Description of Historic Place

The Joseph Doiron House is a one-and-a-half-storey wood-frame vernacular residence with a gable roof located on Amirault Street in the Saint-Anselme sector of Dieppe.

Heritage Value

The Joseph Doiron House is designated a Local Historic Place for its association with its builder and former occupants, as well as for its architecture.

The Joseph Doiron House is recognized first for its association with its builder, one of the most well-off Acadian farmers in the province at the time, Joseph Doiron. During the years 1820-1893, Joseph Doiron, provincial Justice of the Peace and public writer, held various county positions and was involved in community affairs, education, religion, etc. Part of the basement was used as his office, as well as a schoolroom during 1840-50 and as a community hall. He received an education during his adolescence when he was the protégé of the Memramcook priest. He was also allowed to sing the “white mass” in the priest’s absence, baptize newborns, and receive mutual consent to marriage. Doiron long served as warden of the Mission and the Parish of Saint-Anselme.

During the years 1850-1950, the property of Joseph Doiron and his grandson and heir, Edmond Léger, was one of the largest Acadian farms in the province. Like many farmers from Saint-Anselme, they took advantage of Moncton’s proximity to sell their surplus farm production there.

The Joseph Doiron House is also recognized for being a good example of Acadian vernacular architecture. The frame of the house consists of hand-hewn beams. A dendrochronological analysis concluded that the trees used in the construction of this house were cut in 1840 and 1841. This 1 1/2-storey wood-frame structure with a gable roof was built around 1842. At the time, there were five fireplaces, two of which still exist, including the summer kitchen’s chimney. The cut stones of the cellar walls came from the Beaumont quarries in Westmorland County.

Source: Dieppe City Hall, Historic Places File D18

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe Joseph Doiron House include:
- wood-frame construction;
- rectangular 1 1/2-storey massing;
- summer kitchen;
- gable roof;
- placement of original door and window openings;
- interior finish;
- cut stones of the cellar;
- original fireplaces;
- outside basement entrance with its half-moon window surrounded by cut stone;
- vestiges of the original finish of the basement room;
- walls measuring two feet thick.