Description of Historic Place
The Collector’s House is located adjacent to the Carillon Canal, as part of the Carillon Canal National Historic Site, in the village of Carillon. It is a two-storey, squared-stone structure with a gambrel roof and dormers. Its principal façade is three bays wide and has a central entrance with a verandah running across its width. The building has wide gable walls and its casement windows are regularly arranged on all façades. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.
Heritage Value
The Collector’s House is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental value.
Historical Value
The Collector’s House is one of the rare surviving examples of a structure associated with the military and commercial role of the Carillon Canal, which was built between 1829 and 1833. The Collector’s House and the Superintendent’s House are among the only reminders of the original purpose of the military canals of the Ottawa River.
Architectural Value
The Collector’s House is valued for its good aesthetic and functional design. The successful combination of a low structure, fairly wide gable walls and a gambrel roof result in a building of a good aesthetic quality. The building also demonstrates very good craftsmanship and materials, seen in the exterior wall construction.
Environmental Value
The Collector’s House reinforces the historic rural character of its canal setting in the village of Carillon. As part of the Carillon Canal National Historic Site of Canada, it is a well known building in the area.
Sources: Normand Lafrenière et Yvan Fortier, La maison du percepteur, Canal de Carillon, Québec, Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office, Building Report, 89-007; Toll Collector’s House, Carillon Canal, Carillon, Québec, Heritage Character Statement, 89-007.
Character-Defining Elements
The character-defining elements of the Collector’s House should be respected.
Its good aesthetic and functional design and very good craftsmanship and materials, as for example:
- its low, two-storey massing with fairly wide gable walls and a gambrel roof with dormers;
- its exterior walls of squared stone masonry, terminating in quoins;
- the regular arrangement of openings on the two façades as well as on the south-eastern gable wall;
- the casement windows.
The manner in which the Collector’s House reinforces the historic rural character of its canal setting in the village of Carillon and is a well-known building, as evidenced by:
- its overall scale, massing, design and materials that complement the adjacent Superintendent’s House and which contribute to the historic character of the canal site;
- its ongoing operational role at the Carillon Canal National Historic Site of Canada, which makes it a familiar building in the area.