492 Lakeshore Road E - The Luther Symmes & Caroline Jackson Symmes House

Luther Richardson Symmes purchased this property in 1909

The lot on which 492 Lakeshore Road East stands became plan 105 in 1905 and was known as the "Carson Survey". It was sold to Thomas Miller along with lots 2,3 & 4 fronting onto Lakeshore Rd. in 1909 and upon his death these 4 lots were sold to Luther Richardson Symmes in 1924. As a result, Symmes owned all of the land on the south side of Lakeshore Rd. between Park & Howard Avenues. According to the tax assessment records, a building first appears on lot 1 in 1926.

The land was purchased for a summer cottage and was designed by architect George N. Molesworth who was responsible for building many fine homes in Oakville. "It was built as an English style cottage but with servants in mind. A butler's pantry, with back stairs to the "maids quarters" and children and guest rooms was removed in 1998 to accommodate a larger kitchen".

Luther Symmes was born in 1857 in the province of Quebec. He married Caroline Jackson in 1885 in Welland and in 1888 their son Bert was born. The family spent time in British Columbia, then Toronto where Symmes became a contractor. The 1921 census then finds him in Grimsby, Ont. growing fruit on his own farm. One of his farm hands, Herbert Rooker eventually became a chauffeur, driving Symmes to Florida every year. When he purchased the land in Oakville Rooker and his wife Nellie joined him at the new place. Symmes died sometime before 1935 and his wife Caroline continued to live in Oakville until selling the property in November 1946 and relocating to her birthplace of Welland, Ont.