Description of Historic Place

Edward Goreham House is one a row of four two-and-a-half storey townhouses. It is located on Bishop Street in Downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia. Bishop Street is named for the succession of prominent Anglican bishops, starting with Charles Inglis in 1787, who lived on the street. Edward Goreham House is the eastern end unit closest to Hollis Street and faces the south side elevation of Government House, between Barrington and Hollis Streets. The heritage designation applies to the building and the surrounding land it occupies.

Heritage Value

Edward Goreham House is valued for its combination of Late Victorian Plain and Halifax House architectural styles, its location within a row of four townhouses, and for its association with its original occupant.

Edward Groreham House was built between 1862 and 1864 as part of a row of four townhouses, known as Fraser Terrace, named for an original owner and occupant. This unit, on the eastern end of the building, was named for Edward Goreham, who was a partner in Charles Robson Co., a dry goods dealer located in Downtown Halifax. Goreham and his family lived there until 1911.

Architecturally, Edward Goreham House is valued for its combination of Late Victorian Plain style, characterized by its relatively unadorned façade and bay window (generally Late Victorian Plain homes were built for the working class and therefore simple when compared to the commonly known Victorian style with excessive decorative elements) and the local Halifax House type that is a local style characterized by the presence of five sided Scottish dormers, gable roof with a flat peak, and an asymmetrical front entrances, all of which are present in the Goreham House. The Edward Goreham House features a side hall plan entrance and has a wide two storey bay window. The architectural style gives the row of four townhouses, of which Goreham is a part, a degree of graciousness that compliments Government House across the street. Goreham House and the entire four-unit structure as changed very little since its construction.

Source: HRM Heritage Property File: 5170 - 5172 Bishop Street, Edward Goreham House, found at HRM Planning and Development Services, Heritage Property Program, 6960 Mumford Road, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of Edward Goreham House include:

- medium pitched truncated gable roof;
- wide two storey bay window and Scottish dormer of similar proportion;
- side hall plan entrance with front steps and simple pediment;
- wood shingle cladding and simple wood board trim;
- below grade unit with window, stairway and side hall plan entrance.