Intention to Designate - Heritage Properties

Description of Property:

388 Centre Street is a residential property constructed sometime after 1833 and is located on the east side of Centre Street, at the intersection of Centre Street and Dibble Street.

The property is a 2 ½ storey course stone with a long, narrow 1 ½ storey addition on the back and was built by Robert Glasgow, a prominent shipbuilder in the early days of Prescott. This property was rented by the Merchants Bank in 1868 and operated as a bank until 1875. Following its use as a bank, the property was owned by two doctors, Dr. William Justus Jones and Dr. Charles F. McPherson.

Statement of Culture Heritage Value or Interest:

Criteria #4

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 the community.

Supporting Details

• Built by prominent shipbuilder, Robert Glasgow
• Association with the Merchants Bank, the first bank in Prescott, as a significant institution featuring the walk-in vault located within the property

Criteria #7

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

Supporting Details

• Georgian Style visible in its symmetry, as seen in the number and spacing of windows
• Exterior shell is one of the four properties on the four corners of this intersection, connecting the property with its surroundings

Summary of Heritage Attributes to Protect:

Key attributes that contribute to the cultural heritage value of 388 Centre Street as a good example of unique style and direct associations with an institution significant with the community include its:

• Exterior Georgian style popular during this period. Note: The damaged east end of the building is not included in our recommendation. There is no expectation of repair.
• Walk-in vault, directly associated with the significant institution (first bank in Prescott) within town

Additional Notes:

Due to the condition of the north and east addition wall, this portion of the structure is not included as part of the exterior shell and is not included in preservation should the condition worsen.

Description of Property:

408 East Street is a three-storey stone house built sometime in the 1850’s and is located on the east side of East Street, at the intersection of East Street and Dibble Street West.

This property was one of the first houses to be built on the east side of East Street. In 1908 the house was purchased by a wealthy businessman who added to the size and impressiveness of the property with the addition of a dining room, kitchen, porches, and a carriage house. This property is a mixture of the architectural styles of the late Victorian and Edwardian period.

Statement of Culture Heritage Value or Interest:

Criteria #9
The property has contextual value because it is a landmark.

Supporting Details
• One of the first houses on the east side of East Street
• Considered a landmark due to its sheer mass and design

Summary of Heritage Attributes to Protect:

Key attributes that contribute to the cultural heritage value of 408 Centre Street as a good example of contextual value as a landmark:

• Mass and design of the house and carriage house

Description of Property:

The Subject Property described as; PLAN 19 PT BLK 2 PT LOT 16 S KING ST RP 15R11827 PART 2; PLAN 19 PT BLK 2 PT LOT 16 S KING ST RP 15R11827 PARTS 3 AND 4; PLAN 19 PT BLK 2 PT LOT 16 S KING ST RP 15R11827 PARTS 5 6 AND 9; PLAN 19 PT BLK 2 PT LOT 16 S KING ST RP 15R11827 PARTS 7 AND 8) is located on the north side of Water Street West within the historic downtown core of the Town of Prescott.

Statement of Culture Heritage Value or Interest:

The property contains a two-storey stone commercial/residential building constructed in the Georgian style and is prominently situated within the traditional streetscape overlooking the St. Lawrence River corridor.

Description of Heritage Attributes: 

Key attributes that contribute to the cultural heritage value of 240-246 Water Street West as a notable example of mixed-use urban construction in Prescott, featuring locally cut rubble stone masonry and a Georgian-style design with balanced proportions and symmetrical form. Its distinctive heritage elements include a central arched carriageway (the only known surviving example in the town) brick window detailing, and stone sills, all reflecting skilled craftsmanship. Historically, the building is associated with Prescott’s early commercial growth and hospitality services, providing access for horse-drawn deliveries and guests. Its scale, materials, and traditional façade contribute to the character and continuity of the historic Water Street streetscape, serving as a tangible reminder of the town’s early built environment and commercial history.

Criteria #1
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.

Supporting Details
The building is constructed of locally cut rubble stone, demonstrating an early and durable form of masonry construction common to the community’s formative years. Its design reflects the Georgian architectural style through balanced proportions and a restrained, symmetrical appearance. Distinctive heritage elements include the central carriageway opening, brick detailing above the window openings, and stone window sills, all of which contribute to its value as an early surviving example of mixed-use urban construction in Prescott.

