Markham Heritage Estates

Markham is well-known for its great effort and dedication in keeping heritage homes and their story alive. This is achieved by relocating old homes and restoring them for preservation. Markham Heritage Estates is known for its vast collection of historic houses that were once homes of locals all over the city. This 42-lot estate is home to houses that share a lot about Markham. Each house has its own story to tell, which makes them all the more valuable and significant to the community.

The heritage subdivision was established in the 1980s and is located in a large farm property owned by John Lunau. (Get general info about John Lunau/Introduce)

The homes located in Markham Heritage Estates were once soon-to-be victims of demolition. What we see in the site today would not be where it is now if it weren’t for the work of locals. Citizens refused to let the homes of Markham go extinct which led to the movement of relocating old houses with the help of the city council. Due to the community’s action to go against demolishing old homes and instead preserving houses that are of significant value to culture heritage, threatened homes and structures have lessened and the city is able to maintain its historical 

This process of restoring old homes and preserving them strives to motivate the city to take part in the process of rebuilding deteriorating homes to expand the community. Perhaps this act can extend to preserving more than just houses. It can be old restaurants, public parks, churches, and more.  

Wismer-Lunau House (1 Heritage Corners Lane)

John Lunau was the local historian and founder of the Markham Museum. An archival collection of the History of Markham was named after him located in the Markham Village Library. Born in 1857, John Lunau was born and raised in Markham, Ontario. The Wismer-Lunau house was built in 1899 for the Wismers and was occupied by the Lunau family in the mid 1930’s to late 1990’s. The house shows late Victorian frame architecture with decorative brackets, windows, and shutters. In 1997, John Lunau’s mother, Aileen Lunau, was presented a Heritage Community Recognition Award by the Ontario Heritage Foundation as an honour and representation of his contribution to the heritage conservation of the community.

David Gohn House (6 David Gohn Circle)

Built in 1855, the David Gohn house is the first house to be restored and relocated to the estate. A fact you may find interesting is that this house was found with missing parts and features but was fully rebuilt by referring to a picture found in the archives of the city.  It had been located in Highway 7 but was relocated to 6 David Gohn Circle to retain its heritage design and significance. David Gohn had moved to Markham in 1811, originally residing in Pennsylvania.  The house resembles a Classic Revival design with hints of Regency in its style. 

Wilmot Brumwell House (8 Wismer Place)

Established in 1910, this Edwardian style home was originally built on Woodbine Avenue. The Wilmot Brumwell house nearly hadn’t been a part of the Markham Heritage Estates due to the urbanization of its location. As luck would have it, the original area where the house was located was being serviced by hauling companies Laurie McCulloch Building Moving and Charles Matthews Ltd. by the Matthews brothers.

Udell-Hamilton House (6 Aileen Lewis Court)

This Udell-Hamilton house is known for its intricate details and overall complex design. The home was originally occupied by the infamous Matthew Udell who is known for his notorious ways. Matthew Udell was known to be involved with the Markham Gang later on ending up in jail. Mary Udell, Matthew’s wife, lived in the home along with their 4 children. Later on the house was sold to Abraham Hamilton, thus the title, “Udell-Hamilton House”. The house was sold in 1850 to which the new owner added new features to the house resulting in how we see it today.

George B. Quantz House (2 David Gohn Circle)

Melchoir Quantz is known as one of the first few British immigrants to move to Markham. The house, now located on 2 David Gohn Circle, was originally situated at 8982 McCowan Road and was built by Melchoir’s Grandson, George Quantz. This house is one of the few houses in Markham to feature a plank-on-plank construction that is done by stacking planks to create a solid wall form. (More on George A. Quantz (Richmond hill) on another article) 

Gapper-Duncan House (6 Wismer Place)

The Gapper-Duncan House has not only undergone relocation once but twice. In 1828, the house was originally constructed on Yonge Street, which was once labeled as the longest street in the world. Later on in the late 50s, the Gapper-Duncan house was relocated once again to the Markham Heritage Estates, in 6 Wismer Place. Details of the house were laid out in Richard Gapper’s sister, Mary O’Brien’s journal, “The Journals of Mary O’Brien”. Gapper’s wealth allowed him to build such a home in the neighbourhood. The home was later on sold to William Duncan after the Gappers had moved back to England.

