The Blower House

Stop 5 — Blower House
Heritage Mississauga Map Point #7 – 58 Lake Street
Suggested time: 5 minutes

Proceed along Lake Street.

Guide narration:

“This is the Blower House, dating from around the 1890s.

Its story takes us back to the stonehooking era. Mark Blower was a sailor and stonehooker, part of a remarkable Port Credit family story.

After their father died suddenly, Mark's mother Emily moved her nine children onto the family schooner, the Catherine Hays. The family transported cordwood to Toronto and later became involved in stonehooking.

Eventually Mark purchased this property and built this house for his family.”
The Heritage Mississauga material records this Blower family story and Mark Blower's connection to sailing and stonehooking. (Yumpu)

(This house was likely built in the early 1890s, but it may also be older. According to local histories, the home was built by Mark Blower, a sailor and stonehooker. Blower acquired the property in 1894. He was the eldest son of Thomas and Emily Blower. When Thomas passed away suddenly in 1870, Emily moved her nine children onto the family’s schooner, the Catherine Hays, and began transporting cordwood to Toronto and eventually entered into the stonehooking trade. Mark took over the family operation together with his brothers Thomas and Abraham, and soon after purchased this property on Lake Street and built this house for his family.)

Guide observation:

“Look at the relationship between this modest house and the street. These smaller homes are just as important to the character of the district as the larger landmark buildings.”