Description of Historic Place

The property at 16 Cameron Road, Sherbrooke, Nova Scotia, is a wood construction, two-storey home set back on a rise from the road. A sweeping driveway leads directly to the front of the house set back on a wide lawn. Both the building and property are included in the provincial heritage designation.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of this property lies in both its pleasing architectural features and its association with the Cameron family.

Alexander Fisher Cameron was a prominent politician in the Eastern Shore area, rising from a position as a municipal councillor and warden to become the Liberal-Conservative member for the area in the provincial legislature from 1890 to 1894. His son Whitcomb was the municipal clerk and treasurer from 1940 to 1957 and the Liberal MLA for Guysborough from 1956 to 1960. Grandson Alexander MacLean (Sandy) Cameron continued the tradition as MLA for Guysborough and eventually as leader of the Liberal party in Nova Scotia.

The house itself is of wood construction and clad in shingles. The setting of the house on a small hill with a long drive approaching it and views of Sherbrooke; the overall symmetry of the house; its solid massing and decorative detail makes it pleasingly attractive. It compromises many architectural styles of its period. The prominent dormer and delicate tracery on the porch echo Gothic Revival trends, while the symmetry of the building, the wide steps and front door with transom and sidelights show Greek Revival influences. Overall, the house is a testament to the prosperity of the Cameron family in late nineteenth-century eastern Nova Scotia.

Source: Municipality of the District of St. Mary's, "16 Cameron Road" heritage file

Character-Defining Elements

Character-defining elements of 16 Cameron Road include:

- all Gothic Revival elements, including the prominent dormer on the front of the house and the decorative bargeboard on the porch and dormer;
- all Greek Revival elements including the symmetrical window placement and front façade, the wide front steps and front door with transom and sidelights;
- the setting of the house on a hill away from Cameron Road with a long, curving driveway and views across the lawn to the St. Mary’s River and Town of Sherbrooke.