Home / Accueil

299 Canada Street

299 Canada Street, Fredericton, New Brunswick, E3A, Canada

Formally Recognized: 2006/09/11

View of the north side of the house, showing rear ell; City of Fredericton
299 Canada Street

View of the south side of the house, showing the gable, the porch and the side entrance
; City of Fredericton
299 Canada Street
View of the front façade showing two bay windows; City of Fredericton
299 Canada Street

Other Name(s)

n/a

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

1885/01/01

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2009/06/29

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

299 Canada Street is a one-and-a-half storey wood frame structure that is located on Nob Hill in the Marysville district of Fredericton. This dwelling was erected in 1885 for Alexander “Boss” Gibson to house the Cotton Mill overseers. Located on the western side of Canada Street, this strategically placed house not only overlooks the former Cotton Mill and employee housing but is separated from the latter by the Nashwaak River.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of 299 Canada Street resides in its significance as part of a company town, in its location upon Nob Hill, and in its representation of a vernacular design conveying social distinctions.

The distinction between management and workers factored into Alexander Gibson’s development of this company town at Marysville, and this vision is expressed both in housing location and design. The Nashwaak River served as a natural dividing line between employer and employee, and the situation upon a hill further enforced the notion of elitism, division, and distinction. Nob Hill, then bounded by Alexander Gibson’s residence at one end and the Methodist Church at the other, housed the managers and overseers from the Lumber Mill era and later the Cotton Mill period. Differences in the levels of management were also expressed within construction on Nob Hill, with Gibson’s and his son’s majestic homes standing in contrast to the simple frame construction of the overseers’ houses.

Value is also derived from the fact that the residence at 299 Canada Street has been largely unaltered and is therefore significant as it is representative of the original vernacular design.

Source: City of Fredericton Historic Places Files, “299 Canada Street”

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements associated with the context and location of 299 Canada Street include:
- its placement upon Nob Hill;
- set back from the street with a manicured lawn.

The character-defining elements associated with the exterior of the structure include:
- one-and-a-half storey wooden frame;
- clapboard siding;
- side-gabled roof;
- central chimney set forward on the roof;
- two large bay windows on the front façade;
- side veranda;
- rear ell.

Recognition

Jurisdiction

New Brunswick

Recognition Authority

Local Governments (NB)

Recognition Statute

Local Historic Places Program

Recognition Type

Municipal Register of Local Historic Places

Recognition Date

2006/09/11

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

n/a

Theme - Category and Type

Expressing Intellectual and Cultural Life
Architecture and Design
Developing Economies
Labour

Function - Category and Type

Current

Residence
Single Dwelling

Historic

Architect / Designer

n/a

Builder

n/a

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

City of Fredericton, Historic Places Files, "299 Canada Street"

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

479

Status

Published

Related Places

n/a

SEARCH THE CANADIAN REGISTER

Advanced SearchAdvanced Search
Find Nearby PlacesFIND NEARBY PLACES PrintPRINT
Nearby Places