Old Ontario Houses - 2nd Edition (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"A testament to Cruickshank and de Visser's devotion to the subject."
-- Style at Home (on the first edition).

Chosen as one of Style at Home's Top Ten Coffee Table Books

Collaborators Tom Cruickshank and John de Visser offer a fascinating selection of more than 150 historic houses dating from the late 18th to the early 20th century.

A surprising amount of Ontario's history is revealed by the residences included in this new edition of Old Ontario Houses. Cruickshank and de Visser explore this rich history through imagery and anecdotes, and each house -- whether humble farmhouse or fabulous mansion -- tells a story about Ontario's past. The modest homes of determined settlers and the grand visions of power brokers of the day are profiled through the changing use of building materials or by the presence of architectural details.

A new architectural glossary rounds out this revised edition and makes it even easier to understand and appreciate our architectural heritage.

Review Quotes

"A testament to Cruickshank and de Visser's devotion to the subject."-- "Style at Home"

[Review of previous edition: ] If flipping through the pages of Old Ontario Houses is committing the sin of coveting my neighbour's house, then I'm guilty as charged. Tom Cruickshank offers readers over 150 historic beauties in this well-researched and photographed book, and I'd be happy to own any one of them.... Cruickshank takes readers on a tour that stretches from Windsor to Cornwall and north to Thunder Bay. The chosen homes signify either the best of a style, or are simply unique, but it doesn't mean that they're the only historic homes in the area. Many towns in Ontario have a rich architectural legacy -- as a drive through Dundas, Port Hope or Cobourg would prove. Readers will love looking at the historic homes in their areas and finally finding out about the people who built them and why. Sometimes homes are cross-referenced with others of a similar nature. On page 101, Mount Fairview in Dundas is on display and that is the house I have coveted since age 5. The view from the top must be amazing.--Peggy Mackenzie "Toronto Star" (3/25/2011 12:00:00 AM)

A fascinating selection of more than 150 historic houses dating from the 18th to the early 28th century... A surprising amount of Ontario's history is revealed by the residences included in this new edition of Old Ontario Houses. Cruickshank and de Visser explore this rich history through imagery and anecdotes, and each house--whether humble farmhouse or fabulous mansion--tells a story about Ontario's past. The modest homes of determined settlers and the grand visions of powerbrokers of the day are profiled through the changing use of building materials or by the presence of architectural details.--Rob Mooy "Frontenac This Week/Kingston This Week" (1/7/2010 12:00:00 AM)

About the Author

Tom Cruickshank is the author of five books on architectural heritage, as well as Living the Country Dream.

John de Visser has illustrated 60 books and is one of Canada's most accomplished photographers. A member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Canadian Association of Photographers and Illustrators.