Heritage Properties

1. The Orillia Opera House, West and Mississaga Streets

Built in 1895, the Opera House currently serves as a theatre but at one time was used as Municipal Offices, Police Headquarters and Jail. Recently it housed the city's Council Chambers. A fire in 1915 destroyed the interior and roof of the building, which were reconstructed two years later. The nameplate "City Hall" was erected decades before Orillia became a city. The building is renowned among performers for its superior acoustics and is still a hub of the community. Designated 1978.

2. The Kean Block, 19-25 Mississaga Street East

This building was built in 1872 and opened in 1873. Frank Kean owned it. Extensive restoration of the second floor uncovered the old Kean's Music Hall, which was the main meeting place in Orillia prior to the Opera House being built in 1895. A portion of the second floor was used for various businesses and organizations, including the Orillia Times newspaper and the Sons of Temperance. The first telephone exchange in Orillia operated from there from 1884 to 1887. Designated 2003.

3. Sir Sam Steele Memorial Building. 30 Peter Street South

Designed by Dominion architect, Thomas Fuller, as Orillia's Post Office and Customs House
Though the datestone reads 1892 the building did not actually open until 1894. Renovated in 1914, this building became the city's police station in 1954 when it was renamed the Sir Samuel Steele Memorial Building after Samuel Benfield Steele, Lieutenant Colonel and commander of the North West Mounted Police. Built in Richardson's Romanesque style, the building features heavy rounded arches over the windows and stone string courses made from local Rama limestone. Designated 1996.

In 2004 the building underwent a 1.1 million dollar restoration and now houses the Orillia Museum of Art & History.

4. St. James Court, 18 Peter Street North

Built in 1906 by J.R. Eaton, St. James Court served thousands of Orillians in its 75 years as the YMCA, until damaged by fire in 1992. In 1912, it housed the only indoor pool north of Toronto. A classical portico, similar to the original design, has been recently reconstructed over the main entrance. Many well-known athletes, such as world champion sculler, Jake Gaudaur, have passed through this entrance.
Designated in 1988.

5. St. James Anglican Church, 58 Peter Street North

This brick, Gothic Revival church was designed by W.H. Crocker and built in 1891, replacing a smaller original stone church erected on this site in 1857. Limestone adorns the gothic openings and buttresses. Designated 1980.

6. Central Public School, 26 Coldwater Street East

This century building was designed by architects Kennedy and McVittie and erected for $12,000. It opened in 1882 with a principal and eight teachers and has served in the same capacity since. Its most outstanding Victorian feature is the multicoloured, decorative brickwork. In the centre of the roof is a large wooden bell cupola. Italianate features include ornamental wood brackets at the eaves and grouped, round-headed windows. Designated 1979.

7. The Green House, 77 Peter Street North

Built in 1883 for the retired Rev. Dr. John Gray, first incumbent of the Orillia Presbyterian Church, the house features complex brickwork, round gable windows, and ornately scrolled eave brackets. Designated 1988.

8. St. James Anglican Rectory, 57 Neywash Street

Built in 1874 on land purchased from a parcel set aside for the use of the First Nations, this lovely house with a centre hall plan was occupied from 1888-1911 by incumbent rector Canon Richard Green, who was immortalized as "Dean Drone" in Stephen Leacock?s "Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town". Designated 1988.

9. Orillia Presbyterian Church, 99 Peter Street North

Orillia Presbyterian has its origins in 1834; this church was built in 1888, replacing a smaller one erected in 1852 on this site. It was designed by architects Gordon and Helliwell to seat 1100. This landmark houses a 1920 organ considered one of the most outstanding in Canada. It was installed as a memorial to those who died in World War I. Designated 1979.

10. The Begg House, 9 Neywash Street

Built in 1876 by Alexander Begg and his wife Emily, this house features decorative brickwork, Gothic Style bargeboard trim and ornately etched, curved glass panels in the vestibule. Begg was a famous publisher, teacher, public servant and author. Designated 1989.

11. The Church of the Guardian Angels, 115 West Street North

By 1909, the brick church that Father Kenneth Campbell had built on this site in 1872 was found to be too small for the growing Catholic community. This large new church was built entirely of limestone that was horse drawn over frozen Lake Couchiching from Longford Mills. The church seats 1000 and the organ has 902 pipes. The large spire and cross were added in 1926. Designated 1979.

12. The Lynch House, 22 Tecumseth Street

Thomas Mulcahy, an Orillia merchant, built the Victorian pine clapboard house in 1874, for his cousin Julia Coleman. The front gable is decorated with open-cut bargeboard. Designated 1986.

13. The Wilmot House, 30 Tecumseth Street

Built by Jackson Wilmot, circa 1880. It is the best-preserved example of a board and batten exterior in Orillia. The Gothic features include a steep pitched roof, arched bay windows and bargeboard or gingerbread. The style typifies those houses popular throughout Ontario during the mid 1800's. Designated 1979.

