This handsome Georgian stone house, was the residence of Reverend George Grout who served St. Andrew's Church from 1827- 1849. At age 23, Mr. Grout was appointed Deacon and arrived with his new wife. He lived in the house on Main Street East where his predecessor had tragically died, until this house was ready in 1832.

It was built for Mr. Grout by his father, whose home was in Quebec. It has been said that the house was a way station on the Underground Railway during the days of slavery. Escaped American slaves would find refuge in this home as they searched for freedom across the Canadian border.

"Built in 1830 by John Grout for his son, Reverend George Grout. Architectural Significance: The White House is an elegant two-storey Loyalist neo-Classical house. Stone rendered with rough cast and located below the escarpment. The house follows the basic design of the Georgian style. It has a plain classical detail which describes the porch, the main entrance and the window designs. It is also characterized by the symmetrical and simple massing of the structure."

"The two-tiered porch, a later addition, has four fluted doric columns with square bases supporting the upper portion of the porch. Plain hand rails are on either side of the main entrance. More decorative balusters and molded hand rails border the upper tier. There is no trim around the structural opening of the main entrance apart from a pair of pilasters that separate the sidelights from the doorway. Both upper and lower windows are similarly designed. The upper windows are in a pattern of twelve panes over eight, the lower larger sash are twelve over twelve. There is no trim outside the window openings. Within the opening, a plain wooden trim is applied to the window."

"The low pitched, hip roof of the main house is trimmed by a plain fascia and moulded soffit. There are three brick chimneys. Each individual stack is similar in construction and each is corbelled with masonryat the top. It would appear that a fourth stack, to the rear of the west side has been removed." Grimsby Character Study by Alexander Temporale and Associates Inc., Architectural Significance. Inventory 6.7.

Private Residence, not open to the public

White House
159 Main Street West
Grimsby, Ontario
L3M 1S1

Grimsby Historical Society, Grimsby Archives
Carnegie Commons Building
25 Adelaide Street
Grimsby, Ontario
L3M 1X2
Tel (905) 309-0796
Email archives@grimsbyhistoricalsociety.com
Website www.grimsbyhistoricalsociety.com