Description of Historic Place

Huntington is a Georgian influenced home located at 58 Hunt Avenue. It has been altered extensively, with a large modern addition on its east side, however the basic shape of the original home is still visible. Originally, Huntington was located on a larger piece of property overlooking the North River, in an area known as the Charlottetown Royalty. Throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, the area has grown extensively with the addition of 1960s and 1970s housing and businesses. The designation encompasses the building's exterior and parcel; it does not include the building's interior.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of Huntington lies in its association with local politician, James Warburton (1810-1892) and its role as an example of the lifestyle of the affluent that lived in the Charlottetown Royalty in the late 19th Century.

It is not clear when Huntington was constructed but it appears at its present location in J. H. Meacham's Illustrated Historical Atlas of the Province of Prince Edward Island for 1880. The home is listed as Huntingdon, the home of Hon. James Warburton.

The older part of Huntington shows strong Georgian influences with a rectangular plan and a gable roof. The Georgian style emerged from 18th Century Britain and was intent on expressing confidence, order and balance. It was a common style of home in 19th century Prince Edward Island. Although Huntington has been altered considerably, the original part of the home exhibits some Georgian characteristics such as the rectangular plan and gable roof.

James Warburton was a land agent and politician. Originally from Ireland, he came to Prince Edward Island in 1834. He lived in the western end of the Island in Lot 11 for a number of years before he and his family moved to Charlottetown in 1873. Warburton was active in the Island's pre-Confederation public life and served as Treasurer, Provincial Secretary and Colonial Secretary. Members of his family would also become prominent in Island society. His son, James Warburton junior (1855-1928), was a medical doctor and Mayor of Charlottetown, while another one of his sons, Alexander Bannerman Warburton (1852-1929) was a Member of Parliament, Premier of Prince Edward Island, a judge and an author.

Huntington is representative of the lifestyle of the wealthy that lived in the Charlottetown Royalty in the 19th Century. During this period, men of considerable means bought large tracts of land outside the City in the Royalty in order to create large estates. Their plan was to live like the country gentlemen of Britain.

Sources: Heritage Office, City of Charlottetown Planning Department, PO Box 98, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7K2
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Character-Defining Elements

The following Georgian influenced character-defining elements contribute to the heritage value of Huntington:

- The overall massing of the original building
- The rectangular plan
- The gable roof of the original part of the building
- The placement of the windows in the gables

Other character-defining elements of Huntington include:

- The location of the home with its view of the North River