20 Division Street, Colborne

(mid to late 1800s)
Roll No. 1411-012-020-31800 – Cramahe Township Ontario

Folk Victorian

No. 20 Division Street, Colborne, is a mélange of styles, most notably an “L” shaped Folk Victorian.

It is the red brick found throughout Northumberland County. It has the offset front door, round head window sash and decorative eaves brackets that are often associated with the Italianate style.

It has a right side wing and a decorative three pane bay window on the south facade – with two over two pane glass. Some of the other windows have been replaced.

It has a hip roof with an unusual “divot” at the top peak.

There is a two story spindle porch with brick front and doric columns which may have been original to the house as there is a door on the upper floor of the right wing.

There is a small single story addition on the rear of the property and a large gambrel roofed outbuilding.

History or Associative Value

Numbers 16, 18 and 20 Division – a street established in the village of Colborne in 1858 – were all part of the land holdings of John and Mary Steele who also owned No. 3 King Street West (see that profile). Thanks to an aerial view of Division Street in 1921, we know that No. 20 Division Street was present but the in between Nos 16 and 18 were not – rather lawn, barns and other outbuildings stood in that space. So No. 20 was probably built in the 1890s coincident with other development in that part of the village.

Additional Historical and Genealogical Information

16, 18, and 20 Division Street

Reid Lot 511 (sometimes with the addition of Lot 510 and sometimes without) remained intact until the southern portion was sold to the Canadian Northern Ontario Railway in 1910. The northern part remained undivided until sometime after 1921 (see table). This means not only that all three of the houses of interest had identical ownership histories before 1921, but it also means that they were all on a property that had a much older house on it as well. This was 3 King Street West, the house occupied by John Steele then for many years by the Scougale family. The ownership history for this property is outlined in the King Street West write-up. Unfortunately, it doesn’t provide us any evidence for the history of the houses at 16, 18, or 20 Division Street.

However, there is one bit of evidence for 16 and 18 Division Street. The house at 20 Division Street is clearly visible in the aerial photograph presented above, but there is open lawn where 16 and 18 now stand. This photo was taken in 1920, so the latter two houses are younger than that.

Colborne, ON K0K 1S0, Canada

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