Description of Historic Place

Captain John Purdy House is a white, 1 1/2-storey vernacular Classic Revival, clapboard cottage. It is located at Captain’s Corner in Sackville.

Heritage Value

Captain John Purdy House is designated a Local Historic Place for its architecture, its location and for its association with its first owner.

Captain John Purdy House is recognized for its architecture. Built in 1877, it is a good example of vernacular Classical Revival cottage architecture from this period in Sackville. This style is evident in such details as the 1 1/2-storey rectangular massing, the clapboard siding, the paired bay windows and the steeply pitched gable roof.

Captain John Purdy House is also recognized for its location. This historic area of Sackville, at the intersection of Queens Road and Main Street, often called Captain’s Corner, was the location of homes for many of the sea captains who sailed from the Port of Sackville. When the land was purchased by Captain John Purdy in 1876, it was part of the large holdings of major Sackville ship builder Christopher Boultenhouse, whose own home was located across the street. The current street, Queens Road, had been a laneway until the early 1840s. At one time, it was named for the shipbuilder Boultenhouse. When it was extended, the new road provided a passage from the old Post Road to Dixon’s Landing where the government wharf was located.

Captain John Purdy House is also recognized for its association with its first owner. Captain John Purdy, master seamen, sailed from the Port of Sackville to ports all over the world carrying cargoes of wood, agricultural products and building stone. He would captain "Sir John", an 85 ton steamer, until it was lost to fire in the harbour at Saint John in December 1886. In June of 1887, Captain John Purdy left for California and later moved to Westminster, British Columbia. He would go on to master significant ships on the Pacific Coast of North America.

Source: Town of Sackville, Historic Places File Cabinet, “Captain John Purdy House” File

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe Captain John Purdy House include:
- context on Captain's Corner;
- 1 1/2-storey rectangular massing;
- steep roof;
- shed dormer;
- clapboard siding;
- two handsome bay windows on front façade of the house;
- two story sun porch addition and veranda on the side of the house;
- main entry door with entry way with fanlight transom and sidelights at the front façade;
- rear kitchen addition, added at a very early period, providing shelter for the rear door.