33 Vancouver Street

STREET ADDRESS: 33 Vancouver Street

CITY/TOWN/VILLAGE: Yarmouth

MUNICIPALITY: Yarmouth

COUNTY: Yarmouth

YEAR BUILT: 1897-1898

ARCHITECTURAL COMMENT:

Queen Anne Revival. This house is unique in style and craftsmanship as it features many beautiful architectural styles. The foundation of the house is of rock faced sandstone, which is also featured in the gateposts at the entrances to the property. Most of the windows on the ground floor have stained glass transoms over them and the upper portions of all the windows have diamond patterns instead of the usual square panes. In the medium cross gabled hip roof, eyebrow windows are seen with the same diamond pattern and small moulded lintels and lug sills are most windows of the house. A rounded corner bay window with conical tower on the front corner enhances the Queen Anne Style. On the eastern side of the house are two types of hanging oriel bay windows with more stained glass transoms, windows and fluted bottoms of copper. It is a two storey house, 3 bay facade with cross gabled roof. The architectural design of the house, both inside and out were done by Mr. Frank Allen of Grand rapids, Michigan, U.S.A. The exterior finish of the house is narrow clapboard still in perfect condition. A narrow moulded frieze adds to the beauty. The roof which is now shingled with fireproof shingles, was at one time shingled with squared slate. Open verandas of sandstone with plain columns holding the roof are on the front and side of the house. Imprinted in the sandstone steps on the front is "Hillside-1897-". A barn matching the house still maintained with cross hip gables, haymow doors and same fancy glass windows. Inside the house has beautiful wood casings and baseboards of British Pine and American Oak. The banister posts being of red pepper wood. The two entrance doors are of one pane heavy beveled glass with moulded trim. A complete architectural plan of this house has been placed in the Nova Scotia Archives.

HISTORICAL COMMENT:

William Leslie Lovitt was the son of William Dodge Lovitt and grandson of Andrew Lovitt, leading ship owners and brokers when Yarmouth was leader in shipping around the world. W.L. Lovitt's mother was Catherine Bourneff daughter of Francois Bourneff, educator and shipbuilder of Clare, Digby Co. Mr. Lovitt never went to sea but invested heavily in shipping and companies in Yarmouth area. Money which he acquired from his families and estates made Mr. Lovitt one of the wealthiest men in Nova Scotia at that time. He was major owner of seven ships and had interests in the Yarmouth Marine Railway and Yarmouth Street Railway.

CONTEXTUAL COMMENT:

This house has been maintained almost in its original state. The beautiful hedges are extinct and the interior has been altered very little. The slate roof has been replaced by fireproof shingles. Is situated in an environment of both old and new homes on a beautiful residential street.

PRESENT OWNER: Sheila Rodney Miller

ADDRESS: RR3 Box 9077A, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, B5A 4A7

ORIGINAL OWNER: William L. Lovitt

OCCUPATION: Ship Broker

BUILDER: Shipwrights who worked building the Lovitt ships

ORIGINAL USE: Home

PRESENT USE: Home

COMMENTS ON HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS:

Andrew Lovitts' widow Mrs. Abbie (Pinkney) Lovitt resided here until her death in 1909. On W. L. Lovitts' death his widow married Henry Lovitt Cann son of Capt. Adolpus Cann and both resided here until their decease. Later it was used as a Nurse's Home. Dr. William I. Morse of Paradise N.S., a prominent specialist in isotopes resided here with his family for several years and returned the property to be a home. It is now owned by Mr. John Miller who has done extensive repairs and retained its beauty. The original house that was built on this site (before the above mentioned house) still stands at the corner of the Chegoggin and Milton Highlands Road where it was removed to.

SOURCES: Page 572, Yarmouth Reminiscences by J. Murray Lawson (1902); inset date on front entrance steps; Architect :Frank H. Allen of Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.A. (From detailed plans found in attic)