Description of Historic Place

The Albertine Basque House is a 19th century 2-story Colonial inspired residential building located on Georges Street West in Tracadie-Sheila.

Heritage Value

The Albertine Basque House is designated a Local Historic Place for its architecture and for the original elements inside the house.

The house was built circa 1890 by Richard Lebreton. Being a bachelor, he bequeathed it to his employee, Albert Basque. The current owner, Albertine Basque, is the daughter of Albert. The architecture of the house, with its large surface area and hipped roof, is a good example of common Colonial-inspired residential architecture at the time. The house has undergone some renovations but has maintained its overall massing and design.

The house’s interior is also recognized for its considerable heritage value, representing furniture and décor of the period. Most of the furniture collection is original, although it has been refurbished. The dining room set with sideboard, the dressers, a bedroom set and the writing desk in the living room have been part of the house since it was first built. Several pieces of period crockery have been conserved as well. In addition to wood floors throughout, the house has wood walls in all of the bedrooms except one, which has rough-plaster walls. There is also a cellar made of fieldstone.

Source : Town of Tracadie-Sheila, Historic Site File #15

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe the Albertine Basque House include:
- Colonial-inspired architecture, including a hipped roof, symmetrical fenestration and 2-story rectangular plan of the original structure;
- decorative ornaments on the porch;
- original foundation;
- fieldstone cellar wall;
- collection of period furniture;
- collection of period crockery;
- original wood floors;
- original staircase;
- wood walls;
- rough-plaster walls in one bedroom.