Erb-Kumpf House, 172 King Street South
The oldest house in Waterloo, this building was the home of Abraham Erb, Waterloo's founder. The oldest portion of the house, which can best be seen from George Street, was built around 1812. At the time, what is now King Street was an Indian trail. In 1835, Erb's adopted son, Benjamin Devitt (who would be mayor of Waterloo from 1881 to 1883), acquired the house. The house was subsequently owned by John Hoffman, who built an addition to the building including the two-storey front porch. Hoffman is known for subdividing his land, allowing Waterloo to grow into a village. He was also reeve from 1863 to 1866. In 1869 Christian Kumpf, owner of the Waterloo Chronicle, postmaster, one of the founders of Dominion Life Assurance, and mayor from 1879 to 1880, purchased the house. In 1875 he subdivided the property behind the house along which George Street now runs. In 1899 Ford Kumpf, who was known as "Mr. Waterloo" and who was president of Dominion Life Insurance, inherited the house. After the death of Kumpf's wife in 1973, Charles Hovey and his wife Jacqueline bought the house and used it as a furniture showroom and design studio. In 1978, six lawyers—Rich Hobson, Orlon Wood, Wilf Jenkins, Irwin Duncan, Jerry Taylor, and Ted Wellhauser—acquired the house and opened a law office, which is the building's current use.
