Description of Historic Place

The Edward L. Jewett Residence is a wooden two-storey Italianate residence with a central entrance and twin bay windows on the front façade. It is located on Queen Square North in the Trinity Royal Heritage Preservation Area in Saint John.

Heritage Value

The Edward L. Jewett Residence is designated a Local Historic Place for its architecture and its association with its former occupants.

The Edward L. Jewett Residence is recognized as one of a collection of residential and commercial Italianate and Second Empire buildings that were built between 1877 and 1881 after two thirds of the City of Saint John were destroyed by the fire in 1877. More specifically, this residence is one of five residences that were built for some of Saint John's upper class citizens on Queen Square North. Built in 1880 for the Jewett family, the Edward L. Jewett Residence is a good example of Italianate residential architecture from the rebuilding period of Saint John following the fire.

The Edward L. Jewett Residence is also recognized for its association with the Jewett family, who were prominent in lumbering and railroading in Maine. When they moved to New Brunswick, they established five lumber mills in the vicinity of Saint John. Edward was from Bangor, Maine and he came to Saint John at the age of 16 to become associated with his uncle E. D. Jewett, in the lumbering manufacturing business of E. D. Jewett & Company. He later became his own lumber manufacturer at a mill in Millidgeville, then a suburb of Saint John. He was also in the tugboat business. Edward passed away in 1914. His widow, Bethiah (Baizley) Jewett lived in this residence until her death in 1936, where she died at the age of 88. Bethiah and her mother, Margaret Baizley, were associated with the laying out of land on Douglas Avenue for Riverview Memorial Park that displayed a memorial to the veterans of the South African (Boer) War. She was involved with the beautification of the park after the land was set aside for that purpose. With her mother, she was also an important promoter of the North End Library, and throughout her life she was a strong supporter of educational, patriotic and welfare programs in Saint John. Their son Leonard Jewett remained in this residence until he passed away here in 1948. He graduated from Harvard University in 1890. He carried on a lumbering business in Saint John and for a time he was director of the Fredericton Boom Company. For a number of years, he served as United States vice-consul and deputy consul at Saint John. In sporting circles, Leonard was an avid Saint John jockey. The Edward L. Jewett family line was broken upon his death as Leonard was the only child that lived past infancy and he never married.

Source: Planning and Development Department - City of Saint John

Character-Defining Elements

The character defining elements that describe the Edward L. Jewett Residence include:
- two-storey rectangular massing;
- overall symmetry of the building;
- shingle siding;
- wide cornice supported by long ornate brackets;
- design of the frieze band below the roof-line cornice;
- twin two-storey bay windows with ornate brackets;
- central entranceway with entablature, long ornate brackets, pendant finials, transom window and single sidelight;
- brick foundation.