Tale of two homes
We take a look at two architectural gems in Summerside.
Editor’s Note: 2017 marks the 150-year existence of two architectural gems that grace Summerside’s streetscapes. The Lefurgey Cultural Centre and the Wyatt Historic House Museum, both owned by the City of Summerside, occupy a whole block between Granville and Spring Streets, with Prince Street to the south and Winter Street to the north. Built in 1867, each building has an interesting history. In tribute to their milestone anniversaries, 15 weekly articles, focusing on decades, will highlight the changes that have taken place within their walls and in the community. This is the first in that series.
The Town of Summerside, originally known as Green’s Shore, developed on lots sold by descendants of Loyalist settler Daniel Green, who had been granted land in the area. The thriving commercial centre of the 1860s was founded on the industry of shipbuilding established the decade before along the shoreline of the natural harbour.
An 1867 journalist cheekily referred to it as a “red mud city,” which would have been an indication of the rough conditions in the spring and fall when horse-drawn wagons and buggies made their way around the community of about 2,000 people.
During the decade, many entrepreneurs were attracted to the growing town, including the original owners of 205 Prince Street and 85 Spring Street, the two historical houses now owned by the City of Summerside. Those men were William Tuplin and Robert Strong. They were both relatively young and doing well in their careers and thus would have been pleased to acquire adjacent building lots from John Green in a new residential area of the town. William Tuplin, a carriage builder in Margate, had moved his business in 1865 to Summerside, where he built a large workshop on Water Street. He employed a number of men in the trade and felt secure enough with his business to consider a stately dwelling.
Tuplin hired a local builder, Matthew Dempsey, who employed a crew of four to build a Gothic Revival house at the corner of Granville and Prince Streets.
They would have worked with hand tools and Island lumber to construct the threestorey building, which, typical of the times, would have lacked plumbing, electricity and central heating.
The local newspaper described the new 1867 house as having “a verandah all around and a cupola on the top from which a fine view of the harbour and surrounding country could be seen.”
Robert A. Strong, the son of an early Methodist missionary, had moved his mercantile business from Charlottetown to Summerside around 1859. He operated his store as “Albion House” and also served as an agent for the steamer that made twice-weekly trips between Summerside and Point du Chene, N.B.
In 1864, Strong was living on First Street and was instrumental in organizing the Sunday School of the Methodist Church on the same street. The builder of his 1867 home on the corner of Spring and Prince is unknown. The Georgian-style structure has attractive bay windows on the south side and would have been admired in its position on the generous lot. The town was expanding quickly under a strong economy in the 1860s and according to a member of the press it was “a live place” where people were busy and industrious.
Who had time for Canadian Confederation?