Description of Historic Place

Located within the Old Town Heritage Conservation District in Lunenburg, NS, this two storey wooden home with Second Empire features is situated on top of a hill on York Street, between Hopson and Kempt Streets. Designation applies to both the building and surrounding property.

Heritage Value

The Robert Herman House is considered to have heritage value due to its age and as an example of Lunenburg's nineteenth century architecture. This property was first home to mariner Robert Herman, who built this house in 1893. Like many Lunenburg Old Town homes, it stayed in the original family well into the twentieth century. With an full mansard roof and prominent central dormer, the Robert Herman House is a good example of Lunenburg architecture of its era, incorporating Lunenburg Vernacular and Second Empire styles.

Source: Town of Lunenburg, Heritage Designation File 66400-40-50.

Character-Defining Elements

Character-defining elements of the Robert Herman House include:

- all elements of the Second Empire Style,including: a full bellcast mansard roof, with peaked dormers on each façade but the front, extending along the main house and rear ell; applied scrollwork above each window on the lintels; a semi-circular transom window above the door;
- all elements of the Lunenburg Vernacular style including:
a central partially pedimented gable-roofed dormer with a front bay window on the second storey; two projecting bays in the front of the house, containing the main door and a bay window; clapboard exterior, trimmed with double-bracketed cornerboards, a fretsaw frieze under the bracketed eaves.