Location: 1355 Victoria Park Avenue
Date photo taken: 9 February 2024
Walking up Victoria Park Avenue, mixed in among the mid-century housing is a remnant of another age. This field stone home was built around 1845 by William Devenish, a carpenter from London, England, who found prosperity in his new home. The property, which originally spanned 200 acres, was first occupied by Devenish in 1803. Over the years, he cleared the land, established a farm, and found work as an assessor, tax collector and commissioner for the township. One story has it that despite his success, he found life in the new area lonely and in order to increase his society, he offered another newcomer a lifelong lease on half his farm for one shilling a year and thereby secured himself a neighbour.
