Description of Historic Place

The Eastman House is located at 6727 Lord Nelson Street, in the Village of Kars, formerly the Township of Rideau but now the City of Ottawa. The Eastman House was built in the 1860's, by Adam J. Eastman, a member of one of the earliest families to settle in the Kars area.

The Eastman House is recognized for its heritage value by the Township of Rideau (now the City of Ottawa), By-law 34/89.

Heritage Value

The historical value of the Eastman House lies in its association with builder Adam J. Eastman, who is credited with founding the village of Kars. Eastman constructed the area's first steam powered sawmill in 1852 on the north bank of Stevens Creek, increasing commerce and facilitating house construction in the area. In 1856, Mr. Eastman hired a land surveyor to draw up plans for a village on the 42 acres of land, which he had obtained ownership of in 1854. The importance of his Loyalist background is shown in his choice of names: Wellington for the village (later changed to Kars), Nelson, Wellington and Waterloo for the streets.

The house was a product of the first building boom in the area. This house remained in the Eastman family for a number of years following his death in 1878. The Eastman House, also know as the Thomson House, whose design is derivative of the Neo-classical style, is a one-and-one-half storey, L-shaped wooden structure.

The Eastman House design is a derivation of the Neo-classical style which was based on the architecture of the early classical world and was introduced into Canada in the 1830's. The building, like so many others of its type, was adapted to smaller land frontages by means of a quarter turn, which put the peak of the roof at the front and back, rather than at the sides. The addition of a wing produced the L-shaped plan which became very popular in the 1860's and 70's. The architectural value of the house lies in its simple design typical of the era.

The main part of the house is finished in shiplap siding (as specimen from the sawmill and local craftsmen) and the addition in board and batten. The windows are four paned, double-hung, with pediment trim. Heads of the upper sashes are segmental in shape except for that of the decorative windows in the front and side gables which are semicircular. An open veranda fills in the L-shape and protects the front entrance which is quite plain with a simple, rectangular transom. The veranda features wooden fretwork with turned posts.

The Eastman House is located in the central core of the village and is an integral part of the streetscape.

Source: Rideau Township Archives LACAC files, the City of Ottawa By-law 34/89.

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements that reflect the heritage value of the Eastman House includes its:
- simple gable roof
- L-shaped plan
- clapboard siding with board and batten cladding on the addition
- four paned, double-hung, with pediment trim windows
- semicircle upper sashes (front and side gables)
- segmented heads of the upper sashes (back)
- open veranda filling in the L-shape
- front entrance with a rectangular transom
- veranda treillage, stylized in design with spindles and supported by nicely turned posts
- prominence in the streetscape
- location in the centre core of the old village of Kars