Ward House

The Ward House, also known as the Gasch House, is valued for its age, history, and its association with the Ward and Gasch families. The house was built circa 1794 for Loyalist James Ward and it has had only three owners. In the mid-1800s the attic of this home housed the bodies of the men that washed ashore after the shipwreck of the “Ocean Queen.” They were kept here until they could be buried in the spring. The Ward family owned this home until 1919 and then was operated as the popular Way Over Inn. Presently the Ward House is owned by the Gasch family.

The Ward House is also valued for its architecture. The original section of the Ward House was made of locally made brick and is the only registered heritage property in the municipality that is made of brick. The bricks were laid on a clearly visible stone foundation. It has a unique appearance, as a wooden addition was added at an unknown date that roughly mirrors the layout of the original brick section. The house retains many of its original exterior and interior features.