Henry House (Halifax, Nova Scotia) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Henry House |
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Henry House c. 1879
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| General information | |
| Type | House |
| Address | 1222 Barrington Street Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 1Y4 |
| Coordinates | 44°38′25″N 63°34′15″W / 44.64028°N 63.57083°W |
| Current tenants | Henry House (restaurant) |
| Completed | 1834 |
| Official name: Henry House National Historic Site of Canada | |
| Designated: | 1969 |
| Type: | Provincially Registered Property |
| Designated: | 2005 |
| Type: | Municipally Registered Property |
| Designated: | 1981 |
Henry House is a cool old stone house in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It has two and a half floors and is located on Barrington Street. This house is super important because it's a National Historic Site. It's also recognized as a special property by both the province and the city!
Contents
A Look Back: The History of Henry House
The Henry House was built in 1834. It was made for John Metzler, who was a successful stonemason and landowner in Halifax.
William Alexander Henry's Home
The house is best known for its connection to William Alexander Henry. He was a very important person from Halifax. He lived in this house with his family from 1854 to 1864.
William Alexander Henry was one of the Fathers of Confederation. These were the people who helped create Canada as a country! He also helped write the British North America Act. This was like Canada's first rulebook for how the government would work.
He held many important jobs. He was the Attorney General for Nova Scotia, which means he was the province's top lawyer. He was also a member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly, like a politician for the province. Later, he became the Mayor of Halifax. Finally, he was the first person from Nova Scotia to become a judge on the Supreme Court of Canada. This is Canada's highest court!
From Sailors' Home to Popular Restaurant
After William Alexander Henry lived there, the building became a Sailors' Home. This was a place where sailors could stay in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The Navy League of Canada helped run it.
In 1968, the house was sold to Richard Raymond and Jacques Ducau. They fixed it up a lot and opened a restaurant in 1969. It was called The Henry House restaurant. They also had a downstairs tavern called Little Stone Jug.
The Henry House restaurant has been open ever since! It's still a well-known place to eat and is called The Henry House Restaurant & Pub today. The Henry House was officially named a National Historic Site in 1969.
Henry House Architecture: A Special Style
Henry House has a special roof shape called a gable roof. Its front walls are made of smooth ashlar granite. The side walls are made of a different stone called ironstone.
The way the house is built shows a common style from the early 1800s in British North America. This was a time when Canada was still a British colony. It's a great example of the "Halifax House style." This design was brought to Nova Scotia by Scottish stonemasons. It usually has three sections (called bays) and a hallway on one side.
Mason's Marks on the Walls
You can even see special marks on the stone walls of Henry House. These are called mason's marks. They were put there by the stonemasons who built the house!
