Description of Historic Place

Harding House is a one-and-one-half storey, wood structure with a low-pitched gable roof located on Main Street, Wolfville, Nova Scotia. Situated among mature elm trees, the simplistically elegant house has a north-facing view of Wolfville’s dyke lands, extending to the Bay of Fundy and then on to Cape Blomidon. Only the building is included in the designation.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of Harding House lies in its age, its Gothic Revival architecture, and its association to one of its early owners, Rev. Theodore Seth Harding.

Described as one of Wolfville’s oldest houses, Harding House is thought to have been built during the late 1700s to early 1800s. Its first owner is listed as Joseph Rogers, a farmer who sold the property to Rev. Harding in 1802. Rev. Harding resided in the house from approximately 1802 until his death in 1855.

The house is one of five remaining one and one-half storey homes built in Wolfville that have a central gable and window. Having undergone few alternations since its construction, Harding House retains much of its original design. Its Gothic Revival architectural features include: symmetrical façade; central cross gable with a pointed Gothic window; returning eaves; and Classical Revival door trim and bargeboard design.

Born in Barrington, Nova Scotia in 1772, Rev. Harding was minister of the Horton Baptist Church for almost 60 years. His lengthy pastorate was during a time of expansion for Acadia College and Horton Academy. With the Baptist Church and the university closely associated at this time – they were said to have been almost extensions of each other – people from both groups mutually participated in university and church-related activities. Such close interaction meant that Harding’s time was not without division and uncertainty, and at one point his church was excluded from the university for not practising close communion.

By 1830, the property reportedly contained two houses, one of which was demolished by the early 1900s. At the time of Harding’s death in 1855, the property was passed on to his daughter, Margaret Armstrong who was married to James Armstrong, a local coal merchant. Harding House is currently functions as a bed and breakfast.

Source: Town of Wolfville Heritage Property Program files, Harding House file.

Character-Defining Elements

Character-defining elements of Harding House include:

- symmetrical appearance;
- clapboard siding with wide boards along the roof line;
- low-pitch gable roof;
- central cross gable with a pointed Gothic window;
- hood mouldings over windows;
- Classical Revival bargeboard and door trim design;
- returning eaves;
- horizontal transom and wooden pediment design above the front door.