A GLANCE AT THE PHOTOGRAPH

CREDITS:
Oakville Historical Society Collection, No. 466.
“House of Professor George A. Guess,
east side of Douglas Ave., north of Galt Ave., 1915.”

Cumberland Land Company, Limited, 1913).
Oakville Historical Society Collection, Document Box No. 20.

QUICK COMMENTS:
Lots in the Brantwood Survey, bounded by Colborne, Allan, Spruce, and Gloucester, are being promoted through a lavish booklet published in 1913. Those in Tuxedo Park, two blocks north, have been on the market since 1910. Both subdivisions are convenient to the Toronto & Hamilton Electric Line. In expectation of more housing throughout the area, Douglas Avenue already has a concrete sidewalk; tiles are piled for sewer installation; and street paving will follow. Areas of second-growth bush to the east and south of the Guess residence are probably considered ripe for development.

In fact, the anticipated housing boom will not get underway until after the 1914-1918 war.

Prof. Guess’s commodious new home in the Tudor Revival style sits comfortably back from the street. A dry stone wall parallels the sidewalk and a stretch of grass lies between. Three dry stone gateposts terminate the wall at the north: a pair marking the entrance walk and a third, somewhat larger, at the outer edge of the driveway. This driveway stops short of the small white structure at the rear, which is apparently not a garage (even though some houses do have garages by this time). The house has been carefully sited to preserve several trees including a spruce (Picea species) taller than the house and a red oak (Quercus rubra) nearly twice as tall as the spruce. The lower branches of the spruce have been removed so as not to block the three windows behind. The oak, judging by its symmetrical crown, has spent most of its life in the clear.

This house is still standing, its municipal address now 329 Douglas Avenue. The only addition visible from the street is a fairly inconspicuous porte-cochère or carport over the driveway. The stone wall is in good repair and the three gateposts, although now mortared, are still in place. The area between the wall and the sidewalk is now planted with low shrubs, ornamental grasses, and groundcovers. A standard euonymus (Euonymus fortunei cultivar), perhaps several decades old, replaces the spruce. A Norway spruce (Picea abies) planted not long after 1912 grows close to the front of the property. The red oak–which must now be at least 150 years old–is in fair condition. * click for more details



A SERIES OF QUESTIONS:
In what year was the house constructed?

In what year was the municipal work on Douglas Avenue completed?

Has the dry stone wall been repaired or completely rebuilt?

When were the gateposts mortared?