Description of Historic Place

Caswell House is a mid-19th century two-storey Second Empire dwelling located on Milltown Boulevard in St. Stephen.

Heritage Value

Caswell House is designated a Local Historic Place for its architecture and for its association with the original occupants.

Caswell House is recognized for its architecture. This two-storey dwelling is a good example of vernacular Second Empire residential architecture. Among the traditional details of this style exhibited by this residence is the mansard roof. It was built in 1840 for Thomas Jefferson Caswell.

Caswell House is also recognized for its association with it original occupants. Thomas Jefferson Caswell and his wife Sarah Livermore came to Milltown in 1830 from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Caswell was an outstanding local cabinetmaker. His furniture plant was located on the banks of the St. Croix River. He was a contemporary of notable St. Stephen cabinet maker John Warren Moore. His work was applied with carved medallions and stamped “TJC” in cartouche with a metal stamp. The descendants of Thomas J. Caswell occupied the house until the late 1970’s.

Source: St. Stephen Town Hall-Historic Places file, "Caswell House"

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe the Second Empire architecture of the Caswell House include:
- rectangular 2-storey massing;
- overall symmetry of the main façade;
- mansard roof;
- heavy brackets supporting porch roof;
- lintels;
- dentils;
- cornice.