 acre family farm.  Many of the Huffman family descendants still live in the Colchester area.