Description of Historic Place

Goodwin House is located in Habitant, Nova Scotia. The house stands on a slope facing the dyke along the Habitant River in the heart of the Annapolis valley on the road to Canning, in the lee of the North Mountain. This two-and-a-half storey Dutch Colonial style house was built in the early 1760s. The house and property are located in the provincial designation.

Heritage Value

Goodwin House is valued because it was built by Stephen Loomer, one of the original Cornwallis Township grantees, and because it is an excellent early example of Dutch Colonial style architecture in Nova Scotia. It is also valued because it is believed to be one of the few remaining houses still standing in Nova Scotia built in this style by New England Planters.

The Goodwin House was built in the early 1760s by Stephen Loomer. Loomer was born in Connecticut and immigrated to Nova Scotia in 1761. Materials for the house were pre-cut in New England and shipped by schooner to Nova Scotia.

This two-and-a-half storey Dutch Colonial style house has a gambrel roof with a central chimney plan. It has a fieldstone foundation and used post and beam construction with mortise and tenon joints.

The Goodwin House was located on a well established route within a Planter settled area. It is believed to be one of the oldest houses in the Cornwallis Township and is one of the few remaining in Nova Scotia built in this style by New England Planters.

Source: Provincial Heritage Program property files, no. 56, 1747 Summer Street, Halifax, NS.

Character-Defining Elements

Character-defining elements of Goodwin House relating to its Dutch Colonial style architecture include:

- two-and-a-half storey wood post and beam construction, mortise and tenon joints;
- gambrel roof with asphalt shingles;
- central doorway with three bay front façade;
- one small, undersize dormer;
- one large central chimney;
- fieldstone foundation;
- location on the Habitant River, an area re-settled by New England Planters.