Description of Historic Place

72-74 Queen Street is an excellent example of pre-1860s Charlottetown commercial architecture. Classically inspired, with a symmetrical design, this brick and stone structure is a prominent feature of a strong 19th Century commercial streetscape. The designation encompasses the building exterior and parcel; it does not include the building's interior.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of 72-74 Queen Street lies in its association with the Hon. James Duncan, the quality of its design and its role in anchoring a significant 19th Century commercial streetscape.

Between 1845 and 1878, James Duncan and his partners built 123 vessels on Prince Edward Island. Among these were the "Ethel", the largest ship built on the Island, and the "Heather Belle", an early steamer. In addition to shipbuilding, Duncan and his partners owned a number of vessels and were involved in the shipping and import-export trade. Duncan served as a Conservative member in the Legislative Assembly between 1862 and 1872. He was a fierce opponent of Island's entry into Confederation. The conversion of Conservative leader J.C. Pope to the Confederation cause led Duncan to resign his position in the Executive Council. James Duncan built 72-74 Queen Street in 1855 likely for his own use, later renting it. It has housed a variety of businesses including: C.E. Robertson clothiers, the offices of the Islander newspaper and the Royal Gazette, Carter and Company stationers and the Halifax Seed Company.

72-74 Queen Street typifies pre-1860 commercial building design found in Charlottetown. The symmetry of the front façade, overall scale and restrained ornamentation are characteristic of a style rooted in the classical tradition. The austerity of the design stands in sharp contrast to the ornamentation of later Victorian-era architecture. A rear brick addition dates from between 1890 and 1910.

As one of the oldest brick commercial buildings in the immediate area, 72-74 Queen helps to anchor a streetscape featuring a range of 19th century commercial architecture. Queen Street has been a centre of business activity since the community’s founding.

Source: Heritage Office, City of Charlottetown Planning Department, PO Box 98, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7K2
Record #: 1401

Character-Defining Elements

The character defining elements include:

- the ground floor twinned storefronts with their large, multi-paned window arrangements
- large, simple double doors with transoms
- recessed entries
- the size and style of the sash windows on the upper stories
- the size and style of upper story window lintels and sills
- remaining fastening hardware associated with former iron shutters
- the symmetry of the Queen Street façade
- the pitch of the roof (the original was slate)
- the raised parapet gable ends
- the central chimney stack
- the size and style of the brickwork
- the corner quoining including angled quoins between the first and second storeys
- the roofing structure, material and form of the circa 1900 rear addition