Description of Historic Place

24-36 Longworth Avenue is a wood framed apartment building located on the corner of Longworth Avenue and Cumberland Street. Originally, a residence, the home was built on to and became the first general hospital in Prince Edward Island. The designation encompasses the building's exterior and parcel; it does not include the building's interior.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of 24-36 Longworth Avenue lies in its association with the history of healthcare in the Province of Prince Edward Island and its role in supporting the Longworth Avenue and Cumberland Street streetscapes.

The land on which 24-36 Longworth Avenue stands was originally part of politician, businessman and farmer, Francis Longworth's Esker estate. Local plasterer, John Egan had purchased plot #1 just west of the corner and built a home on the site in 1856. After Egan died, the home was rented to Alexander Inglis, the Head of the National School. By 1870, Henry Jones Cundall had purchased the property and rented it to prominent merchant, Henry Haszard. In 1885, Cundall sold the property, which was to be used as the new Prince Edward Island Hospital. Another plot of land to the east, on the corner of present day Longworth Avenue and Cumberland Street, was purchased and it was likely at this point when the large addition was added to the building.

When it opened in 1885, the 12 bed Prince Edward Island Hospital was the Island's first general hospital not affiliated with a religious body. The Charlottetown Hospital, which had opened five years earlier in 1879, was affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. By 1896, larger quarters for the hospital were required. A generous gift of 15 acres and a house from Reverend Ralph Brecken allowed the construction to proceed at the 37 Kensington Road site. Architect, C.B. Chappell was hired to design and tenders were called in June 1898. In March 1900, the new Prince Edward Island Hospital opened its doors.

After 24-36 Longworth Avenue was no longer required, a notice in the 2 April 1900 edition of the Daily Examiner, called for tenders to purchase the large property. It isn't clear when the building sold, however in 1916, a for sale notice appeared in the Guardian newspaper indicating that the building, which now contained three tenements, was being sold by a Mrs. E.G. Stewart. Newspaper notices reveal that the building would have a number of owners including Jonathan West, Albert Wise and H. Aitken. In 1946, a for sale notice indicated that the building included three apartments and a double tenement. 24-36 Longworth Avenue remains an apartment building to this day and helps to support the Longworth Avenue and Cumberland Street streetscapes.

Sources: Heritage Office, City of Charlottetown Planning Department, PO Box 98, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7K2
#1131

Character-Defining Elements

The following character-defining elements contribute to the heritage value of 24-36 Longworth Avenue:

- The overall massing of the building with its two and one half storeys
- The wooden cladding
- The contrasting mouldings, such as the cornice and the window and door surrounds
- The gable roof with Scottish dormers and shed dormers
- The size and placement of the sash windows and Scottish dormer windows
- The size and placement of the doors
- The size and placement of the chimney
- The location of the building on the corner of Longworth Avenue and Cumberland Street and its physical and visual relationship to its streetscape