Griffin House National Historic Site

c/o Fieldcote Memorial Park and Museum
64 Sulphur Springs Road, Ancaster, Ontario L9G 1L8 [map]
Telephone: 905-648-8144
Email: griffinhouse@hamilton.ca
Website: www.hamilton.ca/attractions/hamilton-civic-museums/griffin-house-national-historic-site

Directions

At the north-west end of the Lincoln Alexander Parkway, continue on Rousseau Street. Turn left onto Wilson Street East. Turn right onto Sulphur Springs Road. At the stop sign, turn right. Continue straight for several kilometers to the Griffin House at 733 Mineral Springs Road.

Hours

Open holiday Mondays from 1 to 4 p.m., from Victoria Day to Thanksgiving Day. Group tours and educational program can be arranged by contacting The Fieldcote Museum. The Griffin House is not wheelchair accessible.

Description

The Griffin House stands today as a testament to the determination of the African-American men and women who settled in Upper Canada. The site was designated in 1991 by the Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee. In 2008, Parks Canada declared it a National Historic Site. Located at 733 Mineral Springs Road in Ancaster [map], it is managed jointly by the Hamilton Conservation Authority and the City of Hamilton.

Enerals Griffin was an African-American who came to Upper Canada with his wife Priscilla in 1829 to seek a better life. Griffin purchased the house and 50 acres in 1834 and settled here with his family. For over 150 years, their descendants lived and worked on the farm as members of the Ancaster community.

The circa 1827 four-room frame house displays the solid, simple architectural style once common in Upper Canada. Acquired by the Hamilton Conservation Authority in 1988, the Griffin House was restored to its pre-1850 appearance.