14. Couchiching Beach Park Bandstand

This delightful bandstand was designed by W.H. Crocker and built by W.L. Bennett for $495.00 in 1909 for the Orillia Citizens Band (Kiltie Band). Concerts and speeches by dignitaries could be enjoyed both in the park and in small boats offshore from this octagonal structure. It served as a focus of social and cultural events for many years. Designated 1979.

15. The Picnic Pavilion in Couchiching Beach Park

The elegant pavilion originally extended into the water and was accessible by a small bridge when it was built about 1908. Over the years, the park has expanded around it. The simple Doric columns and gently curved roof compliments the bandstand and suggests that it was designed by the notable Orillia architect, W.H. Crocker. Designated 1988.

16. Champlain Monument in Couchiching Beach Park

The monument was the brainchild of C.H. Hale, long time editor of the Orillia Times newspaper and created by Vernon March, of Farnborough, Kent. Originally slated for completion in August, 1915, work on the statue was delayed by WW I and it was finally unveiled on July 1, 1925. The monument is 36 feet high and cast in bronze. The final cost of the project was $34,000.

17. The Stephen Leacock Museum, 50 Museum Drive

This summer residence of Stephen Leacock was built in 1928 and designed by Leacock and architects Noxson and Wright. Leacock was a world-famous humourist, economist, and author of 61 books. The home was designated in 1978 and is also a National Historic Site. The Museum is open daily during the summer.

18. The Mill House, 231 Westmount Drive South

Built in the early 1840's by James Dallas, a mill owner, the neo-classical house is an example of post and beam construction. During the Victorian era, the shiplap exterior was covered in brick and a bay window and bargeboard trim were added. Designated 1986.

19. The Orillia City Centre (Tudhope Building), 50 Andrew Street South

Constructed in 1909, this building stands as an important example of early 20th century industrial architecture in the city of Orillia. Key elements of its design are the large, many paned windows, and interior framing using heavy, squared timbers. The building stands as a landmark of the industrial history of Orillia, having housed both the Tudhope Carriage Works and the Tudhope Motor Company among many enterprises. Designated 2001.

20. The Centre of King Block, 103 Mississaga Street East

This building in downtown Orillia was built in approximately 1870 by Athenias King and is a typical example of the fine brick facades that still dominate Orillia's commercial core. The upper facade is in original condition with decorative brick panels and yellow brick accents around the windows. A pressed tin ceiling adds historic character to the interior. Harry Cohen Clothing occupied this location for 42 years from 1942. There was also a Hebrew religious school on the second floor for many years. Designated 1992.

21. The Tait Millworkers' House, 52 Scott Street

This house was constructed in 1889 and is the only example in original condition of a row of well-finished houses built by Andrew Tait for workers at his lumber mill. These homes were offered to mill workers at a rental usually paid for cheap frame houses. This home is of classical style and economical design with original red brick. The building has projecting quoins and wind trim mad of yellow brick. Carpenter Henry Scott, after whom it is supposed the street is named, may have built the house.

22. The Macnab House, 82 Tecumseth Street

Clarence Leroy Macnab, proprietor of the prominent hardware store, Macnab and Son on Mississaga Street, built the residence in 1905. It is a fine example of a two story brick buildings erected by the merchant class at the time. The building is of a classical revival style with many Queen Anne elements adapted or modified.

23. The Tisdale House, 63 Neywash Street

William Bousfield Tisdale, an Orillia banker circa 1896, built this house. The architect was C.J. Gidson and the contractor was T.A. Ouderkirk. Designed in the Queen Anne style, it is an eclectic mix of decorative elements including its irregular outline with a corner tower, randomly spaced and different style windows, projecting two storey bays and multiple roof lines.

24. The Barney-Bell House, 57 Jarvis Street

James Barney, a carpenter born in Scotland but of English origin, built this house in 1884-1885. It is a simple combination of Classical and Gothic Revival Styles of architecture along with a few personal additions. The building is a simple, elegant example of a tradesman?s house of the period, featuring two and a half stories with a gable roof and original V-joint horizontal wood siding.

25. The Gribbin (McMaster) Building, 45 Mississaga St. E.

This three story commercial building was built in 1874 as general store for Francis J. Gribbin. It is one of the structures erected within the first years following the 1872 fire on the south side of Mississaga Street East. The original dichromatic (red and buff) brick patterning survives, without over paint. Although a replacement, the attractive roof cornice is typical of this once common architectural element. The original window openings, in segmental and semi-circular shapes, have 2x2 sashes and are still ornamented with buff brick voussiors or heads. In continuous commercial use since its construction, the street level storefront has undergone several changes. This is an important traditional building in the commercial streetscape of Orillia

26. The Dunn House, 84 Brant Street East

This circa 1880 house, built by Edward J. McCrohan, a harness maker, is of the Second French Empire style. The mansard roof, elegant dormers and arched French doors on the upper and lower lev3ls are notable features. The century-old gas lamp and iron fence enhance this lovely building that was once home to three of Orillia's Mayors. Designated 1988.