Description of Historic Place

The well maintained cottage at 8 Nelson Street (Latham House) in the Village of Victoria is a one and one half storey wood framed dwelling with wood shingle cladding. It has a symmetrical facade with central entrance and paired sash windows on either side. Two dormers in the gable roof have round arch windows with decorative hood moulding. The house is located on landscaped grounds amid the shade of nearby trees.

Heritage Value

Latham House is valued for its association with early residents of the Village of Victoria; for its surviving architectural elements; and for its contribution to the streetscape of the village.

The house was first built sometime before 1865. The first owner was Donald MacFadyen, whose son, John MacFadyen, was born in the house in 1864. They later sold the property to Richard Lea in the 1870s. In the 1880s it was rented by Charles Cummings MacIntosh and his wife, Sarah Ann (Bell) MacIntosh. They had been married on December 28, 1872 in a Methodist ceremony at Cape Traverse by Rev. John G. Cameron. The Census of 1881 reveals that they then resided in the house with an extended family which included their five children and Charles' elderly parents. By 1891, census records indicate their family had grown to nine children. In 1901, MacIntosh bought the house from Lea. He would reside there until 1931. He worked as the village butcher.

Sarah Ann (Bell) MacIntosh was a sister of PEI Premier John Howatt Bell (1919-1923). Their uncle was Cornelius Howatt, a famous Island politician who did not favour PEI joining Canada. He famously said in the 1873 election: "Elect me and I will keep you out of Confederation." Ironically, that was the same year we became the seventh province!

Later residents of the home included Mullins, Peters, and Farrar. The current owners have made some physical changes to the facade of the house, including moving the entrance door to the centre of the facade and adding two windows in order to create a symmetrical appearance.

The house retains several original features including the panelled entrance door, the hood mouldings on the square sash windows, and the interesting round arch dormer windows in the gable roof of the facade.

As one of the oldest dwellings in the Village of Victoria, the house is an integral part of the Nelson Street streetscape.

Source: Culture and Heritage Division, PEI Department of Communities, Cultural Affairs and Labour, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N8
File #: 4310-20/L4

Character-Defining Elements

The following character-defining elements illustrate the heritage value of Latham House:

- The rectangular configuration of the house
- The wood frame and wood shingle cladding
- The gable roof
- The brick chimney
- The paired dormer windows on either side of the house
- The symmetrical facade with panelled entrance door and paired two over two sash windows on either side
- The paired bay windows at the back of the house
- The decorative hood moulding, especially around the round arch windows
- The location of the house on Nelson Street on landscaped grounds framed by trees