Churchill House, Hantsport facts for kids
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| Established | 1966 |
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| Location | 6 Main Street, Hantsport, Nova Scotia Canada |
| Type | Municipal and Marine Museum |
Churchill House is a special old building in Hantsport, Nova Scotia, Canada. It was built a long time ago, in 1860, by a famous shipbuilder named Ezra Churchill. He built it as a gift for his son, John Wiley Churchill. Today, this beautifully kept example of an Italianate style house is a museum and a place where the community can gather. It is owned by a non-profit group called the Hantsport Memorial Community Centre.
Contents
The Story of Churchill House
A Family of Shipbuilders
The Churchill family owned the biggest shipbuilding company in Hantsport, Nova Scotia. They built some of the largest ships ever made in Nova Scotia. One of their most famous ships was the barque Hamburg. This was the biggest three-masted sailing barque ever built in Canada!
Ezra Churchill and his wife Ann had eleven children. Two of their sons worked with their father in the shipbuilding business. This shows how important shipbuilding was to their family and the town.
The House Called 'The Cedars'
The land where Churchill House stands was sold by Ezra Churchill to his son, John Wiley Churchill. This happened in September 1866, for eight hundred dollars. The house was built around the same time the Churchill family's shipbuilding business became very well-known and important in Hantsport.
The house was once called The Cedars. This name came from the amazing cedar trees that grew on the property. The house was a wonderful example of Victorian style. It also showed how important the "Shipping Era" was, when large sailing ships were built. John Churchill lived here with his wife Mary and their two daughters, Violet and Laura, until he passed away.
Bringing the House Back to Life
Over the years, parts of Churchill House have been carefully fixed up. The first floor was restored in 1966. This was part of a big project for the Canadian centennial, celebrating 100 years of Canada.
Later, in 1978, two rooms upstairs were also restored. The master bedroom was fixed up in 1999. When the house was restored, workers made sure to match the original colors and designs. This helps visitors see the house just as it looked when the Churchill family lived there.
