Description of Property
The 0.137-hectare property located at 340 Dundas Street East is comprised of a two-storey parged stone dwelling constructed circa 1871, historically known as the Eager House. It is located on the southwest corner of Dundas and Reynolds Streets, in an area known as Vinegar Hill in the Village of Waterdown, in the community of Flamborough, within the City of Hamilton.
Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest
The cultural heritage value of the property lies in its design value as a representative example of the residential Gothic Revival architectural style, as typified by the flanking projecting front bays with high pitched gables and decorative bargeboard. The property also demonstrates a high degree of craftsmanship, as demonstrated by the ornately decorated front porch with wooden sun and ray detailing.
The historical value of the property lies in its association with the Eager family. Joseph Culloden Eager (1809-1893) and his son, James Edward Eager (1842-1921), purchased the property in 1871 and built the house sometime between 1871 and 1880. In 1880, Joseph purchased Griffin’s General Store on the corner of Dundas and Mill Streets and established the well-known Eager General Store. The general store was family-run for three generations before being sold to and continued by the Weeks family in 1924. The Eager House remained in the family until the death of Helen Eager (born in 1904), James Edward Eager’s daughter, in 1989.
The associative value of the property also lies in its demonstration of the work of prominent Hamilton architect William Leith and local builder John Reid. William Leith (1835-1880) designed ecclesiastical, institutional, commercial, industrial and residential buildings throughout Wentworth County. The ornate front porch was a later addition commissioned by James Edward Eager, designed and constructed by well-known Waterdown builder John Reid (1854-1912).
Contextually, the subject property is important in defining the historic character of Dundas Street, Vinegar Hill and the Village of Waterdown. The Eager House is functionally, visually and historically linked to its surroundings, located east of the Grindstone Creek and marking the entrance to the area known as Vinegar Hill. The Eager House is a recognizable local landmark situated on the Grindstone Creek, a prime location in the village, and only a short distance from the former Eager General Store on the southeast corner of Dundas and Mill Streets.
Description of Heritage Attributes
Key attributes that embody the physical value of the property as being a representative example of residential Gothic Revival architecture and in demonstrating a high degree of craftsmanship, include:
- All elevations and roofline of the two-storey stone building, including its:
- Masonry construction with parged exterior;
- Rectangular footprint with flanking projecting front bays and one-storey rear wing;
- H-shaped gable roof with high pitched flanking projecting front and rear gables and off-set projecting side gables;
- Decorative bargeboard under the front gables;
- Flat-headed window openings on the ground floor with one-over-one windows, four-pane wooden storms, plain lug stone sills and functional shutters;
- Semi-circular window openings in the second storey below the gables with one-over-one windows, two-pane wooden storms, plain lug stone sills and functional shutters;
- Small rectangular window opening above the front entrance between the flanking bays;
- Central entrance fronting onto Dundas Street with transom, sidelights and decorated wood paneling; and,
- Gable-roofed front porch, ornately decorated with wooden sun and ray detailing and supported by decorative wood columns atop a stone base with steps.
Key attributes that embody the contextual value of the property as a defining feature of the historic residential character of the Vinegar Hill area, include its:
- Moderate setback from Dundas Street with front lawn and walkway to the front entrance.