Joshua Miller House (10 Heritage Corners Lane)

The Joshua Miller House is the oldest in the Markham Heritage Estates. This eastern-american colonial style farmhouse was originally in 10192 9th Lane up until 2006 when it was relocated to the estates at 10 Heritage Corners Lane. Thorough research was done on this property to determine its true age by studying the rings of an old, chopped down tree. The Miller family, who were the builders and original owners of the house, were known members of the 9th Line Baptist Church. 

James Thomas House (14 David Gohn Circle)

This Georgian mixed with Gothic Revival designed house is located at 14 David Gohn Circle in Markham Heritage Estates. The home was built in 1856 by Jamed Thomas who was believed to be the sole builder of the property. The house’s main feature, which you can see the moment you lay eyes on it, is the big window in the front that welcomes you into the home. The house showcases a regional style that is rarely seen in the homes of Markham.

Ambrose Noble House (11 Heritage Corners Lane)

The Ambrose Noble house is a 2-storey, bricked, Georgian style house that was originally located along Highway 48 and 16 th Avenue. Now, the house sits on 11 Heritage Corners lane. Built in 1848, the house features a triple brick construction method and has two front-facing doors for entrance. The Noble family, who had moved to Markham before the War in 1812, was known for their tanning business which brought them great wealth and success. The house was marked a heritage property and showed significant value to Martkham in 1983. 

Robert Grundy House (6 Alexander Hunter Place)

The Robert Grundy House was originally located at 9954 Woodbine Avenue south of Major Mackenzie Drive.  In 1819, the property was sold to Robert Grundy who lived in the house with his wife, Elizabeth, and daughter, Isabelle plus three other relatives. Residents of the house also include Edward Sanderson,and James Bell. The Grundy family was known to be active members of the Methodist Church. Built in 1840, the house was built with Georgian Architecture influence with soft, local brick. This 1 ½ storey house featured a wrap around verandah that was rebuilt after being relocated to 6 Alexander Hunter Place in the Markham Heritage Estates. 

Mount Joy School House (9350 Highway 48)

The Mount Joy School house today is located on Lot 16, Concession 7. The building was built in 1907 and was the 16th section among the 23 divided school sections. Up until 1969, the building was used for its main purpose as a public school. It was then declared as a museum after purchase by the Town of Markham to serve as a building for the Markham Museum The building showcases an Edwardian architecture style with a red brick structure and 2 storeys. Rectangular windows have stone lug sills and lintels in the building as well as an additional 1 storey in the front to give easier access to the entrance. Later on, another addition was made. A 2-storey can now be found in the north elevation which houses an office and comfort rooms for visitors to use. The Markham Museum exhibits over 20 heritage houses from early 1810 to 1910.

Thomas McQuay House (8 Alexander Place)

The Thomas McQuay house belonged to the McQuay family for over 100 years until the property was sold in 1973 to Ontario Hydro. Featuring a Classic Revival style architecture, the house was originally located along Highway 7 and Woodbine Avenue intersection. The home’s windows have plain wood trim with lugsills and the entrance sits at the center of the front of the house with a centre gable above it. Thomas McQuay purchased the lot in 1834 along with his wife, Sarah but did not construct the house until 1855. Clad in red brick, the house has a one-storey kitchen tail added in the back and featured a Bible door with partial sidelights in the front which can still be seen today.

