Description of Historic Place

The Abner F. Nash House is a two-and-a-half-storey, red brick, Queen Anne Revival style dwelling, with a colossal stone foundation and a round conical-roofed tower. Built circa 1890-95, it is located on Victoria Avenue in central Windsor and is illustrative of the grand houses built for prominent families on this once-fashionable street.

City of Windsor By-law 12086, 1995, recognizes the property for its heritage value.

Heritage Value

This house is an important component in the Victoria Avenue residential streetscape, which displays a variety of exceptionally fine heritage homes of distinctive and diverse designs.

The building is illustrative of the fine homes built along Victoria Avenue from 1890 until the stock market crash of 1929 for some of the city's most influential and prominent families. Developer James Dougall imposed stiff restrictions on buyers of the original lots to create a gracious residential street of fashionable houses.

The building is named for its first owner, Abner F. Nash, who worked in the gas industry and was active in municipal politics, serving on the first City of Windsor Council in 1892. Restored in 1995 by Can-Am Urban Native Non-Profit Homes, it is now known as the Nash Kanosha house.

The Abner F. Nash House is a distinctive, castle-like example of Queen Anne Revival style architecture. Commodious and asymmetrical in design, with steeply pitched, irregular roofs and a tower, it is typical of the style. It sits on a colossal rugged stone foundation. An oblique bay ell on the northwest corner and a round conical-roofed tower ell on the southwest corner dominate the front façade. Other noteworthy features include the round arched windows with radiating brick voussoirs, curved entry porch, carved bargeboard on the gabled ends, and an ornamental terra cotta panel on the front façade.

Sources: City of Windsor By-law 12086, 1995; Building Analysis Form, 1993; and City of Windsor Heritage Planner's files.

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements that express the heritage value include its:
- two-and-a-half-storey, asymmetrical design
- steeply pitched, irregular roofs
- red brick construction with a high podium of rugged stone on the street front
- round, conical-roofed tower ell on the southwest corner
- oblique bay ell on the northwest corner
- ornamental terra cotta on the front façade
- carved bargeboard on gabled ends
- large, curved entry porch on the southwest side
- round-arched windows, 1/1 double hung including two stained and leaded glass windows on the front façade with radiating brick voussoirs
- original metal roof on the tower and porch
- setting along the Victoria Avenue corridor of central Windsor, an area marked by exceptionally fine heritage homes of diverse designs dating from 1890 to 1929
- proximity to other municipally designated residences, including 719, 742 and 803 Victoria Avenue, thereby contributing to a pleasing heritage streetscape