Description of Historic Place

The Sir Sandford Flemming Cottage is a small, rustic, one-and-a-half storey, late nineteenth-century wood framed dwelling. It is located on on the northern side of Dingle Road, leading toward the Sir Sandford Fleming Park in Halifax, NS. The heritage designation applies only to the building.

Heritage Value

The Sir Sandford Fleming Cottage is valued for its association with Sir Sandford Fleming (1827-1915). Fleming moved from Scotland to Canada in 1845, was educated at Columbia University, Toronto and Queen's (Kingston), and later became appointed to conduct surveys of possible routes for the Intercolonial Railway from Halifax to Quebec. He was eventually elevated to the position of Engineer in Chief for the Canadian Pacific Railway, a position which ensured him a prominent position in Canadian history. Fleming maintained a high profile in both political and social circles in Halifax and throughout his life. He was a member of the Halifax Club, the Chancellor of Queen's University and the director of the Hudson's Bay Company. He also designed Canada's first postage stamp and became internationally famous for establishing Universal Stardard Time which was universally adopted in 1884.

It is possible that the cottage was built in the 1870's when Fleming consolidated many properties along the western shore of the Northwest Arm. The cottage is shown on an 1886 military map of Halifax. Fleming resided in Halifax during the 1860's before moving permanently to Ottawa, and continued to spend summers in Halifax. It is believed that Flemming passed away in the cottage in 1915.

Architecturally, the cottage is a simple, Victorian cottage. The architectural value of this wood framed structure lies in the unique hipped gable roof which extends over a broad verandah. Additionally there are unusual, triangular dormers and small pediments notched into the eaves at each end of the building. Inside the house a notable feature is s large stone fireplace and wide wooden wall board construction. The cottage is located on a large parcel of land (The Sir Sandford Fleming Park), on which other registered heritage structures are located (The Dingle Tower and the Sir Sandford Fleming Barn). The cottage is in close proximity to the road that leads to the Dingle Tower, and is an important link to the history of the area.

Source: HRM Planning and Development Services, Heritage File No. 58.

Character-Defining Elements

Exterior character-defining elements of the Sir Sandford Fleming cottage include:

- secluded setting in Sir Sandford Fleming Park;
- unformalized style of the cottage with features built in a late-Victorian rustic design;
- one-and-a-half storey, wood frame structure with vertical sash windows and a three-sided bay window with bracketed eaves on the side elevation;
- hipped gable roof with a slope extending over the verandah and a small central, triangular dormer window;
- front veranda's straight circular column supports with no decoration or capitals;
- three bay front façade with central entranceway and window on either side of the bay;
- central chimney;
- tall, narrow proportions of the windows in the front façade and the second floor level of the gable ends;
- small pediments notched into the roof eaves on the east and west elevations;
- central brick chimney on main structure, and tall offset brick chimney on side wing;
- one storey, shed roofed wing on the east side with a three sided bay window decorated with brackets.

The character-defining elements in the interior of the cottage include:

- large, stone fireplace in the wing and brick fireplace in the first-floor kitchen;
- wide board wall construction in various places throughout the interior.