Description of Historic Place

88 Church Street is a two-storey Queen Anne Revival residential building located on the west side of the street. Originally a smaller residence built circa 1873, it was pushed back on the current lot, remodelled and expanded towards the front in 1904.

Heritage Value

The building located at 88 Church Street was designated a Local Historic Place for its architecture and for its association with its current and former owners.

88 Church Street is recognized as a good example of Queen Anne Revival residential architecture from the turn of the 20th century in Moncton. The original portion of the building consists of a small vernacular residence that was occupied by O. K. Rogers and his wife, Elizabeth from circa 1873 to 1904. Once purchased by B. E. Smith, the residence was pushed back on the lot and it was remodelled into a good example of Queen Anne Revival residential architecture. The modifications included the veranda, the bays on the front façade and the hipped roof with dormer. Many of the larger Queen Anne Revival details from the 1904 remodelling are still apparent. Many interior details from this same period have also been preserved.

The residence located at 88 Church Street is also recognized for its association with B. E. Smith. Bertram Eugene Smith was a prominent businessman in Moncton during the first quarter of the 20th century. At the time of his death in 1924, he had built one of the finest furniture businesses in the province. The building at 88 Church Street had been his family home since 1904, and his wife, Alice, continued to occupy it until 1960, when it was sold to Jean Frenette.

In 1939, the Frenette family established Frenette Funeral Home as an independent funeral home. Jean Frenette purchased the residence at 88 Church Street in 1960 and immediately converted it into a funeral home. It is still located at the address and is the second oldest funeral home in the region.

Source: Moncton Museum, 20 Mountain Road, Moncton, New Brunswick, Historic Places File “88 Church Street”

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe the residential building located at 88 Church Street include:
- asymmetrical two-storey massing, including the original circa 1873 structure at the rear of the building;
- asymmetrical front façade;
- open wrap-around veranda with paired fluted square pillars, a solid balustrade and a wide pediment;
- wide square bay on the left side of the front façade topped with a pediment containing a triple window;
- semi-octagonal two-storey bay on the right side of the front façade;
- central tripartite basket-handle stained glass window on the second storey of the front façade;
- rectangular windows with transoms containing stained glass and geometric tracery;
- hipped roof with central hipped dormer.

The character-defining elements relating to the interior of the building include:
- original woodwork throughout;
- sliding pocket doors;
- wainscoting;
- original staircase with square newel post, balustrade and round opening to the second floor;
- window and door entablatures;
- label arches;
- built-in cabinets;
- brick fireplace.