Jonathan Irving Calvert House (10 Alexander Hunter Place)

Another home that was home to a family for over 100 years is the Jonathan Irving Calvert house. The house was built by William Calvert and was home to his son, Jonathan Irving Calvert for many years. The Calvert family is one of the families that were known to have lived the longest in a single home in Markham Township.l the house was made with buff brick with red details with a T-shape plan. The front elevation showcases a central gothic gable and the rear has a brick tail attached. The house initially had a veranda of a late 19th century design with corbelled chimneys on the gable ends. The Jonathan Irving Calvert house was originally located north of 16th Avenue on Woodbine Avenue.

McKenzie-Gowland House (12 Alexander Hunter Place)

The McKenzie-Gowland house was built in 1871 for couple Marshall and Martha McKenzie who lived there until 1891. 7 years later, Jonathan Gowland, who had been living in the area since 1843, bought the house. The farmhouse was built in a Gothic Revival architecture style made of wood frame construction. This T-shaped home has a central Gothic Gable on the front and originally had windows that were segmented arched 2/2, which were fixed up the same during restoration.

Peter G. Mustard House (14 Alexander Hunter Place)

This Georgian architecture style house reflects Classic Revival influence in its mouldings on the cornice. Built in c. 1840, the house was constructed by Peter Mustard and was later passed on to his eldest son, James, after his death in 1879. The house was located at the west half of Lot 18, Concession 9, in Markham and was moved to the Markham Heritage Estates on 14 Alexander Hunter Place in 2003. In 2005, the house was classified as a heritage property under the Ontario Heritage Act.

                                                                                                                         

John Robinson House (4 Wismer Place)

The John Robinson house was built as a Regency style cottage from red brick in 1850.  The house stood next door to the Gapper-Duncan house and was owned by John Robinsons who had been a leading Reformer and supporter of William Lyon McKenzie. The house was built on 9924 Kennedy Road and is a one-storey house with a five-bay facade. It has a low-hipped roof and has undergone restoration to show its original features.

Charles Mason Gohn House (10 Wismer Place)

The Charles Mason Gohn house is located at 10 Wismer Place in the Markham Heritage Estates. The farmhouse features a turn of the century Ontario style with influence of Gothic Revival design. The house was relocated to the subdivision after the construction of Highway 407 had threatened its demolition. Made of brick veneer, this house was home to the Gohn family since 1831.

Joseph Marr House (3 Heritage Corners Lane)

The Marr house is a one-and-a-half storey building that was built on land property owned by the Marr family in 1809. The land was given to the family by the Crown after proving loyal to the British. In 1957, Joseph Marr sold the property to a local landowner, Christian Reesor and his family and remained with them until 1920. 

Phillips - Teasdale House (4 Alexander Hunter Place)

This last remaining dwelling in the earle Leek’s Corners settlement was constructed by Peter Gottrfied Phillipsen or later known as Phillips. The house was built in the style of an early 19th Century pioneer home. Its current form was constructed by William Teasdale in 1880. 

Reesor Jarvis House (12 Wismer Place)

The Reesor family is known to be one of the most prominent families of the Pennsylvania German Mennonites. They had settled in Markham in 1804. The Reesor house was originally located on 8192 Reesor Road and was built for couples Abraham and Martha Reesor. The L-shaped home is of a Gothic Revival style farmhouse that features arched windows with front and side verandahs. The said verandahs have been fixed up and returned to their original form.

John Galloway House (4 David Gohn Circle)

The John Galloway house was built in 1858 with a late vernacular interpretation of the Neoclassical style with hints of Gothic Revival. John Galloway immigrated to Canada in 1844 and acquired 100 acres of land in 1857 from John Montgomery. The house was constructed with buff bricks and features voussoirs at the front with a fieldstone foundation. A few years after Galloway had acquired the 100-acre lot, he had 65 acres under crops already and 85 acres had been cultivated. The John Galloway house was constructed on Lot 10, Concession 3 in Brown’s Corners.

