Description of Historic Place

Charles S. Feetham House is a two-storey Shingle-style house located at the top of Ross Street at the intersection with Lansdoon Place, overlooking much of the central district of Truro, NS. The house can be identified by its four intersecting cross gables, each bearing a gambrel roof with subtly-curved eavelines. Both the building, which was constructed circa 1915, and the surrounding property are included in the heritage designation.

Heritage Value

Historic Value

The Charles S. Feetham House is valued for its association with Charles Feetham, a prominent merchant salesman who built the house, and with the Barrett family, whose members have occupied the house since 1938.

The land on which the house sits was once part of the main approach to Lansdowne, the farm homestead of the John Ross family which extended from Brunswick Street and Exhibition Street into what is now Victoria Park. Ross, who was born in Pictou, moved to Truro in 1836 and became the community’s postmaster, and for a four-year period represented Truro in the Legislative Assembly. Ross’ son, barrister James D. Ross, subdivided the lands for building lots, and used part of the funds raised to further his World Peace and Victoria Park projects.

Architectural Value

Charles S. Feetham House is also valued as an example of the gambrel-roofed subtype of the Shingle style of residential architecture. Most Shingle-style houses of this subtype feature asymmetrical rooflines, allowing the strong symmetry of this example to stand out by reason of an unusual roof treatment.

Source: Planning Department, Town of Truro, file 10MNS0061

Character-Defining Elements

External elements that define the heritage character of Charles S. Feetham House include:

- all original or historic building elements, such as: the basic Shingle-style form and massing, with four intersecting cross-gables creating a cruciform shape; oversize gambrel roof dormers on each side; wide boxed eaves on the dormers and roof-wall junctions, flaring slightly where the dormer eaves meet the remnant hipped roofline; wide trim boards below the eaves on the house and dormers; an enclosed porch supported by large square piers; discreet chimney, centrally placed.

- all original or historic door and window elements, such as: 6-8-6 over 1 narrow sashed window triplets in the north, south and western dormers; three 6 over 1 windows on the eastern side; double and single sashed windows in the main storey; an asymmetrically-placed front door; moulded door and window surrounds.

- all original or historic building materials, such as: wood shingle cladding; wooden trim painted a contrasting colour.

- placement on a standard lot within a historic neighborhood.