One of the more historic buildings of Cobourg, the Lydia Pinkham building began as a public school in 1874 and within two years it became a Model School where people came to be trained as teachers. In 1998 it was purchased by Thomas Ponitac Buick GMC Ltd. and demolished to make room for expansion to their car lot. Edward Crane was the architect and builder of Victoria College in 1836. It was built as the Academy of the Methodist Church and became one of Canada's earliest degree-granting universities in 1841. Egerton Ryerson, was its first president. After forming a vital part of Cobourg's academic and cultural life for over fifty years, Victoria College relocated to Toronto in 1892 and is today affiliated with the University of Toronto. Edward Crane was the architect and builder of Victoria College in 1836. It was built as the Academy of the Methodist Church and became one of Canada's earliest degree-granting universities in 1841. Strathmore (Brookside School) Details Strathmore was the home of Judge George M. Clark, whose wife was a daughter of William Weller. He sold the estate in 1904 to Charles Donnelly, a Pittsburg steel magnate, who remodeled and enlarged it. This building was an example of the style known as Beaux Arts Classical, popular in the U.S.A., at the close of the 19th century. In 1914 the house was taken over by the Haas family from Toronto, who then owned it till the mid 1940s when they sold it to the Ontario government. Strathmore is now part of the Brookside Training School. 
