Description of Historic Place

The John Stevenson House is a two-storey Second Empire style dwelling from the late 19th century. It is located on Main Street, at the corner of Legion Street, in Richibucto.

Heritage Value

The John Stevenson House is designated as a Local Historic Place for its architecture and for its association with the Stevenson family.

The impressive residence of John Stevenson is a fine example of Second Empire Victorian architecture. This style is characterised by a mansard roof, but with a hipped upper slope in this example. The building is very well preserved and maintains much of its original detail. Almost all of its original exterior decorations are still extant, such as the detailed brackets under the eaves and the window frames. The north wall still has its original shingle finish. The original glassed-in front porch and veranda are gone, having been replaced with a smaller open porch in the first half of the 20th century. The two original chimneys have also been removed while a large exterior fireplace chimney was added on the south gable wall.

The house’s interior has also been very well preserved. Almost all of its original woodwork still remains, such as the doors, the window and door frames, the baseboard and the baluster of the staircase leading to the second floor. The floor plan of the first level has remained relatively intact and consists basically of a central hall that is flanked by two rooms on both sides. There is an overhead arch in the hall and the staircase to the second floor is located at the end of the hall.

In the back of the house is the original two-storey ell with a mansard roof. Further back of the house still stands the old stable or barn. Previously, a one-and-a-half storey extension behind the ell connected the house with the barn.

John Stevenson purchased the lot in 1884, which indicates the approximate date of the building. However, in the deed, it is mentioned that there was an existing house on the property. This house was occupied by three daughters of Dr. Rufus Smith of Sackville, N. B., these being Elisabeth, Mary and Matilda. They had purchased the property from Thomas A. Wood in 1847. In this latter deed, it is mentioned that there was an existing house on the property built by Wood. Thomas Wood was a teacher and principal of Richibucto’s Grammar School and later became a school inspector. His daughter was the second wife of reverend James Law, father of Bonar Law who was Prime Minister of Great Britain.

John Stevenson was a surveyor by trade. His son, Leigh F. Stevenson, who was born in this house in 1895, had a distiguished career with the Canadian Armed Forces, acheiving the title of Air Vice-Marshal. Another son, Lieutenant Herbert Irving Stevenson, also had a distiguished military career.

Sources: Richibucto Town Hall, Richibucto Historic Places files; Centre d'études acadiennes Anselme-Chiasson, Université de Moncton

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the John Stevenson House include:
- the two-storey rectangular plan;
- the mansard roof with a hipped upper slope;
- the brackets under the eaves;
- the brackets of the window frames;
- the original shingle sheathing of the north wall;
- the vertical barge board trims of the dormers serving as extended brackets;
- the front door with its sidelights;
- the small porch dating from the first half of the 20th century;
- the relatively intact floor plan of the main level;
- the old interior doors;
- the interior door and window frames;
- the original baseboards;
- the original balustrade of the stairway leading to the second floor;
- the wood surround of the parlour fireplace;
- the old barn and ell behind the house.