Description of Historic Place

The Frederick Knodell Residence is a wooden two-storey Craftsman Style building with a slightly off-centre entrance and a large roof-line cornice. It is located on Orange Street within the Orange Street Heritage Preservation Area of Saint John.

Heritage Value

The Frederick Knodell Residence is designated a Local Historic Place for its location, for its architecture and for its association with its former occupants.

The Frederick Knodell Residence is recognized as part of the block that survived the Great Saint John Fire in 1877 which destroyed two-thirds of the city. The eastern end of Orange Street was occupied mostly by merchants and tradesmen. Built in 1924, this building, which is an excellent example of Craftsman residential architecture from the turn of the 20th century in Saint John, marks the fourth of five double homes running west to east in succession that were constructed in the mid-1920’s on Orange Street. In the 1920's, Saint John was going through a small building boom. Unfortunately, this prosperity was short lived as the stock market crash of 1929 led to the Great Depression.

The Frederick Knodell Residence is also recognized through its association with Frederick J. Knodell. He was the son of George Knodell, book and job printer. After his father's death, Fred joined with William J. Currie, and Knodell and Currie printers were formed. They operated their firm in the Knodell building on Church Street. He moved into this residence when it was built. He remained here until he moved to Brookville, New Brunswick, in the early 1940's.

Source: Planning and Development Department - City of Saint John

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe the Frederick Knodell Residence include:
- similar set-back with neighbouring buildings;
- square two-storey massing;
- clapboard siding;
- large roof-line cornice with modillions;
- rectangular vertical sliding wood windows;
- triple Arts and Craft style windows;
- bracketed entablatures over windows;
- slightly off-centre entrance featuring double wooden doors with glass upper panels, a bracketed entablature and a transom window.