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Leonard House

36 Manse Road, West Bay, Nova Scotia, B0E, Canada

Formally Recognized: 1991/07/10

Detail view of commercial section of house, Leonard House, West Bay, Nova Scotia, 2009.
; Heritage Division, NS Dept. of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, 2009
Detail of Commercial Elements
Window detail, Leonard House, West Bay, Nova Scotia, 2009.
; Heritage Division, NS Dept. of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, 2009
Window Detail
Front elevation, Leonard House, West Bay, Nova Scotia, 2009.
; Heritage Division, NS Dept. of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, 2009
Front View

Other Name(s)

C.R. Leonard House
Captain John MacInnis House / Store
Leonard House

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

1878/01/01 to 1878/12/31

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2009/04/02

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

Leonard House is located on the shores of the Bras d’Or Lake in West Bay, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. This wood-frame, two-and-a-half-storey modified Greek Revival style house was built in 1878. The building and surrounding property are included in the municipal designation.

Heritage Value

Leonard House is valued for its association with the history of trade and commerce in the West Bay area.

Captain John MacInnis (1842-1918) was the son of bridge builder Alexander MacInnis and Euphemia (Effy) MacFarlane. They came to Mabou from Scotland sometime after 1820 to join Euphemia’s parents in the Mull River area. The family later moved to West Bay where MacInnis continued to build bridges.

As a young man, MacInnis sailed out of Glouster, Massachusetts, fishing halibut on the Grand Banks. It is also thought he sailed around the world. He settled in West Bay and purchased a building lot in 1877 and built this home the following year. MacInnis operated a general store from the building, and he and his wife Mary Calder, lived in the rear section. The store’s supplies arrived at a wharf in West Bay, shipped from merchants in Halifax.

The store portion of the building had a separate entrance from the house. It had large double windows and doors and a set of large double doors that lead to a cellar. The doors were in the centre facing the water with the windows on either side.

MacInnis died in 1918 and his son Alex MacInnis continued the store under the name ‘A.A. MacInnis, General Merchant.’ The younger MacInnis was also a lumber dealer, and who shipped his goods overseas from a wharf in West Bay.

The store closed in the late 1930’s, although it was reopened for a time by Alex’s daughter Anna during World War II, who sold items such as candy and cigarettes. The store was subsequently converted into a parlour. The home remained in the MacInnis family until 1986.

Source: Municipality of the County of Inverness, Municipal Heritage Files, Leonard House

Character-Defining Elements

Character-defining elements of Leonard House relating to its original use as a store and residence and include:

- two-and-one-half-storeys;
- wood-frame;
- wood cladding;
- ell shape massing;
- two chimneys at peak;
- hooded pediments on windows;
- remaining two-over-two windows;
- three large double windows (in original commerical section);
- large double doors;
- corner pilasters;
- medium pitched gable roof.

Recognition

Jurisdiction

Nova Scotia

Recognition Authority

Local Governments (NS)

Recognition Statute

Heritage Property Act

Recognition Type

Municipally Registered Property

Recognition Date

1991/07/10

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

n/a

Theme - Category and Type

Developing Economies
Trade and Commerce
Expressing Intellectual and Cultural Life
Architecture and Design
Peopling the Land
Settlement

Function - Category and Type

Current

Historic

Commerce / Commercial Services
Shop or Wholesale Establishment
Residence
Single Dwelling

Architect / Designer

n/a

Builder

n/a

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

Chestico Museum & Historical Society 8095 Route 19 Port Hood, Nova Scotia B0E 2W0

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

27MNS0015

Status

Published

Related Places

n/a

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