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14 Caledonia Street
14 Caledonia Street
Harry J. Peter was the original owner of the house. He was the owner of a local plumbing and electrical firm. The house remained in Peter’s family until 1992.
Date of Construction: 1905 Architectural Style: Queen Anne
Architectural Description: Two storey red brick, hipped metal roof; hipped roof dormer with two part window; with leaded glass in upper sash; there are narrow elongated brackets under the eaves; front façade has a two storey three sided bay window on the left with one over one windows on each side; the centre window on the first floor has a transom; there is a single one over one window on the right side on the second floor and a larger window with a transom below this on the first floor; the one storey porch at the front has square columns set on top of a shingle wall porch; the roof has a pediment over the entrance; the porch goes around to the right side of the house; a two storey section of the porch is open on the second floor and attached to a turret; the turret window is oval; the roof is six sided with a finial on the top of the roof.
61 Caledonia Street 1980 Stratford-Perth Archives
61 Caledonia Street
61 Caledonia Street
Margaret Dow Historic Property
Margaret Dow Historic Property
Margaret Dow nee Stewart was born in Perthshire, Scotland about 1787. She married Alexander Dow sometime before 1822 as their daughter, Margaret, was born in 1824. It is not known if there were other children older than Margaret.
According to the land records in the book The Hills of Home: North Easthope Township 1827- 1997, Margaret Dow leased Lot 24 Concession 12 in 1845.
In 1846, Margaret, at age 59, her daughters, Margaret (Peggy) age 22, Catherine age 20, Christina age 15, and her son James age 8, arrived in their new home. Perhaps she was joining Stewart relations as there were a number of Stewart families near to her property. Margaret later sold the farm to Peter Doerr and in 1878 she and two of her three daughters, Margaret and Christina, moved to Stratford to 61 Caledonia Street.
Margaret died in 1884 at the age of 97. Her daughters continued to live in the house until 1911. Margaret Jr. kept house but Christina went to work first as a trimmer at Gordon & Orr and later as a mantle maker. Margaret died in 1909 at the age of 85 and Christina two years later at 80. Margaret Stewart Dow and her daughters are buried in Hampstead Cemetery, North Easthope. Source: Historic Plaque Properties
64 Caledonia Street 1910 and 1916 Photo: Vince Gratton
64 Caledonia Street
64 Caledonia Street
Ralph Donaldson Jr., carpenter and builder
Ralph Donaldson Jr., carpenter and builder
Ralph Donaldson Jr. was a well-known and respected citizen of Stratford. A carpenter by trade, he built every frame, set every window and hung every door in the Perth County Courthouse when it was built in 1886. When his parents, Ralph (1822-1891) and Jane (Gray) Donaldson, came from Scotland in 1855, Stratford was just a village.
Ralph Jr. was born in Stratford on April 29, 1856. He attended Central School (see St. Andrew Street), where the Stratford Public Library now stands, and after school he learned his trade as a carpenter and builder.
He was the caretaker at Knox Church (see Ontario Street) at the time of the disastrous fire on May 13, 1913, in which three lives were lost. He also supervised and took a hands-on role in much of reconstruction, all the while playing close attention to the details that continue to beautify the building.
In was in honour of his splendid services, for almost half a century, that the Knox congregation dedicated a stained glass window in his name. The window bears the inscription: And He laid His hand upon him and gave him Charge. The window depicts a knight in armour kneeling before Christ and taking his oath to serve faithfully.
* More words on the window: In recognition of Ralph Donaldson's long and faithful service as church officer covering a period of half a century. Erected November 1930
68 Caledonia Street
68 Caledonia Street
This house was built for John Buchan, a retired gentleman, who in, 1854 was the first postmaster of the Village of Fullarton.
Harry J. Peter was the original owner of the house. He was the owner of a local plumbing and electrical firm. The house remained in Peter’s family until 1992.
Date of Construction: 1876 Architectural Style: Regency/Ontario Cottage Architectural Description: One storey yellow brick hipped roof cottage; centre Gothic peak over doorway, round window in peak with voussoirs half way around the top of the window; decorative drop finials under eaves; entrance door has narrow segmentally arched side lights and a transom; large rectangular window with a transom of leaded lozenge shaped panes; hipped porch roof with a slightly projecting pediment supported by brackets; porch roof supported by decorative fluted columns set in pairs.
128 Caledonia Street
128 Caledonia Street
William Carter
128 Caledonia Street 1942 Photo: Vince Gratton
224 Caledonia Street 1984
224 Caledonia St.
224 Caledonia St.
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