1 Simcoe Street

Did You Know?

1 Simcoe Street is one of Penetanguishene's historic commercial buildings, commonly known as the Dault or Jennings Block.

The property was owned by Alfred Sneath in 1876, and the present building is believed to have been constructed between 1885 and 1894. It later became associated with J.B. Jennings and W.H. Hewson, two prominent local businessmen who maintained professional offices here. Jennings, who served as Mayor of Penetanguishene, operated an insurance agency, while Hewson, who served as Town Clerk, maintained a law office in the building.

In 1901, the property was sold to Donald Dault. Beginning in 1923, the Penetanguishene Water and Light Commission occupied the building and remained associated with the property until the mid-1990s. Over its long history, 1 Simcoe Street has accommodated numerous other commercial uses.

The building itself is an excellent surviving example of late nineteenth-century commercial Victorian architecture, with distinctive brickwork, upper-storey windows, elaborate cornices and recessed storefront entrances.

For more than 130 years, 1 Simcoe Street has remained a prominent landmark at the intersection and a tangible link to the commercial and civic history of downtown Penetanguishene.

Historic photograph: Dault/Jennings Block, 1 Simcoe Street, Penetanguishene.
Image source: Penetanguishene Centennial Museum & Archives.
Historical information: Town of Penetanguishene heritage designation documentation; Penetanguishene Centennial Museum & Archives.