Criteria #2
The property displays a high degree of craftsmanship or artistic merit.
Supporting Details
The subject property exhibits a high degree of craftsmanship through its carefully laid stone masonry façade and structural walls. The arched carriageway demonstrates skilled stone construction techniques and remains one of the building’s most significant architectural features. As the only known remaining arch carriageway in the Town of Prescott, it represents a rare surviving example of historic craftsmanship.

Criteria #5
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.

Supporting Details
The property is associated with the early commercial growth of Prescott as a transportation and trade centre along the St. Lawrence River. The presence of the carriageway reflects the era of horse-drawn travel, when buildings required direct access for wagons, deliveries, and guests. The property is also believed to have been among the earliest hotel or lodging-related establishments in the community, illustrating the importance of hospitality services during Prescott’s early development.

Criteria #7
The property is important in defining, maintaining, or supporting the character of an area or is physically, visually, or historically linked to its surroundings.

Supporting Details:
The stone façade and prominent carriageway arch are defining visual features within the historic Water Street streetscape. The building contributes to the character of Prescott’s downtown waterfront area through its traditional scale, materials, and architectural form. It also serves as a physical reminder of the Town’s early built environment and commercial history.

Criteria # 8
The property has contextual value because it is physically, functionally,
visually or historically linked to its surroundings.

Supporting Details:
The cut stone façade, traditional window openings, and central archway visually connect the building to the broader collection of historic structures along Water Street. Its scale and placement help maintain the established rhythm and historic character of the streetscape. The property also retains a strong historical relationship to Water Street’s role as Prescott’s principal commercial corridor.

Summary of Heritage Attributes to Protect:

• Overall massing, scale, and form of the building
• Cut rubble stone exterior walls and masonry construction
• Georgian style symmetry and façade composition
• Central arched carriageway opening
• Stone window sills and historic window openings
• Brick detailing above window openings
• Relationship of the building to the Water Street streetscape
• Visual prominence as part of Prescott’s historic downtown core

Description of Property:

The Subject Property described as; PLAN 19 BLK 2 LOT 20 N/S DIBBLE ST PT LOT 21 N/S DIBBLE ST PT LOTS 20 AND 21 S/S JAMES ST LYING EAST OF RP 15R5458 PART 1) is situated on a one-acre corner lot stretching from Dibble Street to James Street.

Statement of Culture Heritage Value or Interest:

The property at 320 Dibble Street West, known as The Homestead, is a significant heritage asset in Prescott due to its architectural, historical, and contextual value. Constructed between 1830 and 1831, it is an early and well-preserved example of a Georgian-style grand mansion, reflecting the design tastes and construction methods of the period. The home is associated with Alpheus Jones, a prominent local figure who established the Prescott-Bytown Railroad, and provides insight into the lifestyle of one of Prescott’s most influential families. As a prominent landmark occupying a central location in the town, the property contributes to the community’s historic identity and serves as a recognizable reference point within Prescott’s streetscape.

Criteria #1

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.

Supporting Details

The building is a unique and early example of a Georgian style “grand mansion,” one of the earliest homes in Prescott, built in 1830 and completed in 1831.

Criteria #5

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.

Supporting Details

The property reflects the prominence of its owner, Alpheus Jones, who was notable for establishing the Prescott-Bytown Railroad. The property, named The Homestead by Jones (reference to 1906 article in the Prescott Journal), remained in the family until the death of Alpheus Jones’ last heir in 1937. As a prominent home in the town’s centre, The Homestead provides information about the lifestyle of the town’s most influential citizens.

Criteria #9

The property has contextual value because it is a landmark.

Supporting Details

Occupying an acre in the centre of town and with a grand entrance on this large Georgian style home, 320 Dibble Street West meets the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport’s 2014 definition of a ‘landmark’ “... as a recognizable natural or human-made feature used for a point of reference that helps orienting in a familiar or unfamiliar environment; it may mark an event or development. It may be conspicuous... The key physical characteristic of a landmark is its prominence within its context.”

Summary of Heritage Attributes to Protect:

The front façade of the house at 320 Dibble Street West is to be protected including:

• the Kingston Limestone front exterior wall, which is reported to be 27” thick (Criteria #1)
• the number and design of the windows which contribute to the Georgian style (Criteria #1)
• the front door and grand staircase (Criteria #5 and #9)