60 King Street West
This house was built by Robert J. Armstrong sometime after 1870,
when the property was assessed at $75.00, but before 1878 when it
appears on the Belden Historical Atlas map of Millbrook.
Architecturally, the house is a combination of styles but displays
many of the characteristics of Vernacular Gothic with steep gables
and prominent kingposts. The verandah posts are topped by intricate
treillage that harmonizes with the delicate bargeboard, giving the
house a “gingerbread” look. The large bay window further enriches
the front façade. Most of the windows are of a long, rectangular
shape.
The house was built in stages, probably expanding as money allowed
and size of family demanded. The original owners must have been
prosperous as the interior is very spacious and carefully constructed.
Among the former owners were the Rev. A.G. Westmacott, rector
at St. Thomas’ Anglican Church from 1911 to 1922, and his wife
Caroline. They employed not only a maid but also a full-time
gardener who landscaped and maintained a formal English garden.