Description of Historic Place

The Carvell House is a two-storey Queen Anne Revival residence with two bays and a hipped roof. It is located on Water St. within the Historic Water Street District of the City of Miramichi.

Heritage Value

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

Built circa 1896, the Carvell House is a good example of Queen Anne Revival residential architecture. This two-storey residence exhibits key elements of this style such as a hipped roof, a full-width open veranda and an asymmetrical footprint created by two two-storey bays.

The Carvell House is also recognized for its association with its former owners, the Miller family. The Millers arrived at Miramichi in 1869 seeking their hemlock stands. The family had a patented process which extracted tannins from hemlock bark that were then utilized in leather tanning. The family business later included foundry works on Chatham's waterfront. This home served as residence to the Millers whose place of business stood a short distance away.

The Carvell House later became the residence of Kingston Carvell, Chatham's lone police officer. It was also Frank McKenna’s home when he began a law practice in the Miramichi. He later went on to become premier of New Brunswick as well as Canada's ambassador to the United States.

Source: City of Miramichi Heritage Office – Beaverbrook House – Historic Places File # 06-67

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe the Queen Anne Revival architecture of the Carvell House include:
- asymmetrical two-storey massing;
- clapboard siding ;
- front and side two-storey bays;
- tall chimney;
- hipped roof;
- ornate open full front veranda extending to side bay.