Page 24 - Mighty Miramichi River Guide 2023

...continued A Walk Through Time

of the house have beautiful bargeboard
trim with teardrop finishing. The large June 12 - Guided Tour - A Walk Through Time
upper-storey central stained-glass The Miramichi Historical Society will offer this Walk Through Time on
window echoes the Gothic peak that Monday, June 12 beginning at 6:30pm. Participants can gather at St.
shelters it. This home was purchased in Andrew's United Church, 186 Wellington Street, in the parking lot at
1926 by the United Church of Canada 6:15pm. Refreshments and discussion will follow the walk which
features 17 historic homes. Due to space, not all are mentioned here.
65 Henderson St. “Sunnyside”
1867 for a local general merchant,
52 Howard Street
George H. Russell.
Heading back north on King Street:
57 King Street, William Anderson
House - This house dates to 1859 and
was built in Greek Revival style. The
large central gable breaks the roofline,
and the return eaves on it and on the
corner boards signify the Classical
for use as a manse. It is now owned influences. The first owner of the house,
privately.
65 Henderson Street, Sunnyside municipal politics, serving as Mayor of
This large and imposing Victorian home Chatham, and police magistrate. The
was built around 1873. One description house is built in vernacular style which
of the house identifies its architecture as means the building materials and
Georgian, but the Italianate-influenced ultimate look of the edifice were locally
central tower is also significant. The sourced and reflected common
first occupants were the William architectural practices and norms. This
Muirhead Jr. family. The Muirhead home has a steep gable roof broken by
Shipbuilding and Foundry businesses a Gothic dormer and lovely gingerbread William Anderson House
were lost, as was Sunnyside, to trim on the veranda. A bay window
bankruptcy in 1892. The house was makes an interesting feature on the west William Anderson, was a “tidewaiter”.
purchased by W.B. Snowball, a son of side. This job involved waiting for ships to
the famous Snowball family of 53 Howard Street, Gardener’s come into port for their cargo to be
Chatham. He and his family moved House - This small residence has an inspected and the duties and taxes
here from their first home at 40 interesting history. It was built in 1855 collected. A very interesting feature of
Henderson Street. Snowball was mayor by John Shank. Mr. Shank ran a lobster this house is its original hand-made
of Chatham for two terms and served a canning business and also a store which pegs and wooden nails that were used
year in the House of Commons before was situated on the west side of this in its construction.
he died in 1925. He was also a founding house. In 1892 Mr. W.B. Snowball took 47 King Street, John McDonald
director of the Miramichi Agricultural ownership of the house and it became Residence - John McDonald was one of
Exhibition. At one time, the house had the gardener’s home for Snowball's the prominent builders in Chatham. He
large greenhouses that stretched from large estate called “Sunnyside” (65 is responsible for many of the historic
the back of the house all the way to Henderson St). 53 Howard Street was homes and public buildings here such
King Street. constructed using wooden pegs and has as the Chatham Grammar School (now
We now turn east on Howard Street a stone foundation and pine floors. the School District Office) and various
to 52 Howard Street, J.Y. Mersereau The tour continues to 60 Howard homes throughout the residential and
Residence - This historic home was Street, to a home built in the 1880's, downtown area. His own home at 47
built in 1882 for Dr John Pallen’s son, and then briefly turns south to 74 King King Street is a large, rambling affair
Arthur. It was purchased in 1912 by J.Y. Street, the Nightingale Medical Clinic, with evidence of many additions. In her
Mersereau, a well-known photographer. which was once a large country home Historic Homes of Chatham Vol. III,
Mr. Mersereau was involved in called "Blink Bonnie" and built before Lois Martin remarked that Mr.

24 Mighty Miramichi River Guide 2023/24 | www.riverguide.ca