Description of Historic Place
The James H. Vickery House is a one-and-a-half storey Gothic Revival style house located in the community of South Ohio, Yarmouth County, NS. It was built around 1846 and has been owned through most of its history by mariners and farmers. The municipal heritage designation applies to the land and the building.
Heritage Value
The James H. Vickery House is valued for its historic associations with seagoing and farming as ways of life. It is also valued for its simple Gothic Revival architecture.
This house was built around 1846 by James H. Vickery, one of the many Master Mariners for which Yarmouth County was famed during the “Age of Sail”. He lived here from the time the house was built until his death in 1868. The next owner of the property was also a Master Mariner, and like Capt. Vickery, probably captained local fishing vessels and farmed the land when he was not at sea.
From 1922 until the 1980s the property was owned by farmers, beginning with Nathan V. Cann, who was also a municipal councillor. Its location inland from the sea, where it is warmer, makes it more suitable for farming than properties closer to the shore, where the cool breezes often prevent the soil from warming sufficiently for many crops. Before the days of supermarkets and superhighways, most fresh produce available locally came from small family farms, such as those represented by this property.
The simple, relatively unadorned Gothic Revival style of the James H. Vickery House is relatively common in Yarmouth County. Quite often, they started as simple Vernacular style houses, and when cross gabled dormers became fashionable, many had prominent cross gables added, which increased the available light in the upper stories as well as adding space.
Source: Municipal Heritage Property files: the James H. Vickery House; located at 400 Main Street, Yarmouth, NS
Character-Defining Elements
The character-defining elements of the James H. Vickery House include:
- location in an inland community;
- residential use.
The character-defining elements of the Gothic Revival style of the James H. Vickery House include:
- one-and-a-half storeys with a one storey parallel ell;
- wood frame construction;
- medium pitched gable roof with a prominent front cross gable;
- symmetrical three bay façade;
- centred entrance with stained glass sidelights;
- cutaway bay windows with a common roof spanning entrance;
- double hung sash windows with six-over-six glazing;
- shingle cladding.
Location of Supporting Documentation
Municipal Heritage Property Files, Joint Heritage Office, 400 Main Street, Yarmouth, NS, B5A 1G2
Cross-Reference to Collection
Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier
54MNS2214
Status
Published
Related Places
n/a