Description of Historic Place

John Meahan House is a 2-storey residential property built in the Second Empire style during the 19th century on King Avenue in Bathurst.

Heritage Value

John Meahan House is designated a Local Historic Place for its association with former occupants and for its architecture.

The residence was constructed for John Meahan (1806-1897), a prosperous businessman who originally came from Ireland, settled in Bathurst in 1833. In 1855, he founded an important shipyard. A Member of New Brunswick’s Legislative Assembly from 1861 to 1870, he was an ardent opponent of the province’s entry into Canadian Confederation.

In circa 1925, the original site of the John Meahan House was chosen as the site for building a school. J.E. and D.P. Connolly, local contractors since about 1900, purchased the property and moved it to a neighbouring piece of land, making it the residence of J.E. Connolly's family. The Connolly Company in Bathurst owned a granite quarry that supplied granite for several of the city’s public buildings. The Connolly Company is also known for having built wharves, water systems, and several public buildings, including the Sacred Heart School, the Bathurst High School, and the Bathurst municipal court building.

John Meahan House is also recognized for being a good example of residential Second Empire architecture from the mid-19th century in Bathurst. It exhibits architectural features of this style such as the mansard roof, bay windows, cornice brackets, and veranda on the main façade.

Source: Bathurst Heritage Trust Commission Inc.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe John Meahan House include:
- 2-storey square massing;
- mansard roof;
- segmental windows projecting from the steep slope of the mansard roof;
- high bay windows;
- veranda on the main façade;
- cornice brackets and ornamental casings of the upper windows;
- clapboard siding.