Celebrating Built Heritage (and other flights of fancy) in Saint John, New Brunswick
I will soon write about landscaping around historical properties, but for right now I want to focus on the beauty of out buildings in Saint John. I think historic homes can get lost when the original outbuildings are not cared for and replaced with modern monstrosities. In Saint John we are blessed to have many…
There were some recent comments in our local Saint Awesome heritage group about the historic use of calling cards. One of the members mentioned we should bring them back. This got me thinking and I realized I know very little about calling cards. I found a very useful blog to help educate me – big…
I have identified dozens of buildings constructed by the Fenton Land and Building Company. Not all of the buildings still exist and I do not yet have a comprehensive list. I see some homes, like the one below on Demonts St. where the columns, scale, roofline, and windows just scream Fenton but I have not…
I have noticed that when we discuss architectural heritage issues in Saint John, like replacing heritage doors, people immediately assume that being historically sympathetic and or using historical materials is astronomically expensive and certainly they assume it is more expensive than buying a new mass produced item like a door. This assumption is rarely challenged…
We proudly own a home built by the Fenton Land and Building Company in 1910. I read this great blog on the Lost Valley site and learned a lot about the Fenton Land and Building Company, its aesthetic, and commitment to what was a modern style of home at the turn of the twentieth century. …
The de Bury home, or the Castle, as some locals call it sits on the high corner of Main St and Douglas Ave in Saint John. It is an imposing building with sweeping views down to the harbour and overlooking the north end. A second empire loyalist home, it has a stunning tower and mansard…
I am interested in the history of the North End of Saint John, called Portland before it amalgamated with Saint John in 1889, particularly the old North End. I have developed an appreciation and manic love for the history of this area. At the turn of the last century there were mills, boats, commerce, beautiful…
During another pandemic related lockdown, I decided to stretch my mind and do some research. I had no idea that by investigating something random, I would uncover a connection to my own home at 5 Alexandra St. Staring at this map for close to a year, this weird little slip (or Slipp – pun intended…
The former owner kindly gave us this beloved recipe box he found when he bought 5 Alexandra in 2014. This was in the Munro family and clearly used by sisters Nancy Munro Walls and Mary Munro Colter and perhaps their mother Maude. I am in love with the art deco recipe box. I use it…
Where to begin? We have only completed the front façade of our home so far – it’s a lot of work. This blog shows how we went from a simple front (which was perfectly nice) to the restoration of the original 1910 look. It’s been a process! We have been blessed by the wisdom of…