Jacob Pingle House (8 David Gohn Circle)

The Jacob Pingle House on David Gohn Circle is one of the few houses in Markham that has its main entrance at the gable end. The house features an ornate regency style verandah with a bell cast roof. Jacob Pingle’s ancestor, Joachim, settled in Markham in 1794 after having left Germany. The Pingle family had lived in this house that is a vernacular interpretation of the gothic revival style. 

John McCreight House (10 David Gohn Circle)

The John McCreight house was originally located  in Hamlet of Sparta. This T-shaped home is made of brick veneer with details of a five source tie line under the gables. The building is decorated with buff brick quoins and voussoirs. The house features a veranda at the front that was rebuilt to create the overall shape of the home. John McCreight was a farmer based in Scarborough.

John Jacob Lunau House (12 David Gohn Circle)

The John Jacob Lunau house was built on 8030 Warden Avenue. The Georgian Cottage style home has a verandah and windows that are of Gothic style, both of which were recently restored by referring to a historic photograph of the original design. John Jacob Lunau is the son of Joachim, from whom he inherited the land the house was built on. Made of unburned clay brick, the house was later on covered with wood siding. John Jacob Lunau was known to be acquainted with William Lyon Mackenzie and was a reformer.

Thomas Cameron House (16 David Gohn Circle)

The Thomas Cameron House was built on the land on 248 Main Street in Unionville which was first purchased by John Size. After John’s death, his wife had sold a portion of the property to her son-in-law, Thomas Cameron, who had built the house on the lot. Thomas had later on sold the house to Jacob Size a little after the construction of the home. The house is an example of a Workers Cottage house that was influenced with Gothic Revival style.

Christian Ramer House (18 David Gohn Circle)

In 1890, Abraham Ramer arrived in Markham with his family, who were a prominent Pennsylvania German family. The Christian Ramer house, which stood on the west side of # 48 north of 16th Avenue, was built in 1871 by Abraham’s grandson, Christian. The house was designed in a Gothic Revival style architecture with a balcony sitting on top of a full width veranda. 

John Ramsay House (20 David Gohn Circle)

The John Ramsay house was built on 9782 Kennedy Road with two over two windows and vertical wood siding. This house was built as a 1 ½ story Workers Cottage style home. The building was later expanded between 1900 and 1920 when a full second story was added. This house is one of the few houses left that belonged in the community of Colty’s Corners.

Milton Fierheller House (22 David Gohn Circle)

This Gothic Revival style home was built on the west side of Woodbine Avenue in Buttonville for the Fierheller family. The house displays a unique double gable at the front. The Fielhellers arrived in Markham in the late 1790’s. The land which the house was built on was bought by John Jr. Fierheller in 1834. A second gable was later added to the house. 

David Leek Sr. House (24 David Gohn Circle)

The David Leek Sr. House was assumed to have been built c. 1840. The building is of plank on plank construction that was originally located on the east corner of highway 7 and Bayview Avenue. This plank house has a mansard roof and represents the few remaining houses in Markham built in the Second Empire style. David Leek came to Markham in 1813.

Warren Bishop House (26 David Gohn Circle)

The Warren Bishop house was assumed to have been built  c 1847 by the Bishop family on the land of Joseph Tomlinson. It was constructed for Edward McHenry who lived there with his wife Susan. In 1861, Warren Bishop had resided in the house after moving from Unionville to work for Tomlinson Woolen Mill. The house is located on the 9th line in Box Grove formerly known as the village of Sparta. This 1 ½ story house was made in the style of a vernacular village cottage with influences of Georgian architecture.

Richard Lewis House (28 David Gohn Circle)

The Richard Lewis house is a farmhouse built with an Ontario Cottage style. In the mid 1880s, the 1 ½ story house was built with red brick. The design includes elements of regency and classic revival styles. Originally located at 3143 19th Avenue in the Gormley Community. Richard Lewis’ son, Joseph completed construction of the house in 1845 after Richard’s death from a blasting stone used in the construction of the foundation.