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George Stephen House National Historic Site of Canada

1440 Drummond Street, Montréal, Quebec, H3G, Canada

Formally Recognized: 1971/10/14

George Stephen House National Historic Site of Canada; Parks Canada / Parcs Canada (HRS 0521)
Exterior Photo
No Image
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Other Name(s)

n/a

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

1880/01/01 to 1881/01/01

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2005/08/17

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

The George Stephen House is a large, stone Victorian mansion occupying the majority of its urban lot in downtown Montreal. It is presently operated as the Mount Stephen Club. The official recognition refers to the house on its legal lot.

Heritage Value

The George Stephen House was designated because it the best example of a Renaissance Revival house in Canada and because it was the home of George Stephen, president of the Bank of Montreal and of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the late nineteenth century.

The Renaissance Revival style design, opulent materials, and fine craftsmanship of this grand residential building reflect the economic and social position of George Stephen, a prominent businessman in late nineteenth century Canada.

Source: Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, Minutes, June 1997.

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements of the heritage value of this site include:
- the rectangular massing of the two storey, flat-roofed main block with its single storey dependency;
- the Classically inspired three-bay facade with central portico;
- the robust treatment of the masonry facing with channelling on basement and first floor, smooth ashlar above, corner quoins;
- the Renaissance inspired decorative treatment of the main elevations, including window surrounds, columned portico, dentilled entablature and stone balustrades
- domestic nature of interior plan;
- opulent interior finishes of major public rooms, particularly the fine woodwork, carved stone fireplace mantels, Aesthetic-style decor of the main living room and mahogany staircase and elaborate stained glass windows;
- the urban nature of its close relationship to the street, with demarcation of private grounds by an elaborate wrought iron fence and access to main entry above high basement via a formal split staircase.

Recognition

Jurisdiction

Federal

Recognition Authority

Government of Canada

Recognition Statute

Historic Sites and Monuments Act

Recognition Type

National Historic Site of Canada

Recognition Date

1971/10/14

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

n/a

Theme - Category and Type

Expressing Intellectual and Cultural Life
Architecture and Design

Function - Category and Type

Current

Residence
Single Dwelling

Historic

Architect / Designer

n/a

Builder

n/a

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

National Historic Sites Directorate, Canadian Inventory of Historic Building Documentation Centre, 5th Floor, Room 525, 25 Eddy Street, Hull, Quebec.

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

659

Status

Published

Related Places

n/a

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