Description of Historic Place

188-192 King Street is a wood framed, two and one half storey Second Empire influenced apartment building. It features a truncated mansard roof with a pair of round arch dormer windows in the facade. It is located among a number of heritage homes on King Street in a part of Charlottetown that was settled quite early. The designation encompasses the building's exterior and parcel; it does not include the building's interior.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of 188-192 King Street lies in its Second Empire influenced architecture; its association with various former residents of the City; and its role in supporting the streetscape.

Master mariner, John Gillis constructed 188-192 King Street in 1873. He chose the Second Empire style for his new building. The style is identified through its Mansard roof, which was named after François Mansart (1598-1666), and popularized by his son, Jules Hardoin Mansart, an architect who worked for Louis XIV around 1700. The Mansard roof is almost flat on the top section and has deeply sloping, often curved, lower sections that generally contain dormers. The Second Empire referred to in the style is that of Napoleon III (1852-1870). The style reached Canada through Britain and the United States and was used extensively throughout Charlottetown from approximately 1860 until 1880.

According to local directories, Gillis was still living in part of the double tenement building in 1914 and Rob Patterson, engineer of the S.S. Coban, lived on the other side of the building. The S.S. Coban was a steamship in the Black Diamond Line. According to McAlpine's 1898 Gazetter, it would travel between Montreal and St. John's, Newfoundland via Charlottetown, PEI and Sydney, Cape Breton every 12 days.

By 1929-1930, the 190 King Street side of the building was occupied by Charles and Carrie Larter, while Forden and Effie Young lived in the 192 King Street section. By 1935, Miss Margaret Young lived in the 192 King Street section of the building, however there was no indication of who was residing in the 190 King Street section.

Located in an area with a number of heritage homes, 188-192 King Street helps support the King Street streetscape.

Sources: Heritage Office, City of Charlottetown Planning Department, PO Box 98, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7K2
#1335

Character-Defining Elements

The following Second Empire style character-defining elements contribute to the heritage value of 188-192 King Street:

- The overall rectangular two and one half storey massing of the building
- The wood frame construction of the building
- The mouldings painted in a contrasting colour
- The size and placement of the windows, particularly the two over two sash windows of the facade and the round arch roof dormer windows
- The size and central placement of the two front doors with decorative transom lights above
- The truncated mansard roof
- The size, shape and placement of the chimney

Other character-defining elements include:

- The location of the home on King Street