Description of Historic Place

The George Stephen House is a large, stone Victorian mansion occupying the majority of its urban lot in downtown Montreal. It is presently operated as the Mount Stephen Club. The official recognition refers to the house on its legal lot.

Heritage Value

The George Stephen House was designated because it the best example of a Renaissance Revival house in Canada and because it was the home of George Stephen, president of the Bank of Montreal and of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the late nineteenth century.

The Renaissance Revival style design, opulent materials, and fine craftsmanship of this grand residential building reflect the economic and social position of George Stephen, a prominent businessman in late nineteenth century Canada.

Source: Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, Minutes, June 1997.

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements of the heritage value of this site include:
- the rectangular massing of the two storey, flat-roofed main block with its single storey dependency;
- the Classically inspired three-bay facade with central portico;
- the robust treatment of the masonry facing with channelling on basement and first floor, smooth ashlar above, corner quoins;
- the Renaissance inspired decorative treatment of the main elevations, including window surrounds, columned portico, dentilled entablature and stone balustrades
- domestic nature of interior plan;
- opulent interior finishes of major public rooms, particularly the fine woodwork, carved stone fireplace mantels, Aesthetic-style decor of the main living room and mahogany staircase and elaborate stained glass windows;
- the urban nature of its close relationship to the street, with demarcation of private grounds by an elaborate wrought iron fence and access to main entry above high basement via a formal split staircase.