Description of Historic Place

86 Weldon Street is a one-and-a-half storey Gothic Revival residence with an attached former carriage house. Originally built on Main Street in the early 1870’s, this residence was moved to its current location at the corner of Weldon and Gordon Streets in 1908.

Heritage Value

86 Weldon Street is designated a Local Historic Place for its age, for its architecture and for its association with its former occupants.

The possible age of this residence does not coincide with the ages of the surrounding residences. The stone foundations of the residence and attached former carriage house, the remaining shingle siding and the Gothic Revival gingerbread trim in the eaves indicate a construction date that pre-dates the surrounding residences by about twenty years. This is explained by the fact that the residence was moved to its current location from a more prominent Main Street location in 1908 by Frederick W. Sumner. Oral history suggests that the structure was moved using peeled logs that were greased with bananas. Records related to the residence’s Main Street location date the building to circa 1876.

86 Weldon Street is a good example of Gothic Revival residential architecture from the 1870’s in Moncton. This style is evident in such details as the steeply-pitched gable roof, the dormers that break the cornice and the decorative brackets and woodwork. Also remarkable is the former carriage house, as well as a possible summer kitchen, which are attached in the same way they would have been at the Main Street location. Although a popular style for only a short period of time, by the 1880’s the portion of Main Street running west from Highfield Street saw three large properties with similar Gothic Revival residences and horseshoe-shaped front driveways.

This residence is recognized for its association with its former occupants. One of the earliest known occupants of the residence was Samuel McKean. Mr. McKean was an Inspector of Bridges for the Intercolonial Railway in Moncton. It is possibly during his occupancy of the house that it became known as “Ravenwood”.

When Frederick W. Sumner had this house moved to make room for a new, larger stone residence on Main Street, he was the highest tax payer in Moncton. The Sumner family’s commercial legacy is evident throughout Moncton’s history with such enterprises as shipbuilding, ship’s chandlery goods, hardware, dry goods, groceries, newspaper publishing and automotive. Although industrialist and former mayor Frederick did not occupy this home for more than a few years before building his new home, his son, F. Royal Sumner and his wife took over the newly-relocated residence.

Source: Moncton Museum, 20 Mountain Road, Moncton, New Brunswick, Historic Places File "86 Weldon"

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe the residence located at 86 Weldon Street include:
- its location, reflecting a trend more popular in the 1800’s of relocating residences;
- one-and-a-half storey rectangular massing;
- steeply-pitched lateral gable roof with chimneys at each end;
- moulded eaves;
- gingerbread trim under the eaves of the dormers and the roof gables;
- overall symmetry of the front façade;
- central dormer flanked by smaller dormers on the front façade, all breaking the cornice;
- central entrance on the front façade with an ornate open portico with pediment;
- hooded entablatures with brackets over rectangular windows;
- stone foundation;
- attached former carriage house and possible summer kitchen with some original shingles, stone foundation and wide basket-handle arch and Roman arch openings.