Description of Historic Place

The Reynolds' house is a large gambrel-roofed, two-storey wood-shingled single family residence, in Dutch Colonial style. It is on Route 16 in Queensport, N.S. This municipal designation covers the building and surrounding land.

Heritage Value

The Reynolds Property, built circa 1870, is valued for its Dutch Colonial style, which has remained unaltered from the nineteenth century, and for its use by the local community.

The property served for many years as a postal way station where the mail teams travelling between Canso and Guysborough were switched. It also served as the area telephone office and an informal community centre at different times.

The building was constructed incorporating early elements of the Dutch Colonial style. It features a two-and-one-half storey gambrel roofed structure reminiscent of the eighteenth century New England style of architecture. Gambrel roofs were once common in Nova Scotia but few remain today. The central plan to the home with its distinctive symmetry and deep porch are also typical of this style.

Source: Municipality of the District of Guysborough Heritage Registration document, number 1023.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of this building relate to its construction in the Dutch Colonial style, including:

- decorative elements such as the original verandah with decorative brackets, the central front door with dual side lights and the original windows, symmetrically located in original format with ornate hood mouldings;
- the gambrel roof with original second floor dormers with diamond ornamentation and lower roof pitch framing the dormers;
- the stacked stone foundation with cut granite topping;
- the wood shingle exterior.