Welcome to 23 James Street!

 

 

WILLIAM J. ROUE HOUSE – 1879
23 JAMES STREET

The one and a half storey house at the top of James Street was once the home of navel architect Willam J. Roue, who designed a ship that would become a Canadian legend – The Bluenose.

Alexander James, a town school master who later become a lawyer and judge, originally owned the property but Rev. Peter Morrison, Minister of St. James Church from 1877- 1886, had the house built in 1879 and occupied the dwelling until his death in 1902. His widow, Catherine, continued living in the house until 1918.

After Mrs. Morrison, Edward Woodhill, a manufacturer’s agent, occupied the building from 1918 to 1922.

The dwelling, a wood frame building with truncated roof and large bay window on the ground floor, is topped by five sided Scottish dormers. The designer and builder was A. G. Gates, who produced many Dartmouth buildings, including the Union Protection Hall on Queen Street.

After Mr. Woodhill vacated the premises, the house was owned and occupied by William Roue, designer of the fabled fishing schooner “Bluenose”.

During his lifetime, Mr. Roue designed 186 vessels of various sizes, some of which are still afloat. His most successful were large schooners and most famous of these was the Bluenose.

Built at the Smith and Rhuland Yard, in Lunenburg, and launched on March 25, 1921, the Bluenose was the pride of the Canadian fishing fleet, for many years racing and beating numerous American challengers for the International Fishermen’s Trophy.

Mr. Roue was born in 1880 and died in 1970. After his death, the house passed to his estate and was later sold to the Tudor Realty Company.

G. Maffini, an architect, owned the building from 1974-1983, then sold it to Peter Landry, lawyer, who owned the building form 1983 to 1984.

The present owners are Lawrence & Heather Corrigan. The family have occupied the building since 1984 and have had the house registered as a heritage property.