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Briggs home to be designat WHITBY FREE PRESS, HERITAGE SUPPLEMENT, SEPTEMBER 9,1987, PAGE 9 ed By KEVIN SUGDEN The Briggs family house on Con. 8., east of Myrtle will be designated under the Ontario Heritage Act at the first meeting of Whitby Council in September. This notable homestead, built in the 1850's, has remained.virtually unaltered for more than 120 years. It is in a remarkable state of preservation, inside and out. The Briggs family, who settled on this farmland in 1836, built the house between 1856 and 1857. It has remained in the family until a few months ago when iÇ was sold. The house was recognized in 1978 by Whitby LACAC (Architectural Conservation Committee) resear- chers as a worthy subject for protection under the Heritage Act. It has remained, until this year, among some 200 other buildings in the Town that could potentially benefit from heritage designation. Luékily, the home's new owners are enthusiastic supporters of ar- chitectural preservation. Early in 1987 they approached LACAC to have the home identified as a heritage property. As part of - the designation process, historical and architec- tural reports are prepapred. Brian Winter, Whitby archivist and longest standing member of the Town's architectural conservation committee, set to work researching the history oftthe property and its a owners. t Wennow know that the original 100-acre farm was bought by James and David Briggs in 1836. They came to Myrtle from Lower Canada (Quebec) along with several other Briggs relatives. The family was originally from Massachusetts and had spent 30 years in Lower Canada before their final move. el Life would have been difficult for sts David and James Briggs during tdi their early years in our area. We 0 know that a log cabin once stood on the farm. But its cramped quarters would have been made more ab pleasant by the sounds Of music, for rel both brothers were reputable aci "Greek Revival" architecture. But -II musicians.msthv tel The land must have been boun- S tiful - within a few years, more f acreage was purchased, and by in 186 enough money was available to ts begin constructing the 11/2story brick farmhouse that still remains on the site. David Briggs had ambitions only to build what was typical and respectable for the time. He decided on a simple box with features that were well established. We would call his home a com- binatIon of "Regency Style" and these are modern labels. For the Briggs, it was simple and distinguished. But it was just not big enough. Before they had even begun laying bricks it was decided to build a big kitchen and carriage house on the rear of the original house. David Briggs could manage this unplan- ned cost only to a point. In 1858 he had to mortgage 50 acres of his farm. However, this extra burden was soon discharged. The family grew and another bedroom was divided from the original dining room. A picturesque kitchen porch was also a later addition. It is apparent that the Briggs en- joyed a rich sense of humor as well as their musicianship. In the den- sely wooded garden, they built a most wondrous outhouse. Fine, jointed wooden beams compose its frame. A copper-plated, barrel vault roof shelters a carefully plastered interior that features a triple-seated lavatory, two seats for aduits and another for a child. But DETAILS OF ROOF of outhouse which is to be designated along with the house. Beside the bracketed eaves and copper roof it had a plastered in- ni terior. LACAC photo d 403 Beech Street W., Whitby t 430-1652 k go HERTAGE DAY SPECIALS: 10% off on all truffles & bonbons. t NEW: Cherry Bonbons, made with Ontario grown cherries, perserved in fine liqueur. Retail Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 9:00 - 5:00 for William Briggs, who lived on the farm all his life, the pride of this extravagant privy was the custom- made galvanized trough that could be hitched through a side wall chute and dragged off down the field for disposal. Today the house is in some need of repair. Chimneys must be rebuilt, outside woodwork needs restoring, the roof should be worked on and the old Victoriafl gardens are full of weeds. These problems would dismay most of us, but for the new e owners of the Briggs house, they pose an exciting FRONT DOORWAY of Briggs house with unusual centrebead on door. LACAC photo chal lenge. With the help of the provincial restoration grants program for designated heritage proprtie, ths noableoldfar- mstead will be restored to its for- mer distinction. CuUtend 4efls FREE Pot of Mums to every mother Chrysanthemum Festival September 19th to 27th Featuring: Thousands of colourful Chrysanthemums. Cottage Country ... with miniature Boats, Railroads, Resorts & Lakeside events. Miniature, Village & Country Fairground Free Entertainment "Gorgeous splashes of colour" New Garden Gate Restaurant. Village Restaurant & Garden Tea Room. Free Parking. "A delightful place for young and old." CULLEN GARDENS and Miniature Village Whitby 668-6606 .t tt t . . . t tt . tt ~ tt. . . . . .. . .. ..t..t rn~ DAVID BRIGGS HOUSE, 1957 at 8th concession east of Myrtle. Occupied for 130 years by the original family, this 1½ story Ontario farmhouse remains vir- tually unaltered since its construction. LACAC photo Toronto 294-7965 ï iNOM xxix