Lunenburg’s Historic Houses

Lunenburg was the first British colonial settlement in Nova Scotia outside of Halifax and was a deliberate attempt at civilian colonization of what, until that time, had been a native and subsequently Acadian territory.

Settlers were lured from Germany, Switzerland and the Montbeliard region of France, by the promise of free land in the New World, and shortly after their arrival, were allocated Town lots, garden lots just east of the Town, 30 acre and 300 acre farm lots in the hinterlands.

The Town itself was sited on a neck of land between the front and back harbours and was laid out in a rectangular grid pattern on the steep hillsides, facing south.

The area within this planned grid came to be known as the “Old Town” and its unique flavour and architectural character is still derived strongly from the narrow streets and compact lots of the original plan.

Here is just a sample of the very varied architecture of Lunenburg.

The house in my first picture was build around 1880, with its mansard roof, round headed windows and pedimented dormer. Like many houses it has decorative trims at the eaves or windows.

The long, brown, Koch-Solomon house was built around 1780 for the merchant, and sawmill owner Henry Koch. Built on a massive stone foundation, the post and beam plank wall structure is designed in the  style of the late Georgian period.  The central doorway has ornamented side and transom windows.

The blue house on the first page, was probably built about 1840. The large 5 sided dormer projects over the doorway and decorative brackets link it with the door trim.

The blue house on page two was the home of the first Mayor of Lunenburg, Augustus Wolff. It has a centrally projecting dormer flanked by 2 smaller dormers. The dormers all have 2-tiered roofs and round headed windows. The central dormer has fret work on its lower edge over the main door.

The  John Heckman house, with the brown and blue paint, was built about 1800. The dormer window was probably added at a later date.

The Kaulbach house – the green, yellow and red – has a mansard roof with small second storey, peaked, dormer windows.  An extended dormer, with a bell cast tower roof and attic dormers, projects over the lower porch. Cornices at the doors and windows are all accented by dark paint. ‘Kaulbach’ is inscribed in the steps that lead to the front door.

The little house with number 80 on the door, is probably the oldest in the town, dating possibly around 1761. The small dormers that once flanked the main one have been removed. Original windows have been replaced by a large double leafed door and multipaned window,  probably when the house was used as the town’s Customs Office.

A walk around Lunenburg is full of surprises. There are so many interesting buildings to look at with details to examine that you didn’t notice previously.

Every walk is a new adventure.