Notice is Hereby Given that the Council of The Corporationof the Town of Newmarket intends to designate as a propertyof cultural heritage value and interest the following propertyin accordance with the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.O.18:
Property Description: 411 Millard Avenue (John Armitage House) islocated along the north side of Millard Avenue, where Millard Avenuetransitions to Church Street in the Town of Newmarket. The propertycontains a two-storey vernacular building constructed with Queen Annearchitectural detailing in 1892.
Legal Description: PART LOT 19, PLAN 22, NEWMARKET
Publication Date: Nov 1, 2024
Last Date for Objection: Dec 1, 2024Any notice of objection to this Notice of Intention to Designate,setting out the reason for objection and all relevant facts, mustbe served upon the Town Clerk within 30 days of the firstpublication of this notice.
Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest:
Physical/ Design Value
411 Millard Avenue is a representative example of avernacular building constructed with Queen Annearchitectural detailing. The two-storey buff brick buildingfollows an irregular plan with complex roofline showcasing aside-gable roof with intersecting rear gables and twoprominent front gables with wide overhanging eaves, solidsoffit, small but moulded frieze and fan style brackets whichcreate the playful and asymmetrical composition typical ofthe Queen Anne design. The prominent and projecting two- storey canted bay wall, two-storey rectangular bay window,segmentally arched window and entryway openings withbrick voussoirs and stone sills are consistent with Queen Annedesign. Moreover, the subject building includes a one-storeyopen verandah finished with decorative woodwork, includingornate engaged and freestanding columns, decorative trimand brackets, representative of the Queen Anne designaesthetic.
Historical and Associative Value
411 Millard Avenue is directly associated with the historicVillage of Newmarket and the Armitage family, specificallycarpenter John Armitage. The lots lines, layout, and built formof the historic village of Newmarket was well established inthe mid-19th century and evident in a well-establishedcommercial core found along Main Street and the largepresence of residences located along several side streets. Thedevelopment of the commercial core and surroundingresidential streetscapes in the mid-19th and early 20th centuryplayed a significant role in the social and economicdevelopment and growth of the Village of Newmarket. It islikely the brick used for the construction was from Stickwood'sbrickyard which produced both red and buff/yellow-colouredbricks during this time period. Local historians indicate that almost all of the-brick buildings built in Newmarket between1860 until 1910 were likely constructed with bricks thatoriginated at the Stickwood brickyard. The use of locallymade bricks reflect the concentrated development andprosperity of the historic core.
John Armitage was the grandson of Amos Armitage, who wasone of the early Quaker settlers who arrived with TimothyRogers in the early 19th century. Amos Armitage wasinstrumental in founding the Quaker Meeting House at 17030Yonge Street, and lent his name to the settlement of Armitage,the earliest permanent settlement in King Township. JohnArmitage was born on October 21, 1822, in Newmarket. JohnArmitage was a life-long member of the Society of Friends(Quakers) and worked as a carpenter in Newmarket. JohnArmitage built 411 Millard Avenue in 1892, and it remainedin the Armitage family until his daughter sold the property in1905. John Armitage died on March 7, 1904, and is buried inNewmarket Cemetery.
Contextual Value
411 Millard Avenue is important in supporting the late 19thand early 20th century character of the historic Village ofNewmarket. Several residential side streets, including MillardAvenue, were established in the village core, near thecommercial Main Street. Located off or parallel to MainStreet, the buildings along the side streets are comprised ofpredominantly one to two-and-a-half storey residences,primarily brick construction most using bricks from Stickwood'sbrickyard, with modest setbacks and include a range ofarchitectural styles from that time period. 411 Millard Avenueexhibits setback, massing, style, decorative details consistentwith the historic village character.
Additional information, including a full description of therationale for designation is available upon request fromUmar Mahmood, Planner, Committee of Adjustment andCultural Heritage, Planning Services at (905) 895-5193,extension 2458, or at umahmood@newmarket.ca duringregular business hours.