Description of Historic Place

34 Mount Edward Road is a wood framed Craftsman Bungalow located on the corner of the Mount Edward Road and Harley Street. The property was once part of a large fox ranch operation owned by John R. Dinnis. The house features a dominant central gable with rustic bargeboards. Sandstone is used in the facade and as support columns for the low pitched gable roof. The designation encompasses the building's exterior and parcel; it does not include the building's interior.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of 34 Mount Edward Road lies in its Craftsman Bungalow style and in its association with fox rancher, J.R. Dinnis.

The Craftsman Bungalow at 34 Mount Edward Road was constructed in 1928, for fox rancher, John R. Dinnis of the successful company, John R. Dinnis Pedigreed Foxes Limited. After learning the fox farming business from industry pioneers such as Robert T. Oulton, Charles Dalton and Benjamin I. Raynor, Dinnis began farming in the Alberton area. He moved to Charlottetown in 1911, where he purchased approximately 160 acres of land on the Mount Edward Road. Here, he not only farmed the much-coveted silver fox, but a variety of animals including Russian sable, American marten, and the rare Karakule sheep. Unfortunately, Dinnis would only live for one year after his new Bungalow was constructed. Among items listed in his 1934 estate sale were a beautiful residence of eight rooms, finished in British Columbia fir with oak floors, tile bathroom, and hot water heating.

34 Mount Edward Road was influenced by the Craftsman Bungalow style of architecture. Popular from approximately 1915 until 1930, some typical features of the style include a one-and-one-half storey height, a low-pitched roof, wide eaves and a verandah with square columns. This house is one of few in Prince Edward Island to maintain its original features such as the decorative stick work and pointed rafters. Details such as these generally deteriorated in the Island climate.

The land on which 34 Mount Edward Road was built is located on a traditional route through the Charlottetown Royalty. The Mount Edward Road where it connects with the St. Peters Road was an early focus of development on Prince Edward Island. Well-known artist, Robert Harris, painted a view of the area in 1871. The painting features local estates Ravenwood and Ardgowan in a pastoral setting.

Originally, part of the Charlottetown Royalty and later the town of Parkdale, the area was incorporated into the boundaries of the City of Charlottetown, when the City amalgamated with its outlying areas in 1995. A well maintained home and a fine example of the Craftsman Bungalow style, it is an asset to the Mount Edward Road.

Sources: Heritage Office, City of Charlottetown Planning Department, PO Box 98, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7K2
#1160

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the house is shown in the following character-defining elements:

- the overall one-and-one-half storey massing of the building
- the low-pitched gable roof
- the wide eaves with brackets and rustic bargeboard
- the wood cladding with decorative rafters and stickwork, especially on the front gable
- the sandstone porch columns and foundation
- the style and placement of the windows
- the location of the open verandah and main entrance on the left side of the facade
- the location of the glazed sunroom on the right side of the facade
- the size shape and placement of the two brick chimneys
- the location of the home on a large treed lot