Official homepage for the Town of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

STREET ADDRESS: 4 Market Street

TOWN: Yarmouth

MUNICIPALITY: Yarmouth

COUNTY: Yarmouth

YEAR BUILT: 1815

ARCHITECTURAL COMMENT:

New England colonial, two storey, wood construction, five bay facade. Huge stone cellar where ships stores were kept, pegged timbers in attic. A very early example of how houses were built in the early 1800's. Three chimneys probably put there later than it was built. Windows four pane, top & bottom, and in under eaves close. Front door has a fancy hood over it and vertical sidelights. Original door of one panel still maintained. Clapboard finished outside.

HISTORICAL COMMENT:

This house was built by John Brown of Draffan, Scotland for a home and store. He imported Scotch woollens and other articles from firms he had worked for, before he came to Canada from Glasgow in 1813. He obtained the property from Mrs. Christopher (Olivia) Strickland, daughter of Sealed Landers, who inherited it in division of his estate in April 1796. Old well still existent in center of yard at front of house.

CONTEXTUAL COMMENT:

Bay window removed from southern side. Door added on front for apartment. Ell built in 1900's. Outside stairway. Compatible to neighborhood and kept in very good shape.

PRESENT OWNER: Dexter & Susan Sweeney

ADDRESS: 4 Market Street, Yarmouth, N.S., B5A 2N8

ORIGINAL OWNER: John Brown

OCCUPATION: Merchant

BUILDER: John Brown of Draffan

ORIGINAL USE: Home & Store

PRESENT USE: Apartments

COMMENTS ON HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS:

John Brown's son - Hon. Staley Brown was a member of the Nova Scotia Legislature and treasurer of the province for thirty years. He acquired more land in the same area and built two other homes which up until the 1950's, were still in descendants hands. Robert Brown, his other son married the oldest daughter of the Rev. Harris Harding, first Baptist minister in Yarmouth.

SOURCES: Yarmouth Times - 1901; George S. Brown's History of Yarmouth; John Brown will made 7^th day of Nov. 1854

STREET ADDRESS: 27 Parade Street

CITY/TOWN/VILLAGE: Yarmouth

MUNICIPALITY: Yarmouth

COUNTY: Yarmouth

YEAR BUILT: 1895-1896

ARCHITECTURAL COMMENT:

Queen Anne Revival style church has irregular, multi-level massing. Most of the roof areas are gabled and of medium pitch; one tower has a steep hip roof, one has a flat roof and the third has a conical roof. The asymmetrical facade has recessed entrances in center and west (bell) towers, both of which have round arched stained glass transoms and various stone trim elements. Most windows have double hung sashes and 1/1 glazing; there are several sets of paired windows; front gable and west transept have large rose windows; center tower has a half-round window near top and there are two windows between the center and east (round) tower which are set in segmental arch openings. Brick construction with many, varied trim details including stone belt courses and lintels, corbelled trim in verges, moulded cornices and decorative buttresses on west tower and east wall.

HISTORICAL COMMENT:

Built in 1895-1896 by James E. Huestis. The original site chosen for this church was deemed insufficient and was sold to Townsend Anderson, who made a lawn of it. It is now the site of 11 Parade Street.

CONTEXTUAL COMMENT:

South side of street, midway in block. A large, round arched window on east wall has been replaced with 2 paired windows and the crenellated parapet on center tower has been removed. Some brick has been replaced.

PRESENT OWNER: Trustees of First Baptist Church

ADDRESS: Parade Street, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

YEAR BUILT: 1895-1896

ORIGINAL OWNER: Trustees of the First Baptist Church of Yarmouth

OCCUPATION: NA

BUILDER: James E. Huestis

ORIGINAL USE: Church

PRESENT USE: Church

COMMENTS ON HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS:

Yarmouth Reminiscences, pp. 540-541:

