Official homepage for the Town of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

STREET ADDRESS: 45 Alma Street

CITY/TOWN/VILLAGE: Yarmouth

MUNICIPALITY: Yarmouth

COUNTY: Yarmouth

YEAR BUILT: circa 1887

ARCHITECTURAL COMMENT:

Italianate in style, this is a two storey home of wood construction. The symmetrical two bay facade has an off-centered doorway. The low pitched hip roof has wide eaves supported by decorative brackets and one chimney, discreetly placed. The wide paned windows are two over two double hung with wide casings. The lower floor windows are trimmed with heavy entablitures and decorative brackets. There are two storey bay windows on both sides of the building. There is a gable roof ell to the rear, this contains one shed roof dormer with two windows. A matching shed is attached to the west of the ell and an enclosed porch to the east. The building is clad in narrow wooden clapboards and trimmed with wide, contrasting cornerboards.

HISTORICAL COMMENT:

In 1879 Prince Durkee purchased this lot of land from Robert S. Eakins, a merchant for $525.00. In 1887 Durkee took out a mortgage with the Board of the Presbyterian College Halifax for $1,600.00. It is believed that he was building this house at that time. In 1888 Durkee sold the property to Huram Chute for $900.00 and the $1,600.00 mortgage, at this time Durkee was residing in San Diego.

Hiram Chute was a co-partner in Chute, Hall and Company. This company, located on Water Street immediately south of the Marine Railway, manufactured Church and Parlor cabinet organs. The actions for these instruments were also manufactured on the premises.

Mr. Chute had been employed with five different organ builders in the United States and later with the Annapolis Organ Co. before moving to Yarmouth.

In 1893 the co-partnership was dissolved and reopened under the name H.E. Chute and Co.

CONTEXTUAL COMMENT:

Situated at the corner of two streets, a lane runs along the west side of the property and small shrubs and a hedge surround the grounds. As in many homes in Yarmouth this house has lost its original cupola which is clearly pictured on Currie's B.E.V. Map (1889)

PRESENT OWNER: Kenneth Wheelans

ADDRESS: P.O. box 701 Yarmouth, Nova Scotia B5A 4K3

ORIGINAL OWNER: Prince H. Durkee

OCCUPATION: Clerk

BUILDER: Unknown

ORIGINAL USE: Residential (single family)

PRESENT USE: Residential (single family)

SOURCES: The Yarmouth Herald (July 9, 1883) Registry of Deeds (Yarmouth) McAlpine directory (1890)(1895) Yarmouth directory 1949 Yar. Co. Industrial file (Yarmouth Museum)

STREET ADDRESS: 42 Alma Street

CITY/TOWN/VILLAGE: Yarmouth

MUNICIPALITY: Yarmouth

COUNTY: Yarmouth

YEAR BUILT: 1891-1895

ARCHITECTURAL COMMENT:

Queen Anne Revival in style, this is a two storey building of wood construction. It has a steeply pitched, truncated hip roof with wide eaves. The symmetrical five bay facade which originally contained two doorways now has three. The windows, which are large paned,are trimmed mostly with narrow casings and labels . Two storey bay windows are found on either side of the building, these are trimmed with elaborately textured woodwork and decorative brackets. There is a two storey push out on either side of the facade, these are topped by false gables with return eaves. The square tower to the west has a truncated bell cast peak and four gabled dormer windows. A matching tower is found on the east side but it has lots its peak. The house is clad in narrow wooden clapboards and the exterior foundation is of brick.

HISTORICAL COMMENT:

In 1891 Ebenezer Erskine Archibald purchased the property from Thomas W. Stoneman for $750.00. Archibald who was a farmer from Wolfville apparently had this large, double house built between 1891 and 1895 when he is listed on the Yarmouth directory. At this time Archibald was working for "Blacadar and Co." and residing in the west side of the house while Alvin Spinney, a truckman, lived in east side. Apparently by 1949 the house had been converted into four apartments for the directory of that year lists the following: Alma Street (40) R.H. Thompson, Asst. Accot. Royal Bank (40 and one half) J.A. Doucette (Jerry A.) Mgr. Singer Sewing Machine - (42) R.A. Russell, Empl. Bank of N.S. - (42 and one half) K. R. Scott - Asst. Acct. Bank of N.S.

