Description of Historic Place

The Rodgers Residence is a two-storey wood, vernacular Italianate building with two double-door entrances and tripart windows from the end of the 19th century. It is located on Germain Street within the Trinity Royal Preservation Area of the City of Saint John.

Heritage Value

The Rodgers Residence is designated a Local Historic Place for its architecture and for its association with Thomas and Joseph Rodgers.

Many of the buildings in the residential district of Germain Street were constructed in the latter part of the 19th century or early 20th century as all the older buildings were destroyed in the Great Saint John Fire of 1877. Long established as one of the wealthier areas in the City, Germain Street is known for its many fine residences and stately architecture. Built in 1887 for Thomas Rodgers, the Rodgers Residence is an example a vernacular interpretation of Italianate residential architecture from the rebuilding period in Saint John after the fire. Among its Italianate features are the symmetrical front façade, the tripart windows and the use of brackets under the cornice and window entablatures.

The Rodgers Residence is also recognized for its association with Thomas and Joseph Rodgers. A seaman and traveler for most of his life, Thomas Rodgers settled in Saint John in his later years in the late 1800’s. He made a living posting advertisements. He rented out other sections of the house to various tenants, including Joseph and Robert Nichol, well-known brass finishers, as well as Dennis McGrath of the McGrath Brothers grocery business. When he left Saint John in the early 1900’s, he bequeathed his Germain Street residence to his brother, Joseph Rodgers who was a labourer. Joseph remained at this Germain Street address until his death in 1924.

Source: Planning and Development Department - City of Saint John

Character-Defining Elements

The character defining elements that describe the vernacular Italianate architecture of the Rodgers Residence include:
- rectangular two-storey massing;
- shingle siding with corner boards;
- cornice supported by a series of paired, wooden, scrolled brackets;
- vertical sliding, triple wood windows consisting of an eight over one center window flanked by two, one over one windows;
- entablature above windows supported by scrolled wooden brackets;
- entablature above dual, matching entries supported by ornate, wood scroll shaped brackets;
- two entrances consisting of square, multi-paned transom windows above paired wood doors with glass panels in the upper halves;
- six over one, vertical sliding wood windows at the basement level.