Description of Historic Place

Treitz Haus is located at 10 Bendview Court between Bore Park and the Petitcodiac River in Moncton. It consists of a rectangular 2-story Georgian influenced residential/commercial structure with clapboard and cedar shingle cladding.

Heritage Value

Treitz Haus is designated as a local historic place because it is a rare example of the early architectural styles in the Province and for its association with some of the earliest settlers to the Moncton area.

Treitz Haus (haus is German for house) is the earliest residential and commercial structure standing in Moncton. Dendrochronology and architectural analysis date the east portion of the structure at circa 1769. Architectural details of an addition point to a construction date in the 1820s. The H-bent type of frame of the original house – quite unusual in Anglo-American architecture – suggests the possible participation of Acadian craftsmen in its construction. Recycling of material and variable access to modern hardware over the years presents contradictory physical evidence, however, the variety of hardware, design, wood and building techniques make this structure an invaluable resource in exploring early architecture in Moncton’s late 18th and early 19th centuries. Although Georgian influences are apparent in the post-circa 1820’s design, the specific architectural style and floor plan of the original structure is not known.

The original portion of the dwelling is located on land that was owned by early Moncton settler, Jacob Treitz (Trites), who possibly erected and occupied the structure. It was subsequently owned by Thomas Prince and was used as an inn and hotel by the time Ichabod Lewis took ownership, possibly in the 1820’s. It served as a tenement house for most of the 20th century.

Purchased by the City of Moncton in 1996, a portion of the Treitz Haus has been used as a Visitor Information Centre. The remainder of the structure is undergoing restoration.

Source: Moncton Museum, Moncton, New Brunswick - second floor files – “10 Bendview Court”.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements relating to Treitz Haus being designated as a rare example of the early architectural styles in the Province and its association with early settlers to the Moncton area include:
- original orientation with main façade facing Petitcodiac River.
- evidence of early technologies such as early pit sawn and mill sawn sheathing;
-birch bark under cedar shakes and clapboards fastened with small cut and hand wrought nails;
- symmetrical fenestration on north and south elevations and asymmetrical fenestration on east and west elevations;
- 3 brick chimneys;
- rectangular massing;
- fieldstone foundation;
-hewn rafters and joists;
-Dutch-style H-bent framing;
- medium pitched gable roof with wide roof boards

The character-defining elements in the interior of Treitz Haus include:
-Georgian floor plan of its early 19th century incarnation;
- split board-lath and plaster walls;
- original wainscoting;
- H and butt hinges;
-stone chimney thimble;
- original wide floor planks fastened and wide vertical beaded wall planks;
- Dutch heart cut-out in door transom;
-6-panel doors with 4-light straight transom;
-plain and moulded door and window trim;
- square carved newel post;
original beams and joists;
- hewn posts;
-single hung multi-light windows;
- plain straight hood moulding over door and window openings.