Description of Historic Place

The Trueman House, built circa 1840, is a modest, one-and-a-half storey farmhouse sitting on Highway 6 on the eastern outskirts of Amherst, Nova Scotia, in the rural community of Truemanville. The little house sits well back from the edge of the road, and is surrounded by mature trees and bushes making its under-stated but striking Classical Revival features hard to see from the road. The house overlooks farm lands, and stands with a few other homes built in same era. The house and property are included in the municipal designation.

Heritage Value

The value of Trueman House lies in its association with the Trueman family, who first settled this area in the early eighteen hundreds. The house is also valued for being a good example of simplified Classical Revival architecture commonly built during difficult economic times in this area of Cumberland County.

Historical Value

The Truemans were among the hundreds settlers from Yorkshire, England who arrived in Cumberland County at the turn of the nineteenth century, and they are the family for whom this rural community is named. They were the first settlers in this area, and played an important role in the settlement and economic development of Amherst and the surrounding county. Although this house is believed to be the second Trueman home on this site, built by Amos Trueman, it is one of the earliest homes to be built in Truemanville, and it represents the earliest development of this farming community.

Architectural Value

Trueman House is a good example of modest Classical Revival architecture, a popular style in Nova Scotia during the economic down-turn of the mid eighteenth century. Few of these homes remain and in such good repair. The front of the simple house has a symmetrical, five-bay façade with a centered, slightly-recessed entrance. The entry is decorated with a transom and sidelights, and is framed by a prominent entablature and pilasters. The outer edges of the house are accented by strong pilasters used as corner boards. Except for a small addition on the back, the general appearance and fabric of the house have not changed from the original building.

Source: “Heritage Properties County, Trueman House” File, Cumberland County Museum

Character-Defining Elements

Character-defining elements of the Trueman House include:

- original site, form and massing;
- wood frame construction and clapboard siding;
- symmetrical five-bay façade;
- entrance in non-gable side.

Character-defining Classical Revival elements of the Trueman House include:

- recessed, centered entrance accented with transom and sidelights, and framed with entablature and pilasters;
- prominent window casings;
- pilasters used as corner boards;
- medium-pitched gable roof and return eave.