The following information is from an article written by Iris Winston in Historic Places by Coyle Publishing inc.
"Clearview House
Construction of Clearview House began in the early 1880s when Quebec merchant William Nelson Dunning of Buckhingham moved to the village of Cumberland. He intended part of the building to be a general store, as well as his new home.
He was unable to realize his dream because he ran short of funds before construction was complete. He and his wife, Maria Rice McLaurin, moved away from the village of Cumberland and resettled in Riceville, Ontario, where he bacame the local postmaster.
His land and the unfinished house became the property of the Canadian Pacific Savings and Loan Company. Records indicate that the building was almost completed by 1883 but stood empty for a while. Eventually, in 1899, it became the property of the village's first doctor, James Ferguson, and his family. The family connection with William Dunning remained, as the two men were brothers-in-law (Dunning's wife was the younger sister of Dr. Ferguson's wife). The stonework provided another family connection. Dr. Ferguson's father, a Vankleek Hill stonemason who had immigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1836, is thought to have contributed his expertise to this part of the construction.
Dr. Ferguson, who was also the coroner for the United Counties of Prescott-Russel, ran a family practice and pharmacy from the house in Cumberland Township in the early 1900s, but moved away rom the village when his wife, Susanna Rice McLaurin, died in 1912.
Dr. Ferguson lived in Rockland until 1918, briefly sharing the medical practice of his son, William, and then taking it over when the younger Dr. Ferguson died suddenly. Dr. Ferguson Sr. spent the last three years of his life at home in Clearview House, where he died in 1926.
During his 60 yeaars in practice, he frequently made house calls to his patients. Travelling through the "wilds" of Cumberland Township led the physician into various adventure. One story goes that he would go out on horseback and that, after late-night calls, wolves periodically followed the doctor and his horse home.
As the local coroner, his duties regularly included conducting autopsies. For example, in 1890, when Eliza and Mary McGonigle were murdered, Dr. Ferguson performed the autopsies on the young sisters from Cumberland Village. (The children had disappeared on their way home from school. Some 30 hours later, searchers found their bodies in a bush less than two kilometres from the family home).
Although Clearview House remained in the Ferguson family until 1978, family members lived there only sporadically after Dr. Ferguson's death (spending much more of their time in Chestnut Cottage, the family-owned property next door.) For example, one of Dr. Ferguson's grandsons, Douglas, used part of the house for his dental practice during the Second World War and other members of the family lived there for a while in the 1960s. By this time, the building had been converted to apartments, which were rented out for a number of years.
In 1987, Clearview House was designated as a property of architectural and historic interest under the Ontario Heritage Act for its "distinct and unique example of the Second Empire style of architecture in Cumberland Village".
Mention is made of the mansard roof with set-in gabled windows, bracketed columns, turned rails, cut-stone quoins, and the verandah that circles the main and second floors.
In 1992, Jacques Bédard, a local contractor purchased the building. After extensive renovations and rehabilitation, Clearview House became the Auberge Heritage Inn. The fine-dining establishment in the inn changed hands last year (2007). Owned by Stephen and Helga Galla, the Heritage Ristaurante specializes in Italian Food.
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Clearview House
"Clearview", the stone structure at 2607 Queen Street in the village of Cumberland, was owned by Dr. J. Ferguson, the first doctor in the village. The building remained in the Ferguson family until 1958.
The style of the building is unique in the village of Cumberland. The dentilled and mansard roof, with the gabled windows set into it, are features of the Second Empire style. The bracketed columns and turned rails and posts of the exterior veranda encircling the main and second storeys are also typical of the Second Empire style.
The masonry was probably built by local craftsmen using stone from Fitzpatrick's quarry. The circles detailing the exterior woodwork are called "Edinborough Circles". The interior stairway is an excellent example of the craftsmanship and quality of the period and style of the building.
The walls on the interior of the house are 9 feet high and covered with fine V-jointed pine panelling. The ceilings are also V-jointed with detailed woodworking. The basement of the house has a quarry rubble foundation and the first floor is supported by unmilled logs. The basement also has two artesian wells, one at the south side and the other at the north.
The designation cover the exterior of "Clearview", the stairway and the large room on the second floor facing Queen Street."
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