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Frank D. Alward Residence

125 Mount Pleasant Avenue, Saint John, New Brunswick, E2K, Canada

Formally Recognized: 2008/08/18

This image shows the front façade of the residence; City of Saint John, 2008
Frank D. Alward Residence - Front façade
This side view of the residence shows vertical sliding wood window and brackets; City of Saint John, 2008
Frank D. Alward Residence - Window
This image shows a contextual view of the residence along with its sister houses; City of Saint John, 2008
Frank D. Alward Residence - Contextual view

Other Name(s)

Frank D. Alward Residence
Joseph Pope Barnes Residence
Résidence Joseph Pope Barnes

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2009/12/17

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

The Frank D. Alward Residence is a two-and-a-half storey Gothic Revival residence located on a residential section of Mount Pleasant Avenue in Saint John.

Heritage Value

The Frank D. Alward Residence is designated a Local Historic Place for its architecture and for its association with Robert Reed, Joseph Pope Barnes and Frank D. Alward.

The Frank D. Alward Residence has heritage value due to its connection with the Robert Reed Estate. The Frank D. Alward Residence was built along with its sister cottages as part of the Robert Reed Estate sometime before 1887 (possibly circa 1880), though the exact building date is unknown. The cottages as a group have been described as having functions as a gatehouse, a gardener's house and a kitchen. Robert Reed (b.1813- d.1893) was a wealthy ship owner during Saint John’s golden age of sail. He was an important citizen with a distinguished military career as well as varied business, charity, and cultural interests, including founding and assembling the collection for the Owens’ Institute of Art in Sackville, founded from a bequest from Amelia Reed’s stepfather, John Owens. In 1854, Reed and his wife Amelia built Reed’s Castle, called Belvedere by them, at the head of Mount Pleasant. Until it burned down in 1912, Reed’s Castle was one of Saint John’s most prominent landmarks.

Joseph Pope Barnes was born in 1866 and began his career in the firm of Daniel and Boyd when his father was a partner in that establishment. He later became a member of Barnes & Murray dry goods. Barnes was prominent in both the wholesale and retail fields of the dry goods business and had been for a number of years a traveling salesperson for important wholesale firms. Barnes was regarded as an authority in the dry goods business and was one of the leaders in the Commercial Traveler’s Association of the Maritime Provinces. Barnes left this property in 1895 and died in 1933.

Frank D. Alward, Saint John Harbor Master, moved here about 1911 and remained here until the 1950's.

The Frank D. Alward Residence has architectural value as one of a set of four Gothic Revival residences of identical plan set close together with a slight setback on the section of Mount Pleasant Avenue that was part of Robert Reed's estate. This style is still evident in such details as the steeply pitched cross-gable roof, the brackets and the peaked attic window.

Source: Planning and Development Department – City of Saint John

Character-Defining Elements

The character defining elements of the Frank D. Alward Residence include:
- placement as part of a group of four sister homes on Mount Pleasant Avenue;
- two-and-a-half storey massing with lateral two-storey flat-topped entrance set back into the gable intersection;
- steeply-pitched central cross-gable;
- single-storey bay window on the cross-gable façade, with paired windows on the second storey and small high peaked window in the attic storey;
- widely-spaced long brackets under the eaves;
- window placement and proportions;
- some remaining vertical sliding wood windows.

Recognition

Jurisdiction

New Brunswick

Recognition Authority

Local Governments (NB)

Recognition Statute

Local Historic Places Program

Recognition Type

Municipal Register of Local Historic Places

Recognition Date

2008/08/18

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

n/a

Theme - Category and Type

Expressing Intellectual and Cultural Life
Architecture and Design

Function - Category and Type

Current

Historic

Residence
Single Dwelling

Architect / Designer

n/a

Builder

n/a

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

Planning and Development Department - City of Saint John

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

1570

Status

Published

Related Places

n/a

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