County Jail and Governor's Residence

The Wellington County Jail and Governor's Residence was built in 1911, of stone salvaged from the original octagonal jail, of 1839. This early jail was designed by Toronto architect, Thomas Young, and built by William Day, a prominent local mason. The 1839 jail was the first permanent public building in town. Young and Day were well known for some of their other residential and institutional buildings, including “Janefield” and the Guelph Civic Museum. A segment of the stone-walled exercise yard, of the 1839 jail, is still intact in the south-west corner, of the 1911 jail, providing an important link to the early history of Guelph

The 1911 Wellington County Jail and Governor's Residence were designed by noted architect W.A. Mahoney. Mahoney was well-known for designing libraries funded by the Carnegie Foundation and for some local structures; such as, the Guelph Worsted and Spinning Company factory building. Mahoney designed the jail in the Late Gothic Revival style, featuring low towers with crenulated rooflines. A rehabilitation of the 1911 Jail was undertaken in 1980, for use by the County of Wellington for administrative purposes. This adaptive re-use has given new life to the building.

The Governor's House, also constructed in 1911, resembles the Georgian style. It is a mainly symmetrical stone structure and features a wooden verandah that spans the façade.