Halifax, Nova Scotia. (1760)

                                

As a member of the City of Halifax's Heritage Advisory Committee, we ere presented with a request to de-register this Registered Heritage Property, which included notice of an application for a building permit to Demolish.   The City staff provided a report which recommended registration on the basis that the building should only be evaluated from the period it became a Hotel in 1867,  The Chair, Vice Chair and Graeme Duffus took great exception tot his view and undertook our own research.  What we uncovered was a wealth of long forgotten history; the story of "The Father of the Province" the Honourable Richard Bulkeley, and evidence that a substantial portion of the original 1760 Mansion was hidden behind the current facade of the Carleton House.   Later, upon it's purchase and renovation, Graeme Duffus was able to make numerous visits to the site to record structure and interpret original fabric.  Upon development of preliminary drawings the Department of Tourism and Culture's Heritage Unit purchased a copy of the final "as found" and interpretive drawings, for the Public Archives.  

Continued interest in this unique Heritage building and it's original owner has resulted in: an article published in the newsletter of the Canadian association of Professional Heritage Consultants, Spring 1994; interpretive drawings of the original building; and co-authorship of a book - the Carleton House: Living History in Halifax, with Dr. Paul A. Erickson.  

Project dates: 1984, 1986, 2012