Brubacher House

Brubacher House is a two-story granite fieldstone building with a large verandah on the southern side and distinctive eaves on the east and west elevations. It stands on the University of Waterloo campus and demonstrates the building style of Pennsylvania German farmhouses.

The Brubacher family built this farmhouse in 1851 in Pennsylvania German style and raised fourteen children there. The University of Waterloo later acquired the building and preserved it as a heritage property.

The house is named after its builders and displays how Mennonites lived in the 1800s through furnishings and objects donated by local families. Visitors can see how daily tasks were managed in a large household of that era.

The house welcomes visitors on weekdays and Saturdays during the warmer months with guided tours at set times. For other periods, visits can be arranged by contacting ahead.

The building survived a major fire in 1968 and was restored by a Mennonite carpenter using hand-hewn beams from donated timber. This reconstruction shows how much the community valued preserving this family history through traditional craftsmanship.

Location: Waterloo

Inception: 1850

Part of: University of Waterloo

Address: University of Waterloo

Website: https://uwaterloo.ca/grebel/about-grebel/our-partners/brubacher-house

GPS coordinates: 43.47556,-80.55222

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:40