Description of Historic Place

The Oulton House is a large two-storey Four Square style home. It features a hipped roof, dormers, and a verandah across the facade. It is situated on a large lot with mature trees and outbuildings. The registration includes the house and its lot.

Heritage Value

The home is valued for its well preserved Four Square architectural style; for its association with Oulton family; and for its contribution to the streetscape.

The home was built sometime between 1910 and 1920 by W. Russell Oulton (1880-1930) the son of Robert T. Oulton who, together with Charles Dalton, had been pioneers in the development of the silver fox farming industry in PEI. Their fox farm was located on Oulton's Island. W. Russell had moved his family from there to Alberton when he built this house.

The style of the large home is Four Square and it represents the wealth generated by the fox industry in the area. These homes are often referred to as "Fox Houses" because of that association. They called the home "Lanrest". It had six bedrooms with two additonal ones in the top floor for servants. A separate staircase connected the servants' rooms to the kitchen.

Russell's son, Willard Oulton, inherited the property. His wife, Eileen MacKinnon Oulton, began a small tourist home on the property with two cottages. She established a gift shop and later a museum in the barn in 1964 to house local artifacts. This was the beginning the Alberton Museum which moved to its current location in the former courthouse in 1980.

Eileen Oulton was a respected local historian and genealogist. She wrote newspaper articles, interviewed senior citizens, and researched historic buildings in her community. She was a founding member of the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation and recipient of the Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977.

Today, the home is in a well preserved state with few alterations, except for some replacement windows. It remains an asset to its streetscape.

Source: Culture and Heritage Division, PEI Department of Communities, Cultural Affairs and Labour, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N8
File #: 4310-20/A22

Character-Defining Elements

Character-defining elements which reflect the Four Square style heritage value of the house include:

- the two-storey massing and square configuration
- the hipped roof
- the brick chimney
- the wide eaves with modillion brackets
- the hipped roof and gable roof dormers
- the verandah on the facade
- the small balcony above half the verandah
- the oriel window
- the stacked bay windows
- the beltcourse dividing the two storeys
- the wood shingle cladding
- the continuing contribution of the house to its streetscape