Israel Hoyt's

Israel Hoyt Homestead - Lot 8, Golden Vale

Original Grant:

Israel Hoyt - July 14, 1784

Deed Transfers:

Israel Hoyt to Hezekiah Hoyt

Hezekiah Hoyt to Samuel Hoyt - 1825

Samuel Hoyt to George Hoyt - 1860

George Hoyt to Elmira Bruce - 1889

Elmira Bruce to George Bruce - 1921

George Bruce to Robert Bruce - 1950

Robert Bruce to Frederick Baxter - 1984

History and Style:

The house is built in the central hall style with a small dormer window on its façade and a shed and kitchen on its west side. The shed and kitchen are later additions that used to sit on the west end of the rear wall but were moved to the east end. The base and beams are made of durable tamarack.

Built in either 1800 or 1801 by loyalist Israel Hoyt, this home was passed down through his descendants until 1984. Hoyt’s first home sat across the driveway, where he ran a tannery and cobbler’s shop. The present dwelling has its back to the main road and faces the driveway, which used to be the original road from Kingston to Hampton known as the Queen’s Highway. The house was built before the present highway was put through, so at the time of construction it did face the main road. There used to be a still built into the kitchen counter that could easily be recessed and hidden in case unexpected guests arrived. The central hallway was eventually removed to facilitate the removal of caskets after wakes, which normally took place in Peninsula homes until well into the twentieth century.