ACO London Region’s Historical House Sign Program Reaches Milestone. Pandemic Surge in Interest in Home History.
London, ON: When a Historical House Sign was delivered to Andrew Nelson this week, his property at 22 Peter Street became the 300th in London to be recognized through ACO’s popular program. Andrew and his late wife Christine moved to London in 1994. As archaeologists, Andre said they were “naturally inclined to have an interest in old things. “Andrew teaches at Western, while Chris was involved with London’s Advisory Committee on Heritage and later became a Heritage Planner with the city.
The history of the Nelson home was completed thanks to ACO volunteers Joey McDowell and Linda Whitney. The home was determined to have been built circa 1870 in the Ontario Farmhouse style. The white clapboard dwelling, somewhat unusual in London, was first occupied Oren O. Benson, a melodeon maker at Benson Brother whose factory was located on King Street between Clarence and Wellington. In addition to being the 300th sign location, 22 Peter Street has been designated by the City of London under the Ontario Heritage Act and was toured by hundreds of Londoners during ACO’s famous Geranium Heritage House Tours in both 1974 and 1998. The property also has a strong connection to another local heritage advocate, as it was the longtime home of artist, teacher, activist, and relentless defender of the Woodfield Neighbourhood - Evelyn Lamont Crooks. There is a plaque dedicated to her memory under the magnolia tree in the front yard.
Initiated in 2017, ACO London Region’s Historical House Signs program is modelled after similar a similar program in Stratford. Posted in a visible location facing the street, the signs are a reminder of the city’s rich stock of historical homes. Each sign displays the construction date of the house, plus the name and occupation of the first occupant(s). In addition to the sign, each owner receives a printed monograph with information about their home’s unique story - the names of the people who lived there, the places they worked, and how their neighbourhood evolved.
Once a sign is requested, the address is assigned to one of the ACO’s dedicated volunteers who then combs the historical maps and records available through the Western Archives, the Central Library’s London Room, and various on-line resources. This research takes approximately 10 to 30 hours, depending on the property.
When the program started in 2017, there were just two volunteers (now there are 15). One was ACO member and former BOARD MEMBER Sharon Lunau, credited for sparking the initiative here in London. The other was Dorothy Palmer who has researched approximately 70 properties and counting! Dorothy recalled the challenge of finding records for the oldest residence signed to date: the farmhouse located at 1252 Hamilton Road. It dates back to at least 1860 on lands settled in the 1820’s.
Another Historical House Sign Program volunteer is Heather Guizzetti, who recently took over the role of coordinator. “I think of the program as a way to help people connect to their community in a new way,” said Heather.
Walking along a street, the ACO signs give a great glimpse into a neighbourhood’s history. You may have an image of houses being built over decades or serving a particular population. ACO’s research has found that some streets were built out quite quickly, while others were developed very slowly over many years. The people living within the newly-built homes represent a wide range of occupations and reflect the city’s economic base during each era. A few notable examples are a Bacteriologist, a Projectionist, and a Baseball Legend.
To help Londoners find the signs, there is an on-line map of the ACO London website that shows sign locations across the city.
About ACO London Region
Members of Architectural Conservancy Ontario (ACO) through education and advocacy, encourage the conservation and reuse of structures, districts and landscapes of architectural, historic and cultural significance to inspire and benefit the city and people of London, Ontario and region. To learn more about ACO London, visit https://acolondon.ca/. To learn more about the Historical House Sign program, click here.