"The tender for the erection of New Zion Baptist Church was awarded to James E. Huestis in February, 1895. The proposed site for the building was sold to J. Townsend Anderson, who converted it into a lawn. A new location a little farther up Parade street was purchased, between the dwellings of George G. Sanderson and John Killam. The building is 92x95 feet, and is of brick and stone, with large, beautiful art glass windows. The corner stone was laid on the 18th July, 1895. There was a dense fog prevailing, which turned into rain before the exercises were finished. Rev. J. H. Foshay conducted the services, which began with the hymn: "Zion Stands with Hills Surrounded," followed by the prayer of invocation by Rev. G. R. White, pastor of Temple Church. The presentation of the trowel by contractor Treen to Mrs. W. H. Gridley was made, after which the sone was laid by Mrs. Gridley with the usual ascription and formula. The pastor, Rev. Mr. Foshay, then delivered a brief historic sketch of the church, and at its conclusion Rev. J. E. Goucher, pastor of the Milton Baptist church, offered prayer. The services ended by singin the hymn: "I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord," and the pronouncing of the Benediction. The church was dedicated on Sunday, June 7th, 1896. The sermon in the morning was delivered by Rev. Prof. Kierstadt, of Acadia College, and in the evening by the venerable Rev. Dr. Morse. Rev. J. H. Foshay, pastor of the church, read an interesting historical address, and took a prominent part at each service. The special dedicatory service was held in the afternoon, at which Revs. J. H. Saunders and George R. White delivered addresses and Rev. E. M. Kierstadt delivered the Invocation, and dedicatory prayer by Rev. Dr. Morse. Crowded congregations were present at all of these services. In the evening Mr. Charles L. Power was presented with a handsome gold headed cane, accompanied by an address from the church, upon his retirement as treasurer of the church and his removal from Yarmouth. The first wedding in the church was that of Miss Anna Leighton McGray, daughter of A. E. McGray, and Mr. Amos LeFavour O'Dell, of Beverly, Mass., on Tuesday afternoon, June 14th, 1898, by Rev. J. H. Foshay, pastor."

SOURCES: Registry of Deeds; Yarmouth Reminiscences, pp. 540-541 (J. M. Lawson, 1902) Yarmouth Nova Scotia, 1918.

STREET ADDRESS: 12 Parade Street

CITY/TOWN/VILLAGE: Yarmouth

MUNICIPALITY: Yarmouth

COUNTY: Yarmouth

YEAR BUILT: circa 1874

ARCHITECTURAL COMMENT:

2 storey Italianate style with centered back ell and a 1 storey addition on ell; open porches on each side of ell. Low pitched hip roof has paired 1/3 inset chimneys on main roof and a central chimney in ell. The symmetrical 3 bay facade has a centered entrance with paired doors, segmental arch transom and a heavy bracketed hood; 1 storey, 5-sided bay windows have round-headed upper sashes. Most windows have double hung sashes and 1/1 glazing; windows on east and west sides of first storey are tripartite, and second story windows are paired; windows in ell have 2/2 glazing. Wood construction, clad with narrow clapboard; various trim details include corner pilasters with capitals, heavy bracketed crowns over windows, paired brackets in cornices, "portholes" in frieze, and several styles of decorative moldings at windows, doors and on corners.

HISTORICAL COMMENT:

Probably built around 1874. This house was built as a wedding gift for Mary Ellen Lovitt and George Hutchinson Guest, who was later to become High Sheriff of Yarmouth County. Mary Ellen Lovitt was the daughter of shipowner John W.Lovitt, and sister of Capt. John Lovitt, who later became a Member of Parliament.

CONTEXTUAL COMMENT:

North side of Parade Street, fourth house east of Main Street. Pagoda-like cupola removed, otherwise unchanged.

PRESENT OWNER: Bruce W. & Twyla L. Rogers

ADDRESS: 12 Parade Street Yarmouth, N.S. B5A 3A4

ORIGINAL OWNER: John Walker Lovitt

OCCUPATION: Master Mariner/Shipowner

BUILDER: Unknown

ORIGINAL USE: Single family dwelling

PRESENT USE: Dwelling/medical office

COMMENTS ON HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS:

From Atlantic Hearth, p.154; "George Guest's (and Elizabeth Lovitt's) father, Robert Guest, had been a merchant in St. John's Newfoundland, but left there in 1827 to seek his fortune in Yarmouth, where he soon became involved in the town's shipping industry. George, born there in 1849, and educated at the Yarmouth Academy, was also involved in shipping, as a shipowner and in the marine insurance business. As well, he had good political connections, not only by marriage but through his mother's family, who had been in Yarmouth since the town's earliest days. Guest's maternal great grandfather, Norman Utley, had represented Yarmouth in the provincial legislature from 1800 to 1806. When the position of High Sheriff came vacant in 1887, George Guest's family connections added weight to the influence already exerted by his brother-in-law John Lovitt, next door." From 1927 until 1954, the property was owned by E.H. Spinney, another prominent businessman. He was head of the firm E.K. Spinney (hardware dealers) and later, a member of the N.S. Legislature.

SOURCES: Registry of Deeds/Probate; Vanguard, April 14, 1971; Atlantic Hearth, Byers & McBurney, 1994; Yarmouth (souvenir book) 1918; Yarmouth Directories, 1890, 1895; McAlpines N.S. Directory, 1907-08