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STREET ADDRESS: 1 Sycamore Street

CITY/TOWN/VILLAGE: Yarmouth

MUNICIPALITY: Yarmouth

COUNTY: Yarmouth

YEAR BUILT: circa 1843

ARCHITECTURAL COMMENT:

1½ storey Vernacular style with a lower 1½ storey off-center ell at back. Medium pitched gable roof has symmetrically and discretely placed inset chimneys, a centered gable roofed front wall dormer flanked by cantilevered, hip roofed Scotch dormers, ell has an off center chimney. The symmetrical 5-bay facade has a center entrance with wide casings and sidelights, concrete steps and open stoop with wrought railings. Windows have double hung sashes and 6/6 glazing; south side of ell has a paired window. Wood construction, shingle clad, corner and verge-board trim.

HISTORICAL COMMENT:

Probably built around 1843 by Nathan and Robert D. Butler for Thomas V. B. Bingay. The Butlers sold the land to Bingay, who seems to have had the house built to sell, since he already had a fairly new residence nearby. Bingay was the founder of the legal firm of T.V.B. Bingay & Sons, who carried on business in Yarmouth for many years.

CONTEXTUAL COMMENT:

North east corner of Church and Sycamore Streets, set well back from road. Entrance portico removed; decorative brackets removed from under cantilevered dormers; one chimney removed; crown removed from wall dormer window; entire house raised two feet in 1911. Landmark site: Yarmouth first general hospital.

PRESENT OWNER: Richard Pothier/Rosemary Guyette

ADDRESS: 1 Sycamore Street, Yarmouth, N.S., B5A 1N9

ORIGINAL OWNER: Thomas Van Buskirk Bingay

OCCUPATION: Barrister/Broker

BUILDER: Probably Robert D. & Nathan Butler

ORIGINAL USE: Single family dwelling

PRESENT USE: Single family dwelling

HISTORY OF BUILDING
OWNER                FROM: TO: OCCUPATION BOOK  PG
Thomas V. B. Bingay Jan. 2,
1843
June 5, 1852 Barrister/Broker Y 229
Charles Bridgman Owen June 5, 1852 Oct. 21, 1878 Barrister/Notary AD 177
Laura C. Owen Greggs L. Farish Oct. 21, 1878 Sept. 6, 1879 Admrs. - Estate of C.B Owen Estate #3963
John W. H. Rowley Sept. 6, 1879 May 1, 1882 Agent - Dom. Savings Bank BF 689
Joseph R. Rogers May 1, 1882 Aug. 16, 1888 Merchant BP 314
Thomas B. Flint Aug. 16, 1888 Aug. 27, 1889 Solicitor/Trustee BQ 151
The Bank of Yarmouth Aug. 27, 1889 Oct. 27, 1892 ----------------- BS 433
Jacob Bingay Oct. 27, 1892 Mar. 23, 1911 Shipowner BW 206
Yarmouth Hospital Society Mar. 23, 1911 Aug. 8, 1917 ----------------- CZ 398
Nettie Shapiro Elizabeth Smofsky Aug. 8, 1917 Oct. 10, 1918 Married Woman DI 479
Elizabeth Smofsky Oct. 10, 1918 July 4, 1922 Married Woman DL 227
Sheila Smofsky July 4, 1922 June 7, 1927 Married Woman DW 497
Elizabeth H. Allen June 7, 1927 Oct 1, 1930 Married Woman DX 530
Willard F. Allen Oct. 1, 1930 May 12, 1991 Purser EB 480
Central Guaranty Trust Co. May 12, 1991 Dec. 2, 1991 Execs. / Trustees of W. F. Allen Estate #A1319
Evelyne Edith Hamm Dec. 2, 1991 July 5, 1995 Retired Housekeeper 493 604
R.A. Pother/R. L. Guyette July 5, 1995 Present Nurse/Journalist 533 452

COMMENTS ON HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS:

On October 24, 1907, Mayor Samuel C. Hood called a meeting of Yarmouth doctors to discuss the ways and means of providing a hospital for the Town of Yarmouth. At this meeting it was agreed that an organized committee of ladies be formed to collect funds and that it would be called the "Yarmouth Hospital Society." By July 22, 1908, the Act of Incorporation, Constitution and By-laws were duly approved and enacted, and the search for a suitable site and fund rasing efforts were well under way. By October of 1910, it seemed impossible to raise enough money to build a new hospital. Jacob Bingay had offered this house as a site, and after much deliberation, it was decided to accept his offer. The property was deeded to the Yarmouth Hospital Society in March 1911, and necessary repairs and renovations commenced. The building was raised two feet, painted inside and out, wired, plumbed, steam heated, and hardwood floors installed, and other needed changes made. Miss Mary A. Watson was retained as Superintendent and the 8 bed hospital officially opened on March 15, 1912. Due to its limited space, the faculty was only able to serve as a hospital for four years and when a new hospital was built in 1916, this building was converted back to a private residence.

SOURCES: Registry of Deeds/Probate; Yarmouth Town Directories, 1890, 1895, 1949; Yarmouth Reminiscences, Lawson (1902); N.S. Directories, 1868-69, 1871, 1907-08; Yarmouth Tribune, 23 Oct. 1878; Minutes, Yarmouth Medical Society, 1907-13; History of Yarmouth School of Nursing; Yarmouth Times, Mar. 12, 1912, Feb. 28, 1913.