Description of Historic Place

Built circa 1881 Terrace Cottage is a Victorian Vernacular house set high above the street on a double cresting hill, giving it a view of Chester's two harbours, which form part of Nova Scotia's renowned Mahone Bay. The Municipal Heritage Designation applies to the building and surrounding property.

Heritage Value

Terrace Cottage is valued for its age, architecture and historical association with Chester's summer residents.

Terrace Cottage was constructed circa 1881 by the Smith family, likely under the direction of its first owner, David Smith. This Victorian Vernacular home boasts a number of architectural features belonging to this period, including a steeply pitched side gabled roof with an offset chimney constructed with decorative dentils. A large shed roof dormer has been added over the main entrance, which is centrally located on the eastern elevation facing the street. The main entrance consists of a paneled door flanked by three tiered sidelights with a panel bottom; however, no transom window is present as is typical with doors featuring sidelights.

The addition of a sun porch and extended roof on the eastern elevation allowed the functionality of additional space while preserving the cottage style architecture of the home.

The southern elevation features a pair of window boxes with Mansard roofs, later additions to the home. Each located underneath a window on the second story in their original placements and topped with wide decorative hoods.

The rear elevation has been altered with the addition of large ell; however, part of the rear shed roof dormer was preserved and a third window box with a Mansard roof was added to maintain architectural continuity with the rest of the home.

Terrace Cottage is known for its association with Chester's summer residents, who have formed a significant portion of property owners in the town since the early 1900s; the majority of Terrace Cottage's owners have only summered in the town while vacationing.

Source: Municipality of the District of Chester Heritage Property Files.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Terrace Cottage that relate to its Victorian Vernacular architecture include:

- steeply gabled roof;
- offset chimney with ornamental top featuring dentil styled masonry work;
- full shed roof dormer on the front elevation with a three bay facade featuring a pair of central windows flanked by three additional windows on either side all in original positions;
- partial shed roof dormer maintained on the rear elevation on one side of the ell addition;
- sun porch and extended roof forming a veranda on the front elevation;
- central main entrance flanked by three tiered sidelights with a paneled bottom; no transom present;
- two window boxes on the southern elevation with Mansard roofs;
- two vertical sashed windows with decorative hoods;
- return eaves;
- wooden clapboard and corner board construction;
- post and beam construction with mortise and blind tenon;
- granite foundation.

Additional exterior character defining elements of Terrace Cottage include:

- its position on a high double cresting hill overlooking Chester's harbours;
- a stairway at street level centrally located on the property flanked by a stone retaining wall and framed by a simple terrace at the beginning of a long walk leading to the front entrance.