Description of Historic Place

The Gunter Residence is a two-storey picturesque Gothic Revival residence with extensive Craftsman style renovations. It is located on Mount Pleasant Avenue at the corner of Ravenscliffe Court, in a traditionally grand residential neighbourhood of Saint John.

Heritage Value

The Gunter Residence is designated a Local Historic Place for its historical associations with the Robert Reed Estate, Andrew G. Gunter, and John Saunders Climo. It also has architectural value as an example of a picturesque English Cottage style residence that underwent major renovations in the later Arts and Crafts/Craftsman style.

The Gunter Residence has heritage value through its association with the Robert Reed estate. Although the exact date of construction of this residence is unknown (circa 1880), it is located at the foot of the Robert Reed estate and was probably, along with its neighbours going up to 161 Mount Pleasant, one of the cottages built during his tenure of the land there in the second half of the 19th century. Robert Reed (b.1813- d.1893) was a wealthy ship owner during Saint John’s golden age of sail. He was an important citizen with a distinguished military career as well as varied business, charity, and cultural interests, including founding and assembling the collection for the Owens’ Institute of Art in Sackville, founded from a bequest from Amelia Reed’s stepfather, John Owens. In 1854, Reed and his wife Amelia built Reed’s Castle, called Belvedere by them, at the height of Mount Pleasant. Until it burned down in 1912, Reed’s Castle was one of Saint John’s most prominent landmarks.

The Gunter Residence was occupied by noted photographer John Saunders Climo (b.1833- d.1924) from 1909 until approximately 1920. He was the first of three generations to be involved with the firm of Climo’s Photography and many of his stereographs are still in existence at the McCord Museum and the New Brunswick Provincial Archives.

Andrew G. Gunter became the owner of the residence in 1920. He is best known as an excellent rifleman and he was inducted into the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame as a builder for his accomplishments in this sport. He was associated with the Manual Training School for his entire working career and acted as teacher and principal. He made significant changes to his residence, adding 8 feet to the cottage and raising it, as well as adding custom-milled interior woodwork. The battered, turned columns separating the new foyer from the living room, as well as the built-in furniture he crafted himself, are a testament to his skill in woodworking and have heritage value as a good example of the clean lines, handsome decorative details, and attention to quality materials crafted by hand typical of the arts and crafts movement. The appearance of the exterior changed significantly during his tenure, the picturesque Gothic elements such as the elaborate chimney and upper storey balcony being replaced by elements more fashionable in the early 20th century, such as an eyebrow dormer over a Neo-Classical portico entrance and the addition of a box bay window in front.

Source: Planning and Development Department – City of Saint John

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Gunter Residence include:
- location at the foot of the old Robert Reed estate;
- interior Arts and Crafts style custom-milled woodwork and built-in furniture made by Andrew Gunter;
- rectangular cross-gable plan;
- Gunter’s early modifications including eyebrow dormer, box bay window with small dentil cornice above, new window placement and proportions throughout building and new entrance.

The character-defining elements related to the Craftsman style entrance built after 1920 include:
- pebble dash coat foundation;
- leaded elliptical transom and sidelights;
- small cornice with dentils;
- placement and proportions of double windows on either side of the front façade.