Description of Historic Place

The Henry O’Leary House is a two-and-a-half storey Victorian structure in the Queen Anne Revival style, with a tower on the front façade. It is located on Main Street in Richibucto.

Heritage Value

The Henry O’Leary House is designated as a Local Historic Place for its architecture and for its association with the influential merchant Henry O’Leary.

This impressive dwelling was built to reflect the economic status of its builder. It consists of a two-and-a-half storey building with a Dutch gambrel roof. In addition to the circular tower with a conical roof, the house possesses an extension on the south side and a projecting three-storey central bay on the front façade, both with Dutch gambrel roofs. There is also a veranda on the front façade with cylindrical columns that support the balcony above the veranda. The building retains much of its original detail. On the exterior, the tower still has its original decorative fish scale shingles. The decorative brackets under the eaves are also still extant. The original fenestration is still intact as are some of the original windows. Also extant are the decorative stained glass windows of the dining room and the coloured window panes of the double doors of the front balcony.

The interior plan of the house has essentially remained intact. Still existing is the original woodwork such as the doors, the door and window frames, the baseboards and the baluster of the stairway leading to the second and third floors with their impressive newel posts. On the second floor, there is a superb hallway door with arched windows. There is also a fireplace with its original marble surround with double spiral side columns.

In the back of the house stands the old barn that likely dates from the time of the house’s construction. It is depicted in Richibucto’s fire insurance map of 1906.

The house was built by Henry O’Leary around 1874. O’Leary was born in Ireland in 1836 and came to America at the age of 16. He settled in Richibucto in 1855 where he became a merchant, shipbuilder and entrepreneur in the lumber business. He was also involved in maritime commerce and was an important land owner. At one time, the O’Leary family owned 27 lobster factories in Richibucto and elsewhere along the Northumberland Strait. He innovated in the technique of lobster canning with his system of vacuum sealed cans.

Henry O’Leary left his mark in the political, economic and social life of Kent County for nearly fifty years. He represented the County at the House of Assembly of New Brunswick in the 1870s. He died in 1897.

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 Henry O’Leary House include:
- the asymmetrical two-and-a-half storey plan ;
- the Dutch gambrel roofs ;
- the dormers with pediments;
- three-storey projecting central bay with Dutch gambrel roof;
- the circular tower on the front façade with a conical roof;
- the front veranda with its cylindrical columns;
- the original fenestration;
- the decorative shingles on the tower;
- the decorative brackets under the eaves;
- the vertical barge board trim of the dormers serving as extended brackets;
- the interior spatial plan essentially intact;
- the stained glass of the dining room;
- the double doors of the front balcony with its coloured window panes;
- the interior woodwork;
- the newel posts;
- the original interior doors;
- the original fireplaces;
- the cornice of the plastered walls on the second floor.