CONTEXTUAL COMMENT:

This rather imposing building is located on a slight hill surrounded by large trees. A large barn which appears similar in age to the house is found at the rear.

PRESENT OWNER: Benoit and Ann Robichaud

ADDRESS: 10 Highland Ave. Yarmouth, N.S. B5A 2A2

ORIGINAL OWNER: Ebenezer A. Archibald

OCCUPATION: Farmer

BUILDER: Unknown

ORIGINAL USE: Residential (double house)

PRESENT USE: Residential (four apartments)

B55

COMMENTS ON HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS:

- Although no deed or will could be found from Ebenezer Archibald to Edgar Archibald et. al. it seems likely that were heirs of Ebenezer who apparently died intestate.

- Margaret A. Hilton was the wife of Carlos Hilton, a farmer from Carleton

- Catherine G. Porter was the wife of Israel L. Porter.

SOURCES: Registry of Deeds (Yarmouth) McAlpine directories (1890)(1895) Yarmouth Directory (1949)

STREET ADDRESS: 40 Alma Street

CITY/TOWN/VILLAGE: Yarmouth

MUNICIPALITY: Yarmouth

COUNTY: Yarmouth

YEAR BUILT: 1891-1895

ARCHITECTURAL COMMENT:

Queen Anne Revival in style, this is a two storey building of wood construction. It has a steeply pitched, truncated hip roof with wide eaves. The symmetrical five bay facade which originally contained two doorways now has three. The windows, which are large paned,are trimmed mostly with narrow casings and labels . Two storey bay windows are found on either side of the building, these are trimmed with elaborately textured woodwork and decorative brackets. There is a two storey push out on either side of the facade, these are topped by false gables with return eaves. The square tower to the west has a truncated bell cast peak and four gabled dormer windows. A matching tower is found on the east side but it has lots its peak. The house is clad in narrow wooden clapboards and the exterior foundation is of brick.

HISTORICAL COMMENT:

In 1891 Ebenezer Erskine Archibald purchased the property from Thomas W. Stoneman for $750.00. Archibald who was a farmer from Wolfville apparently had this large, double house built between 1891 and 1895 when he is listed on the Yarmouth directory. At this time Archibald was working for "Blacadar and Co." and residing in the west side of the house while Alvin Spinney, a truckman, lived in east side. Apparently by 1949 the house had been converted into four apartments for the directory of that year lists the following: Alma Street (40) R.H. Thompson, Asst. Accot. Royal Bank (40 and one half) J.A. Doucette (Jerry A.) Mgr. Singer Sewing Machine - (42) R.A. Russell, Empl. Bank of N.S. - (42 and one half) K. R. Scott - Asst. Acct. Bank of N.S.

CONTEXTUAL COMMENT:

This rather imposing building is located on a slight hill surrounded by large trees. A large barn which appears similar in age to the house is found at the rear.

PRESENT OWNER: Benoit and Ann Robichaud

ADDRESS: 10 Highland Ave. Yarmouth, N.S. B5A 2A2

ORIGINAL OWNER: Ebenezer A. Archibald

OCCUPATION: Farmer

BUILDER: Unknown

ORIGINAL USE: Residential (double house)

PRESENT USE: Residential (four apartments)

COMMENTS ON HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS:

Joanna Seeley was the wife of Col. Thomas Seeley and Mary Seeley Watson was her sole heir, a widowed woman living in Washington at the time.

SOURCES: Registry of Deeds (Yarmouth) McAlpine directories (1890)(1895) Yarmouth Directory (1949)