Description of Historic Place
The Jackson House is a well preserved one-and-one-half storey house with Georgian influences. These include the balanced symmetrical facade facing Main Street with a central entrance frontispiece with gable roof. The home also features wood shingle cladding, scalloped shingles in the gables of the dormers, and original window caps. The registration includes the building and its lot.
Heritage Value
The house is valued for its well preserved Georgian influences, its association with prominent families in Montague, and for its contribution to the streetscape.
The land on which the house was constructed was originally owned by Dr. James Edwin Robertson (1840-1915) of Montague. He had been born in nearby New Perth to Peter Robertson and Annie MacFarlane. He was a graduate of McGill's faculty of medicine. In 1865, he began a large practice in Montague. He later served in the PEI Legislature, and later as a Liberal MP and member of the Senate.
On February 11, 1871, local carpenter and merchant, Charles D. Poole purchased the property from Robertson for thirty Pounds. It is assumed that the current house was built in the years immediately after this sale. It remained in the Poole family until August 1905, when Margaret Poole, the widow of Charles, sold it to Daniel F. MacDonald, the Sheriff of Kings County and later the Mayor of Montague (1923-24).
By March 1912, MacDonald gave the home to his daughter, Mary "Addie" MacDonald. She was the wife of Laughlin MacKinnon of the renowned Montague Furnishing Company. When her son, Athol, returned from serving in WW II, she gave the property to him on June 7, 1946. He later sold it to John A. MacLean, who then sold it to Jennie Irene Garrick in July of 1950. John and Erma Jackson purchased it on January 27, 1968. Today, their granddaughter is the owner.
The home remains well preserved with a prominent location on Montague's Main Street. The Georgian aspect of the house is evident in its sense of balance and symmetry. This is seen in the central entrance frontispiece which extends outward from the main house. On either side are paired two-over-one windows and above them, roof dormers. The separated chimneys add to the sense of balance of the facade.
The home is a landmark on Main Street and continues to contribute to its streetscape.
Source: Culture and Heritage Division, PEI Department of Communities, Cultural Affairs and Labour, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N8
File #: 4310-20/M32
Character-Defining Elements
The following character-defining elements illustrate the heritage value of the house:
- the wood frame one-and-one half storey construction
- the wood shingle cladding
- the sloping gable roofline with separated brick chimneys
- the symmetrical facade with central frontispiece entrance with transom window
- the gable dormers
- the fenestration with window caps
- the scallop shingles in the pediments of the dormers and the lozenge style shingles in the pediment of the frontispiece
- the addition with verandah on the north elevation with post and brackets
- the original sandstone foundation
- the continuing contribution of the house to the streetscape
