Description of Historic Place

Elledge McElmon House is a two storey wood frame structure in the Four Square style. It is located on King Street in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The building conveys a reminder of its original residential use and supplies a nice contrast to a largely commercial area of town. The heritage designation applies to the building and the land it occupies.

Heritage Value

Elledge McElmon House is valued for its Four Square style. The house is named for its original occupant Elledge McElmon. He was a miller who lived in this house from 1904 to 1967. The Four Square style is seen in the steeply pitched hip roof with prominent cornice and large columned veranda. The building is an adaptation of the Four Square design with a central doorway and three bay façade. A typical Four Square style house has one very large off-center doorway and a symmetrical two bay facade. The middle bay is projecting with pediments. It is one of a few historical residential buildings left in the commercial centre of downtown Dartmouth. Presently it is open to the public as a military museum, operated by the Canadian Legion.

Source: Heritage Property File: 52 King Street, Elledge McElmon 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 Elledge McElmon House relate to its Four Square style and include:

- steeply pitched hip roof;
- dormers on side and rear;
- prominent cornice;
- two storey wood frame construction;
- three bay façade;
- projecting center bay;
- large columned veranda;
- veranda pediment decoration similar to Queen Anne style;
- spindle railing on veranda.