Description of Historic Place

The Journeay house at 240 St George Street is a rectangular two storey wood frame structure clad in wood shingles with a gable roof. It was built circa 1827 in the Neo-Classical style. The house is on the south side of St George Street in the centre of Annapolis Royal's business district. The Journeay house is located immediately adjacent to the street and occupies most of the frontage on the narrow lot. The designation includes the building and the surrounding property.

Heritage Value

Historic Value

The Journeay house at 240 St George Street, Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, as recognized by its municipal heritage designation, is valued for its construction date and its long association with the commercial activities of Annapolis Royal. In the early years of the town, the property was a garden lot belonging first to Mrs. Agatha Campbell, a granddaughter of Charles de La Tour, early governor of Acadie. By the late 1700s, the lot was in the possession of the Williams family who lived on the adjoining property. In 1827 the heirs of Thomas Williams junior sold this lot to James Journeay junior, a saddle and harness maker who built a modest one and a half storey house and adjoining shop in the summer and fall of 1827. In 1836, it was sold to widow Elizabeth Sneden, a businesswoman who likely rented the property, and in 1848 it was acquired by Lieutenant Henry Hudson of the 60th Regiment, a native of Cork, Ireland. The family of Michael Riordan, a tailor, was living here in the late 1800s when the south section of the house was added and the roof raised to create a two storey structure. The Journeay house has changed hands many times since its construction in 1827 and has been used for a variety of purposes - residence, shop and tenements. Since 1980 it has been the business premises for Jost Architects and their tenants, the law firm of Armstrong and Armstrong. Although there are older structures in Annapolis Royal's business district, the Journeay house is the oldest therein with continued occupancy.

Architectural Value

The architectural significance of the Journeay house relates to its evolution and modification over time. The exterior of the building has been modified a number of times, reflecting a number of styles and uses. It began life as a small one-and-one-half storey vernacular building. During the nineteenth century, an ell was added and the roof was raised to add an additional half storey. The house has a medium gable roof with wooden roofing shingles. A brick chimney is offset on the left end of the building. Skylights were added in the 1980s, giving more light to the top storey. The building once had additional Neo-Classical elements, such as strong eave returns on the gable ends, and wide corner boards, however, the building retains little of its original architectural features or styling. In style it may be a better reflection of a building which has had several major changes to its use. This altered look is common to the surviving commercial buildings in the town of Annapolis Royal.

Source

Town of Annapolis Royal Heritage Property Files, Annapolis Heritage Society, 136 St. George Street, Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia

Character-Defining Elements

Character-defining elements of the Journeay house include:

- location of the building at the edge of the sidewalk;
- one storey ell;
- medium gable roof with wooden roofing shingles;
- brick chimneys offset on the left end of the building;
- wooden siding and roof shingles;
- plain exterior;
- asymmetrical placing of the windows and doors on the front façade.