The Fairfield-Gutzeit House is situated along the Loyalist Parkway waterfront, on a beautiful property that overlooks Lake Ontario, in the quaint village of Bath. A public park and playground are located within walking distance and there are many local businesses offering unique finds and tasty treats!
The House is a beloved property that dates back to 1796 and was designated in 1992 as a Part IV designation. It also holds an easement with the Ontario Heritage Trust from 1998.
The Fairfield-Gutzeit House is currently closed for a major restoration project, funded through an Ontario Trillium Grant and Loyalist Township capital project funds.
Location
Highway 33, 341 Main Street, Bath Ontario
Accessibility
Please note that as an historic site, the space does have some physical barriers.
History of the House
- The House was built in 1796 by two brothers, William Jr. and Benjamin Fairfield whose father had come to Upper Canada as part of the Loyalist migration. The brothers were successful merchants and served their community in various capacities, running the first Customs House and Post Office in the Village.
- William Jr. was a member of the Legislative Assembly, a Magistrate, and a Public Roads Commissioner. Benjamin, the younger brother, also entered the Legislative Assembly and sat on the Court of Quarter Sessions.
- The house remained in the Fairfield family until the 1860s and then passed through several other owners. From 1900 to 1938 the house was called Bay View Villa and used as a summer home and fishing lodge, often attracting visitors from the United States. The house finally returned to the Fairfield family in 1938 when Mabel Fairfield Gutzeit, the great granddaughter of William Fairfield, and her husband Dr. William Gutzeit bought the property and restored it back to a family home.
- Mrs. Gutzeit bequeathed the home and its contents to the St. Lawrence Parks Commission on her death in 1968. Another Fairfield House, several miles to the east on the waterfront in Amherstview, had been earlier donated to the Commission in 1959 by Dr. William Fairfield. The Fairfield-Gutzeit House and collection was eventually curated by the Fairfield Gutzeit Society and in 2019, ownership of the entire property passed to Loyalist Township.
More about the House and family
It is easy to fall under the spell of the Fairfield-Gutzeit House.
- In Georgian style, this home is effortlessly elegant and full of character. Period furnishings with faithful attention to authenticity fill the home. The treasured artifacts in the collection give us a glimpse of the lives of those who once lived there.
- The Gutzeits enjoyed a very active social life. They held musical evenings and had a variety of cultural interests that included the collection of antique paintings and furniture.
- The original building was a simple 1 1/2 storey structure with an unadorned, steep-pitched roof which reflects the origins of the Fairfield family in Vermont. Considerable alterations were made over the course of time, mostly by the Gutzeits in the late 1930's and early 1940's. The changing lifestyles of the inhabitants over a span of over two centuries are illustrated in the evolution of the House's features and interior.
Gallery
Contact
If you have any questions regarding a visit to this property please telephone Loyalist Township or email the staff in Heritage, Culture and Tourism.
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