Municipal Heritage Designation (Part IV)
Acheson House
Town of Goderich, Ontario
Also known as 55 Nelson Street East
Of note is the spacious lot.
Photo: Kayla Jonas, 2008.
- Built
- 1881
- Recognized
- 1990
- By
- Local government
The register’s text, word for word
Description
The Acheson House, located at 55 Nelson Street East, is on the north side of the street, west of Victoria Street North, in the Town of Goderich. The two storey white marl brick residence was constructed in 1881.
The property was designated by the Town of Goderich in 1990 for its heritage value under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act (By-law 90-9).
Heritage value
Located at 55 Nelson Street East, the property is on the edge of a downtown heritage precinct bounded on the north side by Nelson Street. The house is one of several residences on Nelson Street built by George Acheson.
The Acheson House was built by George Acheson, a local builder responsible for building several homes in Goderich, such as the nearby 35 Nelson Street and a block on “The Square” in Goderich. The Acheson House, built in 1881, is a good representation of the Italianate style. Characteristic of this style is the low hip roof, wide cornice, paired brackets, curved window caps, bay windows and decorative porch woodwork. Also of note are the decorative chimneys, the decorative soffit brackets and fascia boards and twin porches.
SourceTown of Goderich By-law 90-9.
Character‑defining elements
Character defining elements that contribute to the heritage value of the Acheson House include its:
- proximity to “The Square”
- proximity to other buildings built by George Acheson
- two storey construction
- white marl brick exterior
- low hip roof
- wide cornice with paired cornice brackets
- curved window caps
- bay windows
- twin porches with decorative woodwork
- chimneys
- one over one sash windows
End of the register’s text
Location
55, Nelson, Town of Goderich, Ontario, N7A, Canada
43.74556° N, 81.70831° W
Get directions (opens in a new tab)Being on the register doesn’t make a place open to visitors. Many are private homes or businesses; please view them from the street.
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From the Canadian Register of Historic Places, as last updated on December 12, 2025. The register’s text is shown word for word.