Description of Historic Place

The MacIsaac House is a Four Square style home located in the Garden Lots area of Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia. It rests on a small knoll at the edge of Hospital Road, making it particularly visible to passers-by. The Municipal Heritage Designation applies to the building and the building footprint.

Heritage Value

The MacIsaac House is valued for its age; historical associations; as a good example of the Four Square style; and use as a commercial property.

The MacIsaac House was built in 1899 by James W. Smith, a local builder, for John (King) Knickle. Since its construction the home has been owned by four successive generations descended from Knickle including Evelyn (Joyce) and Alexander Daniel MacIsaac, the youngest daughter of John Knickle and her spouse whose namesake has remained with the home. The house has remained relatively unchanged and is a good example of the Four Square style of architecture, which is somewhat unique in the area.

The house is also valued for its association with the Prohibition Era. Oral tradition maintains the house was used as a "safe house," where rum runners stored alcohol. The discovery of rum bottles in the basement of the MacIsaac House supports the oral tradition, and provides a tangible link to Nova Scotia's rum running history.

In 1946 an ell was added to the home to accommodate a small store. The store, like many other stores in the period, served as a meeting place within the community and it quickly became a landmark within the community

Source: Municipality of the District of Lunenburg Heritage Property Book 1 Site 5.

Character-Defining Elements

Character-defining elements of the MacIsaac House relate to its Four Square style architecture and include:

- steeply pitched hip roof;
- balloon frame;
- prominent cornice and plain frieze;
- wide corner boards;
- wooden clapboarding;
- vertical sliding sash windows with simple decorative caps.

Other character-defining elements of the MacIsaac House include:

- side ell;
- quarry stone foundation.