Knaut–Rhuland House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Knaut–Rhuland House |
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Front facade of Knaut–Rhuland House
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| General information | |
| Type | House |
| Address | 125 Pelham Street |
| Town or city | Lunenburg, Nova Scotia |
| Country | Canada |
| Coordinates | 44°22′36.49″N 64°18′32.97″W / 44.3768028°N 64.3091583°W |
| Current tenants | Knaut–Rhuland House Museum |
| Completed | 1793 |
| Official name: Knaut–Rhuland House National Historic Site of Canada | |
| Designated: | 2002 |
| Type: | Provincially Registered Property |
| Designated: | 1989 |
The Knaut–Rhuland House is a very old house in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada. It was built way back in the 1700s! This special house is recognized as a National Historic Site of Canada. This means it's super important to Canada's history. It's also a Provincially Registered Property, which means the province of Nova Scotia protects it too.
The house is located inside the Old Town Lunenburg World Heritage Site. A World Heritage Site is a place chosen by the United Nations for its special cultural or natural importance to everyone in the world. Today, the Lunenburg Heritage Society owns the Knaut–Rhuland House. They run a museum inside it, which is open to visitors during the summer months.
Contents
History of the House
The Knaut–Rhuland House gets its name from its first two owners.
Benjamin Knaut: The First Owner
The first person to own the house was Benjamin Knaut. He had the house built in 1793. Benjamin was an important person in Lunenburg. He was one of the town's first sheriffs, which is like a police chief. He was also a trader, meaning he bought and sold goods. Benjamin was also a privateer. A privateer was a private ship owner who was allowed by the government to attack enemy ships during wartime.
Conrad Rhuland: The Second Owner
The second owner of the house was Conrad Rhuland. He was also a trader and owned ships. During the War of 1812, Conrad was a privateer's prize master. A prize master was in charge of taking over enemy ships that privateers captured.
What the House Looks Like
The Knaut–Rhuland House has a special design called British Classicism. This style was popular a long time ago.
Outside the House
- The front door has tall, narrow windows on either side, called sidelights.
- Above the door, there's a window called a transom window.
- All the windows have many small glass panes, usually six on the top and six on the bottom. Many of these windows still have their original old glass!
- The house sits on a very strong stone foundation that is more than two feet thick.
- This foundation is built around two large chimneys.
Inside the House
- The house's frame is made of strong, hand-cut wooden beams, a style called post and beam.
- These beams have special marks on them, like numbers, which suggests they were prepared somewhere else before being put together here.
- The inside walls and ceilings were covered with plaster. This plaster was made stronger with horse hair and put onto thin strips of wood called split lath.
- The floors are made of pine wood.
- There are seven fireplaces throughout the house to keep it warm.
- Some rooms still have their original wooden decorations and trim.
Exploring the Museum
Today, the Knaut–Rhuland House is a museum where you can learn about life in the past.
Ground Floor Exhibits
- On the ground floor, you can see rooms set up with furniture and items from the time the first owners lived there. It's like stepping back in time!
- There's an exhibit called "Our Spiritual Heritage." It shows old Bibles and prayer books, some from as far back as 1753. That's when the "Foreign Protestants" first came to Lunenburg.
- This exhibit also has displays about Lunenburg's churches, which are some of the oldest in Canada.
- You can also see a room showing old crafts from the 1700s and 1800s. You might see a walking wheel, spinning wheels, and wool winders, which were used to make yarn and fabric.
Upstairs Gallery
- Upstairs, there's an exhibition gallery. It tells the story of Lunenburg from 1753, when the first settlers arrived.
Other Displays
- The museum also has a room with items from the Victorian period, which was a time in the 1800s.
- There's a costume gallery where you can see old clothes and copies of clothing from different times.
- Outside, there's a small garden. It has plants that the early owners of the house might have used to dye fabrics different colors.
