Description of Historic Place

The Renzetta Residence is a one-and-a-half storey gable-roofed building with its main façade being in a gable end wall. The building is a former shoemaker’s shop that was converted into a residence. It is located on Court Street in Richibucto.

Heritage Value

The Renzetta residence is designated as a Local Historic Place for its association with Frank Renzetta, for its association with the McMinn tannery and for its architecture.

The building consists of a one-and-a-half storey gable-roofed structure in which one of its gable end walls faces the street. Although there are few original details that remain visible on the exterior, there still exist original elements that reflect its typical construction style of the era. The original fenestration is intact save for the double windows of the gables that originally would have been single windows. The frame of the main floor consists of a summer beam that stretches lengthwise to the building. This large timber is axe hewn and supports smaller joists that are mill-sawn; these are mortised into the summer beam and into the sills.

The building dates from the second half of the 19th century. It was used as a shop for an Edward Carney before its acquisition by Robert Phinney in 1894. This is when the building was transported to its present location and converted into a shoemaker’s shop which was in operation until around 1920. The enterprise was associated with the McMinn tannery that was located on the adjoining property on the west. The tannery was owned by David McMinn and afterwards by his son, Robert McMinn, since the early 1850's.

The shoemaker’s shop was converted into a residence around 1930 when it was occupied by Emma Fitzpatrick and Frank Renzetta. Frank Renzetta, of German descent, was a native of Philadelphia who made his profession in Vaudeville from the late 1890s until the late 1920s. He was juggler, acrobat, ventriloquist and comedian and performed under the stage name of “Renzetta”. He also carried the name “Rhenzetter” although his original name was Kohler. Renzetta married Emma Fitzpatrick, a native of Richibucto, and the couple lived in New York City. The couple played in Vaudeville acts under the name of “Renzetta & Emma” and "The Renzettas". They also played in the Vaudeville version of "Maggie and Jiggs", an act based on the popular cartoon strip “Bringing up Father” by George McManus. Apparently, the couple’s physical resemblance to the comic strip’s main characters was remarkable. The couple belonged to the Keith Circuit of Theatres and played, among other places, at New York’s Hippodrome Theatre and Palace Theatre. Frank also toured with the Barnum and Bailey Circus.

Emma was the daughter of James Fitzpatrick who had purchased the former property of David McMinn in 1918. Emma died in 1950 at the age of 73. Frank Renzetta died in 1955 at the age of 77.

Source: Town of Richibucto - Centre d'études acadiennes Anselme-Chiasson, Richibucto Historic Places files

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Renzetta Residence include:
- the one-and-a-half storey rectangular plan;
- the gable roof with dormers and returned eaves;
- the old fenestration;
- the frame of the main floor;
- the old interior window frames;
- the baluster of the stairway leading to the second floor;
- the old doors on the second floor.