Description of Historic Place

Quaker House is located on a busy street in downtown Dartmouth, NS. A one time residential area of Dartmouth, this portion of Ochterloney Street now contains mainly commercial buildings. The Halifax Harbour is clearly visible from the front yard of the House, which sits nearly at the streetline. Designation applies to the building and property.

Heritage Value

The Quaker House in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, is valued for both its unique architecture and social history. Built in 1786, Quaker House is one of the oldest buildings in downtown Dartmouth and the only surviving house of twelve Quaker homes that were built in the era in the mid 1780s for whalers who came from Nantucket to Nova Scotia to avoid high British tariffs following the end of the American Revolution.

While similarities to this house can be found in other early Nova Scotian homes, this is the only extant eighteenth century Quaker home in the province. Quaker House is a two-an-a-half residential building that exhibits heavy timber framing and the older portion of the house was built without an excavated basement, much like traditional Quaker homes on Nantucket Island. Quaker House contributes to the surrounding streetscape and size and massing. Its unadorned, symmetrical façade, clad with wooden shingles, has become a well known local landmark and represents the early history of Dartmouth and its ties to maritime industry. The site is presently operated as a museum.

Source: NS Heritage Division, Heritage Property File no. 18

Character-Defining Elements

Character-Defining Elements of the Quaker House include:

- heavy timber framing;
- wood shingled façade;
- two and a half storeys;
- asymetrical façade with six-over-six wooden windows and off-centre door;
- original stone foundation under front section of house;
- all original and historic interior elements including wooden floors, panels, doors, mantles, stairs and painted main hallway;
- position close to the street;
- unadorned façade;
- remians of original fireplaces and chimenys;
- historic side addition with slightly bellcast roof.