The Harrison House

Harrison House  

(c. 1880) 54 Port Street W.

 David Harrison was born in Ireland in the late 1830s. His father, David Sr., settled in Port Credit around 1840. David Jr. made his living initially as a carpenter and farm labourer, with forays as a sailor on the old stonehooking barques “Defiance” and “Swallow”. He also assisted in laying down the first corduroy road along Lakeshore Road. This property was acquired by David Harrison in 1879 and the house  stayed in the Harrison family until 1981. 

Corduroy roads were constructed of logs laid transversely on the designated path and covered with wood chips to create a durable albeit uncomfortable roadway for horse drawn carriages.