Description of Historic Place

Built in 1901, the J. Fraser Gregory Residence is a wooden two-and-a-half storey, front-gabled Queen Anne Revival residence with an off-centre entrance encompassed by an ornate portico. It is located on Douglas Avenue within the Douglas Avenue Preservation Area of Saint John.

Heritage Value

The J. Fraser Gregory Residence is designated a Local Historic Place for its architecture, for its location and for its association with its former occupants.

J. Fraser Gregory Residence is recognized as a part of the Douglas Avenue Preservation Area. Douglas Avenue Preservation Area was recognized as a protected historic streetscape because of its fine mixture of working class tenements along with more substantial homes of the middle and wealthy classes, many of which have long-standing family connections spanning multiple generations as a result of its community atmosphere. Douglas Avenue was built in the mid 1850's to connect Main Street with the newly constructed suspension bridge at Reversing Falls. This area was formerly a part of the City of Portland before that city amalgamated with Saint John in 1889. The J. Fraser Gregory Residence is a good example of Queen Anne Revival residential architecture within this district.

The J. Fraser Gregory is also recognized for its association with J. Fraser Gregory. Mr. Fraser was born at Fredericton in 1861. In 1881, he became associated with the firm of Murray and Barnhill. In 1899, he was admitted to a partnership with Mr. W. H. Murray and the firm was named Murray and Gregory Ltd. Murray and Gregory were manufacturers and shippers of lumber and lumber products. Murray retired in 1904 and Gregory became president of the firm in 1906. As successful as he was in business circles, his philanthropic contributions were very significant in the City of Saint John and Province of New Brunswick. In 1927, he was elected president of the New Brunswick Division of the Navy League and he did much in the reorganization of this provincial division. It was through his interest that the Sea Cadets were organized in Saint John in 1927. He gave his own personal supervision, being present at all the drill meetings. In 1928, he passed away at the age of 67 years.

Source: Planning and Development Department - City of Saint John

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe the J. Fraser Gregory Residence include:
- asymmetrical two-and-a-half storey massing;
- gable roof with eave brackets;
- scalloped shingling and dentils in the front gable;
- insignia in the gable peak;
- paired windows with entablature in the gable;
- bracketed eave returns at the base of the gable;
- clapboard siding;
- single, double and tripartite windows;
- flared spandrel panel between first and second storeys;
- entablatures with dentils over lower paired windows in the ell of the building;
- pediment with dentils over upper paired windows in the ell of the building;
- ornate portico supported by Doric columns and topped by a balustrade;
- dentils under the portico entablature;
- pair of wood-paneled doors with ornate upper glass panels;
- bow window with bracketed cornice, tall Roman arch opening topped by an entablature, dentils and a unique panel design in the spandrel.