TAKE NOTICE that the Council of the Corporation of the Township of King intends to designate lands and premises municipally known as 12998 Keele Street (Hogan’s Inn), in the Township of King, in the Regional Municipality of York, Province of Ontario, as a property of cultural heritage value or interest under Part IV, S.29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990.
Description of Property
Located on the west side of Keele Street, south of King Road, the property is known municipally as 12998 Keele Street in the Township of King and described as Plan 81, Part Lot 1 Concession 4, Lot 5 Assessment Roll: #036 807.
Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest
The property at 12998 Keele Street (Hogan’s Inn at Four Corners), is worthy of designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value or interest. It meets the necessary criteria prescribed by the Province of Ontario under the three categories of historical value, design or physical value, and contextual value.
Historical/Associative Value
The dwelling’s historical/associative value has a direct association with Issac Dennis, who built the Inn circa 1855 and later recognized for Inn owner John Hogan. The Inn was built for travelling patrons who would stop to stay overnight at the Township and was built when the Northern Railway came through the Township in the mid-19th century. Hogan’s Inn was one of the more popular inns in the original Village of Springhill. Hogan’s Inn originally included stables on the left, with the space above them being used as a dancehall by the community. Dennis gave the Inn to his daughter Agnes and her husband John Hogan as a wedding gift, and they would run the hotel business for approximately 50 years. The building was later purchased by George Philips and George Armstrong in the 1900’s, who continued the operation of the hotel business and established a horse drawn bus service between the railway station for its customers (present day location of the Metrolinx GO King City Station). The property yields information regarding the demographic and economic growth of the Village in the second half of the nineteenth century when hotels were a key physical feature in the downtown for their provision of lodgings for both visitors and as boarding houses for local workers.
Design/Physical Value
The Hogan’s Inn is a representative example of Georgian architecture with Neo-classical influences and was built circa 1855. It is representative of this architectural style as it features a two storey red-brick building, symmetrical elevations with dual window openings on both sides of the central main entrance facing Keele Street, a gable roof with cornice returns. The building is rectangular in shape and also features symmetrical dual chimneys. Above the central entrance of the front façade, there are three windows openings. The north and south elevation of the building features window openings and two small attic windows on each elevation. The windows feature a double hung, 6 x 6 window pane style and the added shutters and door with detailed mouldings, also helps to complement the heritage character and value of the property. The neoclassical style features the rectangular sidelights and fluted pilasters on the front façade. The building remains as a rare and good example of a Georgian style building with Neoclassical elements to showcase a mid‐19th century Upper Canada Inn, which was once a mainstay in most communities.
Contextual Value
The property has contextual value as the Inn contributes to the dominant nineteenth century early settlement village character of the surrounding area. As one of the original buildings built in the early settlement days of the Village, the property is historically linked to the community and the early buildings and structures which existed at the early formation of the community and village life. These include but are not limited to the Crawford Wells General Store and Post Office, Crawford Wells House, Harvey J. Davis Building, and the remaining 19th century residential and commercial buildings and structures in the immediate area. Located at the southwest corner of King Road and Keele Street, the property has contextual value as a long-standing local landmark and a well-known historic building in the community. It is also referred to as Hogan’s Inn at the Four Corners, where the Four Corners reflects the location of the building at the major intersections of King Road and Keele Street and continues to serve as a prominent visible local landmark in the Community.
Description of Heritage Attributes
The Hogan’s Inn is a representative example of the Georgian and Neo-classical architectural style. The property contains the following heritage attributes that reflects these values:
- 6 over 6 sash windows with jack arches
- 2-storey red brick construction on fieldstone foundation
- cornice on returns
- Dual symmetrically chimneys
- Symmetrical placement of windows
- 2 small attic windows on the north and south elevations
- central entrance on front façade with arched transom and sidelights
- gable roof;
The Hogan’s Inn has direct associations with a theme and person that was significant to the community by way of the following attributes:
- Historical association with the long standing theme of early commercial use in King as a hotel inn as a result of the arrival of the Northern Railway in the mid-19th century.
- Historical association with early Innkeepers John Hogan and Issac Dennis;
The Hogan’s Inn displays contextual value and is historically linked to its surroundings by way of the following heritage attributes:
- Location in the Village of King City
- Placement on the subject property and orientation towards Keele Street.
The Hogan’s Inn at 12998 Keele Street displays contextual value and is a local landmark to its surroundings by way of the following heritage attributes:
- The property is a local landmark and is known as Hogan’s Inn at the Four Corners. The Four Corners reflects the location of the building at the major intersections of King Road and Keele Street.
The following elements do not contribute to the historical significance of the property:
- Sunroom addition to the south with dual dormers;
Notice of Objection
Any person wishing to file a notice of objection to the designation must file such notice of objection together with a statement of reasons, with the Township Clerk of the municipality within 30 days (Thursday, November 7, 2024 by 4:30 p.m.), after the date of publication of this notice on the Township of King website (www.king.ca). Further information respecting the proposed designation is available by contacting Gaspare Ritacca, Manager of Planning & Development at 905-833-5321 or email at gritacca@king.ca.
Publication Date: Tuesday, October 8, 2024
Deadline for Objections: Thursday, November 7, 2024 by 4:30 p.m.
Objections should be directed to:
Denny Timm
Township Clerk
2585 King Road
King City, ON L7B 1A1
clerks@king.ca
Dated on this 8th day of October, 2024.