Description of Historic Place

Story-Wilson House is a two-and-a-half storey wood shingled residential building. It is located on block of Morris Street between Church and Barrington Streets that is dominated by large apartment complexes in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Story-Wilson House is very compatible with the few remaining registered heritage buildings of the same period on the street. The heritage designation applies to the building and the surrounding land it occupies.

Heritage Value

Story-Wilson House is valued for its age and historical association with its occupants. The house was built circa 1834 by land owner Samuel Story. In 1863 it was purchased by Margaret Cunard, the widow of Edward Cunard who was the younger brother of the internationally famous Samuel Cunard, founder of the Cunard Steamship Line, and a master mariner on several of his brother’s ships. Margaret Cunard lived in the house with her daughter Emily and son George for many years. Early in the twentieth century the house was sold to the Rudderham family and remains in the Rudderham-Wilson family.

Architecturally, Story-Wilson House is valued as an excellent example of the Halifax House style, a term that has been locally accepted and applied to a house style that was common between 1820 and 1900 in Halifax and is a derivative of the Georgian style. The Story-Wilson House exhibits many of the traits of the Halifax House style including a symmetrical three bay façade with a side hall plan and is deep from front to back. The overall impression is one of stability seen in its square elevation. Other Halifax House style features are seen in the decorative double glazed door with entablature, columns with capitals, and transom light. As well the flush column details with capitals on the corners nicely contrast the simple windows with wood moulding.

Source: Heritage Property File: 5270 Morris Street, Story-Wilson House, found at HRM Planning and Development Services, Heritage Property Program, 6960 Mumford Road, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of Story-Wilson House relate to its Halifax House style and include:

- form and massing;
- three bay front façade with side hall plan;
- truncated gable roof;
- side chimney with seven pots;
- sill fascia on side elevation;
- two Scottish dormers in the front and rear;
- wood moulding on all windows;
- hooded windows on first storey façade;
- flush column detail with capitals on the corners of front façade;
- large cornice on front façade;
- double glazed door with entablature, columns with capitals, and transom light;
- wood shingle cladding.