Description of Historic Place

The George Wentworth Chandler House is a rectangular mid-19th century three-storey Second Empire house located on Main Street in Dorchester. It is one of three similar homes in the vicinity built by Edward Barron Chandler as wedding presents for his sons.

Heritage Value

The George Wentworth Chandler House was designated a Local Historic Place for its association with the Chandler family and for its architecture.

The George Wentworth Chandler House is recognized for its association with the Chandler family. Edward Barron Chandler, born in 1800 in nearby Amherst, Nova Scotia, was an eminent lawyer, a Member of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council of New Brunswick, a railway commissioner, a federal senator, a Father of Confederation and a Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick. He was known as the richest man of Westmorland County. In 1831, he built the mansion known as Rocklyn, now a National Historic Site of Canada. With his wife, Phoebe Walker Millidge, E. B. Chandler had eleven children. Of the nine sons of Edward Barron only five outlived him. For his marriage on December 30, 1858, Charles’ son George Wentworth Chandler received from his parents a three-storey Second Empire house located on Main Street near his parent’s home. Charles Upham Chandler and his brother Joshua Chandler were married at a double wedding at Trinity Anglican Church on August 11, 1869. They both received as gifts from their parents similar two-storey Second Empire houses located on Main Street near Rocklyn.

The George Wentworth Chandler House is recognized for its architecture. Built circa 1858, the house is a good example of residential Second Empire architecture from this era. Its exterior and interior appearance hasn’t changed much. The mansard roof with dormer windows and the three stone chimneys are still in place. The home also features moulded cornices and decorative brackets under the eaves. A two-storey bay window, decorative quoins and the attached carriage house are still intact. The interior is remarkable with its three staircases, including a central three-storey staircase with original newel post and spindles, eight bedrooms, six fireplaces, original windows with air bubbles and distortions, original window and door mouldings, plaster crown mouldings and medallions and a plaster arch in the hallway. In the basement is a lead lined water reservoir that was hand pumped to upper floors plumbing. Also existing in the basement is an original bread oven.

Source: Dorchester Village Hall, Local Historic Places file #10.2

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the George Wentworth Chandler House include:
- symmetrical rectangular massing;
- mansard roof with gable dormer windows;
- three stone chimneys;
- moulded cornices;
- decorative brackets under the eaves;
- two-storey bay window;
- rectangular, segmented arch and Roman arch windows;
- decorative quoins;
- full-width enclosed front veranda;
- attached carriage house;
- three staircases, including a central three-storey staircase with original newel post and spindles;
- six fireplaces;
- original windows with air bubbles and distortions;
- original window and door mouldings;
- plaster crown mouldings and medallions;
- plaster arch in the hallway;
- water reservoir and original bread oven in the basement.