A gothic revival fieldstone house that was home to one of the region's earliest European settlers is the latest property identified by the city for heritage designation.
The city's municipal heritage advisory committee (MHAC) will consider endorsing the heritage designation of 555 Riverbank Dr. this month.
Known as the Gehl House, the property contains a two-and-a-half storey stone farmhouse, a one-and-a-half storey stone outbuilding known as the “cook house,” a large complex of 19th century barn buildings, and expansive treed lawns.
It's located immediately north of the settlement of Freeport (previously known as Bridgeville or Toll Bridge), reads a report headed to MHAC on Sept. 19.
"Freeport’s post office was established in 1863 and several churches existed in the community including a United Brethen (Mennonite) congregation."
It's also down the street from another agricultural property that is the subject of a contentious development application that could see it rezoned it for multi-residential use.
The city is methodically working to establish heritage conservation districts and identify properties worthy of designation ahead of a 2027 deadline set by the province that will see the elimination of all municipal heritage registers.
Heritage registers give municipalities a 60-day window to protect buildings if a demolition permit application is filed.
Cambridge currently has more than 600 undesignated properties on its register; buildings that have cultural heritage value but don't have the protections of a full designation.
Once the province enacts legislation to eliminate municipal heritage registers, the city has no recourse if the owner wishes to demolish or alter the building.
The property’s main dwelling and cook house were built by Richard Gehl in the mid-19th century.
"Richard Gehl (1825-1909) was a Prussian-born farmer who was considered part of a group of primarily Catholic settlers, known as the “New Germany Pioneers”, who came from southern Germany and Prussia in areas such as Alsace and Bavaria."
He married Rebecca Toman and they had six children.
The buildings, believed to be built sometime in the decade after Gehl purchased the property in 1845, are architecturally significant and are built in the Mennonite Georgian style.
Heritage planning staff say the Gehl House was built with fieldstone and heavy uncut quoins.
"It has a three-bay façade with an ornate, inset entryway in the centre of the façade."
Staff are of the opinion the property warrants designation, having satisfied five of nine criteria in the Ontario Heritage Act, and believes further study could yield additional information relevant to the understanding of the community and culture that helped establish the region.
Next week staff will ask the MHAC to request council direct the city clerk to publish a notice of intention to designate the property.
