Description of Historic Place

The Knaut-Rhuland House is a turn of the nineteenth century two and-a-half storey wooden Georgian structure located on Pelham Street, between Prince and King Streets in Lunenburg's Old Town, a heritage conservation district, in Lunenburg, NS. The house is set immediately on the sidewalk, and is situated close to its neighbours. Designation extends to the building and surrounding property. The building is currently a museum.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of Knaut-Rhuland House lies in its age, architectural style and previous ownership by well-known residents of Lunenburg. In 1793 fourteen lots on Pelham Street were acquired by Benjamin Knaut, a merchant and sheriff of Lunenburg. Prices recorded in early deeds make it difficult to be sure whether it was Knaut who had this house built or whether it was built for Conrad Rhuland, a mariner to whom Knaut sold the property in 1813. However, it is clearly one of the older extant houses in the town and is a good example of the architectural style of the Georgian period.

From 1826 until his death in 1878, the house was owned by John Creighton, a local lawyer and member of the provincial Legislative Council. In 1907, the house was sold to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. It is now a museum owned and managed by the Lunenburg Heritage Society and serves as an example of early life in Lunenburg.

Source: W. Plaskett, “Lunenburg: An Inventory of Historic Buildings.” (Lighthouse Press, 1984), Heritage Designation File 66400-40-03, Town of Lunenburg.

Character-Defining Elements

Character-defining elements of the Knaut-Rhuland House relate to its Georgian architecture and include:

- all structural elements of the Georgian building tradition, including a thick stone foundation, post and beam frame built around two massive central chimneys, six-over-six windows, in a balanced five-bay façade around a central doorway, a medium pitched roof and plank wall ;
- all decorative elements of the Georgian building tradition, including hand-blown cylinder glass in some windows, wide cornerboards, bracketed under returned eaves; side and transom windows around the central front door, and simple trim ornamentation;
- all interior features relating to the Georgian tradition, including early nineteenth century latches and hinges, mouldings and ceiling cornices, & fireplace surrounds;
- elements characteristic of Lunenburg buildings of the late eighteenth century and early nineteenth century including clapboard cladding, with endboards and finishing boards at the basement level, and close proximity to the street, with the front door opening immediately onto the street, with little land surrounding the building.