Description of Historic Place

92-94 Hillsborough Street was originally constructed of logs. Its original appearance has been changed due to extensive renovations. Today, it features a gable roof, sloping shed roof, Georgian inspired windows and doors, and paired brick chimneys. The house is located in an area with a large concentration of heritage homes of varying ages. The designation encompasses the building's exterior and parcel; it does not include the building's interior.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of 92-94 Hillsborough Street lies in its log construction, its association with the Smith family and its role in supporting the streetscape.

It is difficult to determine when 92-94 Hillsborough Street was constructed, but it is likely that the home was built after 1836 when builder, Isaac Smith, purchased a large property that stretched 160 feet on Hillsborough Street and 68 feet on Hillsborough Square for only 36 Pounds. The low price indicates that there was probably no building then on the property. A memorandum of agreement dated 4 May 1844, between Isaac Smith and his son William, states that the senior Smith was selling the upper part of the property for 60 Pounds "all of which has been paid in services rendered". The agreement indicated that William Smith was already living on the property and that a log home existed there. It is believed that William Smith later lived in a home next to 92-94 Hillsborough, which was built after the 1844 agreement. He lived there until he moved to Richmond Street around 1869.

The Smith family was associated with the construction of a number of buildings in the Province. According to the Hutchinson's Prince Edward Island Directory of 1864,William Smith was a carpenter by trade. His father, Isaac Smith and uncle, Henry Smith were contractors for two of Charlottetown's most recognizable landmarks. Their firm built Province House, where the Fathers of Confederation met to discuss Canadian confederation in 1864 and the Province's Legislature sits to this day. Another one of their projects was Government House, also known as Fanningbank, the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island. Isaac Smith was also associated with the Point Prim lighthouse and may have had influence in the design of the Clifton United Church.

Although 92-94 Hillsborough Street was originally constructed of logs, the appearance has changed throughout its history. As one of the oldest homes in the area and surrounded by a number of heritage houses of varying ages, 92-94 Hillsborough Street helps support the streetscape.

Sources: Heritage Office, City of Charlottetown Planning Department, PO Box 98, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7K2
#1643

Character-Defining Elements

The following character-defining elements contribute to the heritage value of 92-94 Hillsborough Street:

- The overall massing of the two storey building
- The gable roof and shed roof
- The wood shingled exterior
- The decorative Georgian inspired mouldings painted in a contrasting colour, including the window and door surrounds, the shutters of the facade, the architraves and the pediment above the main door
- The size and placement of the Georgian inspired windows, particularly the two large windows of the main floor facade, the four smaller sash windows of the second floor, the two small windows of the south side of the building and the lunette of the north side
- The window shutters
- The size and placement of the doors, particularly the main door with pediment above and the door of the north facade with its sidelights
- The size and placement of the paired brick chimneys

Other character-defining elements include:

- The location of the building on Hillsborough Street and its physical and visual relationship to its streetscape