Description of Historic Place

Samuel Greenwood House is the last remaining two-and-a-half storey, wood frame structure on this block in this style. It resembles the typical style of house at the time of its construction with pitched roof, side hall plan entrance with transom and small window panes. The house is located on the western corner of King and Queen Streets in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The heritage designation applies to the building and its surrounding land.

Heritage Value

Samuel Greenwood House is valued for its age and historical association with its occupants who were significant in the history of Dartmouth and Nova Scotia. The house was built on King Street at the turn of the nineteenth century, making it one of the oldest houses in Dartmouth. The house is named for Samuel Greenwood who was the original land owner of the block. Greenwood was a mast maker, Halifax businessman, of Loyalist descent, and a 'crier' in the Supreme Court.

In 1819 Greenwood sold the house to Lewis and Temple Piers who were owners of a rope-works company. Lewis Piers was also the first director of the Shubenacadie Canal Company and a manager of the Halifax Sugar Refinery. The brothers rented out the house until they sold it in 1838 to carpenter Charles Allen.

Other notable owners were Dr. Thomas DesBrisay who owned the House from 1856 until 1895. His son, Mather, was a lawyer, judge, Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Lunenburg County and Speaker of the Assembly. Mather was also a historian who wrote extensively on the history of Lunenburg and for whom the DesBrisay Museum was named. He owned the house from 1895 to 1907.

Architecturally, Samuel Greenwood House is valued for its Classical Revival style. Common elements to the houses built in this style is the side hall plan façade design and stone foundation. Typical of these houses are the steeply pitched gable roofs, transom doorways and many small window panes. The entrance incorporates many other architectural references such as the fluted pilasters with Ionic capitals, and an open pedimented entablature with dentil work. It is a large house and combined with its style, make is somewhat unique in Dartmouth’s downtown.

Source: HRM Heritage Property File: 63 King Street, Samuel Greenwood 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 Samuel Greenwood House relate to its Classical Revival style and include:

- a two-and-a-half storey wood frame construction;
- sidelights;
- fluted pilasters with Ionic capitals;
- pedimented entablature with dentil work.
- steeply pitched gable roof;
- massive central chimney;
- side hall plan front entrance;
- small scale window panes;
- transom.