Lakeview in Oshawa in Durham Region, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)

Guy House

Photographed by Tim Boyd, April 7, 2024

1. Guy House Marker

Inscription. "A very busy and thriving neighbourhood the harbour must have been in the middle decades of the last century when the Lake was the principal highway, when a great part of what was brought in came to the wharf, as well as most of what was sent out, when the Guys and the Conants, Mothersills and the Henrys made their homes there, as well as many others. There was a large across the lake trade bringing in Oswego and Rochester and Buffalo to our gate with their merchandise and generally taking back a load of ours, and a relatively large coastwise trade as far as Kingston." - Dr. Hoig, Reminiscences and Recollections

With its vibrant yellow walls, Guy House stands proudly overlooking Oshawa's lakefront. It is an example of an early rural home, vernacular in style, meaning the type was common because of materials found locally. In the 1870s, the extension on the back of the house was added.

Guy House was built sometime between 1846 and 1851. Samuel Phillips acquired the lot in 1848; he lived in the home until 1861, when he sold it to James Odgers Guy for £250. James would have benefitted from living close to the harbour

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facilities as harbourmaster. In addition to being harbourmaster, James Guy served as East Whitby's Reeve and even briefly occupied the post of Ontario County Warden. The Guy family remained in the house until 1884, at which point it was purchased by William Northcott. In the 1920s, William Barnhart owned the home and subdivided it into three different apartments. The Barnharts owned and operated the locally-famous Barnhart Pavilion, which included several boathouses and was known for its square dances and ice cream. The family also rented out cottages and helped establish the park as the place to be during the summer.

In the early 1980s, the Oshawa Historical Society was granted the use of the house as part of the Museum, and after extensive renovation, it officially opened on July 1, 1985. Today it serves as the Museum's administrative centre, to the right of the front entrance is the Verna Conant Gallery, which features temporary exhibits and the Oshawa Archives are in the back extension of the home.

Erected by Oshawa Museum.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry &

Photographed by Tim Boyd, April 7, 2024

2. Guy House Marker

Commerce • Settlements & Settlers • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical date for this entry is July 1, 1985.

Location. 43° 51.836′ N, 78° 49.599′ W. Marker is in Oshawa, Ontario, in Durham Region. It is in Lakeview. It is on Simcoe Street South 0.2 kilometers Lakeview Park Avenue, on the right when traveling south. The marker is in Lakeview Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1450 Simcoe Street South, Oshawa ON L1H 8J7, Canada. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Toronto,

specifically on the Golden Horseshoe,

in the York, Durham and Headwaters Area,

and in the Toronto Metropolitan Area.

It is also in Central Canada.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Great Lakes,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony,

the Viceroyalty of New France,

the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

and Rupert’s Land.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Wilson Family (a few steps from this marker);

Guy House marker photo detail image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tim Boyd, April 7, 2024

3. Guy House marker photo detail

Robinson House (within shouting distance of this marker); Henry House (within shouting distance of this marker); The Hon. Gordon D. Conant 1885-1953 (within shouting distance of this marker); Scugog Carrying Place (approx. 1.8 kilometers away); Memorial Park Cenotaph (approx. 4.5 kilometers away); St. George's Church (approx. 4.5 kilometers away); Canadian Corps Association (approx. 4.5 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Oshawa.

Also see . . . Oshawa Museum - Profiling: James Odgers Guy. In addition to his business enterprises, James Odgers Guy held a diverse collection of important community posts. He was Harbour Master of the Port Oshawa Co., Deputy of East Whitby, Reeve of East Whitby, Ontario County Warden, and Secretary of the Edmondson Electric Light Co. He was also a Grammar School Trustee and a Trustee of Oshawa High Schools. (Submitted on April 21, 2024, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario.)

1874

4. Oshawa Harbour, 1874, location of the Guy House

Source: Library and Archives Canada (public domain)

Credits. This page was last revised on April 23, 2024. It was originally submitted on April 21, 2024, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. This page has been viewed 186 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on April 21, 2024, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.