07. The Fogg House

The Fogg House – 198 River St

Back in 1904, Thomas Fogg, an affluent owner of the Nipissing Hotel at River and Church street in Sunderland, purchased this half acre piece of property for the sum of $300 from Julius St. John. The original deed of purchase still hangs on the living room wall. He built a new home for his wife and daughter in 1907. This is a fine example of Victorian architecture featuring an impressive sweeping veranda, three story bay windows and a number of stained-glass windows. Inside there is oak paneling and wainscoting in the dining room and front hall and ash wainscoting in the kitchen. The ceilings are made up of tin plate panels, panels and were common for this time period. The staircase was made of oak with turned spindles and newel posts. The floors were made of pine boards.

The Fogg family enjoyed their life in this fine home until Mr. Fogg lost most of his money through investments in the stock market. No one knows what happened to him after this misfortune, but his wife and daughter lived in the house, and they were unable to meet their mortgage payments. Finally, in 1936, with the House standing empty, an auction was held, but no one bought the house. Later, Armour and Enid, Martin and Lorne and Grace Banbury bought and shared this large home. Other owners were Stanley Doble, Fred and Mabel Wilson, and Gordon Lockey, a geography teacher at Brock High School. In 1967, Bill Yarima, another teacher at Brock High School, moved in with his wife Joan and their four children. This family has restored the house and have always been diligent in maintaining its original turn of the century features. Bill and Joan continue to enjoy this historic site that is over a hundred years old.