Description of Historic Place

The Morrison House is a one and one half storey, gable roof, simple style house with Gothic Revival influences, including a large gable dormer over the vestibule, with three pointed windows. It is believed that the building was built in 1836 as a Baptist-meeting house in nearby West Bay and moved to St. George’s Channel, Cape Breton, NS that same year. The house overlooks West Bay and out into the Bras D'or Lakes. Both the building and its surrounding property are included in the designation.

Heritage Value

The Morrison House is valued for its historical association with its second owner, the Reverend John Stewart and his association with the early Presbyterianism in the St. George’s Channel area. In 1835 the Reverend John Stewart was inducted as minister for Presbyterians living along St. George’s Channel and The Points West Bay. Reverend Stewart preached in the church at The Points and the church at Black River in both Gaelic and English. In 1838 his congregation was so far behind in paying his stipend that he sold the Morrison House and the surrounding property and moved to Pictou, Nova Scotia.

The Morrison House is also valued for the buildings unaltered appearance since its transformation into a residence. Built in 1836 as a simple, one and one half storey, gable roof meetinghouse, the Morrison House was dragged over ice and placed on its present site, and was converted that same year into a residence with the addition of Gothic Revival elements. The wood frame structure was never used as a meetinghouse. The changes and additions that were made to the building were sensitive to new style of the residence as Gothic Revival. The addition of two large gable dormers transformed its roofline into a cross-gable roof while expanding its interior space. The fanlight and sidelights on the projected vestibule, and the pointed windows on the gable ends add Gothic Revival elements to the house.

Source: Notice of Registration of Property as a Provincial Heritage Property, Provincial Property Heritage File no. 192.

Character-Defining Elements

Character-defining elements of the Morrison House include:

- wood frame structure;
- projecting entrance vestibule centered in the front elevation;
- sidelights and fanlight around the main doorway;
- original stone foundation;
- twelve over eight-sash windows on ground floor.

Character-defining elements of the Gothic Revival style of the Morrison House include:

- one-and-one-half storey;
- steeply pitched cross-gable roof and gable end pointed windows;
- symmetrical three bay façade;
- hood moldings over windows;
- corner boards and eaves detailing.