Discover Toronto's history as told through its plaques

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Springfield Farm House

Photos by Alan L Brown - Posted August, 2007

This home, at 146 St. Andrews Road, has this 1979 Scarborough Historical Society plaque out front near a tree close to the sidewalk. Here's what it says:

Coordinates: 43.759948 -79.249486

This property was patented in 1802 by Andrew Thomson, a native of Dumfriesshire Scotland, and a brother to Scarborough's first settler, David Thomson. In 1839 his son James A. acquired the land and in 1840 "Springfield Jimmy", as he was known locally, built this lovely bank-house with stones gathered from the fields and bricks made from local clay. One of the founders of the first public library in Scarborough, he was elected its first librarian in 1834 and later became its president. His eldest son James George inherited the farm in 1881 and his descendants continued to live here until 1965. Today the Springfield Farm House is the oldest brick building in Scarborough.

Related webpages
Dumfriesshire
Scarborough

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Residential buildings

Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

> Posted August 17, 2012
I am the Grand-Daughter of Marjorie Macklin (nee Thomson). My Mother grew up in that house and when my Great-Aunt passed her wish was to be driven by the house. It is nice to know that someone is actually caring about history. We also have pictures of the house.

> Posted July 30, 2012
Springfield House has been under extensive restoration for over a year. The new owners are keeping the look very much as the original but have added a new garage on the property which sort of takes away from its country charm. At least it did not fall apart as feared previously.

> Posted August 31, 2010
I live in Scarborough near Thompson Park where we often go for our walks, where our grandchildren used to play and go to summer camps. One of the historical "gems" in Scarborough and in Toronto is the Springfield Farm House. It has been left unoccupied for over a year and it is falling apart. I am wondering if the society can do something to save the house before it is too late? In another year or two only a plaque with the ruins of the house will remain. The sooner the house will be repaired the less costly it will be. It can be purchased by the city and converted to a library, community centre, museum or all three together. Why wait until the building is in such a state that it would have to be either torn down or completely renovated. There are not too many historical building in Scarborough, please save!
Best regards, Eva Pfenig, Scarborough resident

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