Address:
288 William Street - The Joseph and Suzannah Boon House
Summary:
Both Joseph Boon and his brother, Isaac, were stone masons from England.
Property Details:
This lot was sold to Justus Williams, a local shopkeeper, in 1837 by William Chisholm. It was sold two years later to Reverend James Musgrove. It was sold again, this time to Joseph Boon in 1874.
Joseph and his older brother, Isaac, came to Canada from Devonshire, England in their mid-twenties. They were both stone masons and Isaac was involved in the building of the Chisholm brothers' mill. However, this trade was not in high demand, so they switched to brick-laying and plastering, and found a lot of work in town. They were awarded the brick and plaster contract for the Market Building/Town Hall.
In the 1860s, Joseph bought the Exchange Hotel, which he doubled in size. The hotel was located on the southeast corner of Lakeshore Road and George Street, where the Town Square is now.
Joseph did not build on this house lot immediately. He is listed as a tenant in the Rose Cottage, which is one block east, on the corner, but by 1879 it appears the original section of the house was built or under construction.
Joseph and his wife, Suzannah, had five children, two sons and three daughters, all born before the house was built. By 1894 the couple were empty nesters, and they also owned two adjoining lots, which were vacant.
The house was sold in 1903 to W. S. Davis, a local realtor and property developer, as an investment.
Joseph and his older brother, Isaac, came to Canada from Devonshire, England in their mid-twenties. They were both stone masons and Isaac was involved in the building of the Chisholm brothers' mill. However, this trade was not in high demand, so they switched to brick-laying and plastering, and found a lot of work in town. They were awarded the brick and plaster contract for the Market Building/Town Hall.
In the 1860s, Joseph bought the Exchange Hotel, which he doubled in size. The hotel was located on the southeast corner of Lakeshore Road and George Street, where the Town Square is now.
Joseph did not build on this house lot immediately. He is listed as a tenant in the Rose Cottage, which is one block east, on the corner, but by 1879 it appears the original section of the house was built or under construction.
Joseph and his wife, Suzannah, had five children, two sons and three daughters, all born before the house was built. By 1894 the couple were empty nesters, and they also owned two adjoining lots, which were vacant.
The house was sold in 1903 to W. S. Davis, a local realtor and property developer, as an investment.
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288 William Street
288 William Street plaque
288 William Street circa 1989
288 William Street circa 1950
288 William Street
The Original Town Hall, destroyed by fire
The Exchange Hotel - 1897
The Rose Cottage - circa 1950
288 William Street
288 William Street plaque
288 William Street circa 1989
288 William Street circa 1950
288 William Street
The Original Town Hall, destroyed by fire
The Exchange Hotel - 1897
The Rose Cottage - circa 1950