Built in 1786 by William Ray, a cooper (barrel maker), the Quaker House is one of the oldest buildings in Dartmouth. It is also the last of the Quaker Houses built by Nantucket whalers who immigrated to Dartmouth in an attempt to avoid British tariffs on whale oil after the American War of Independence.
Rescued from demolition in 1971 by the Dartmouth Museum Society, the house was turned into an interpreted historic house which is open to the public every summer. Outside, the house appears to be essentially the same as it has for well over 200 years. Inside, the building is equally original in appearance, with original heavy timber framing and original fireplace. It has been furnished with period furnishings and artefacts and appears much as it would have in 1786.
When open in the summer, period dressed interpreters are available in the house, giving tours and interpretive talks to visitors.
Due to the War of Independence, Nantucket residents and New England whaling industry watched as 80 % of the whaling fleet was destroyed. Crews were captured and imprisoned, while blockades prevented any from earning a living at sea. When the war ended, too much competition has arisen in surrounding areas, and the final blow was when the British Parliament affixed a duty to American whale oil. To escape this tax as well as the fierce competition, a deal was struck with Governor John Parr to migrate Nantucket whalers to Nova Scotia. The first wave of Quaker settlers appeared in 1785. They arrived and built their houses on the foundations of the first settlement, and also built wharves, 2 spermaceti candle factories, warehouses and workshops.
The Whaling life was difficult for both the men and women. Men were at sea for up to 2 years at a time and the life was dangerous. Nonetheless, the Dartmouth fleet underwent a rapid expansion and became the rival of every whaling centre throughout the world. In fact, it was a little too successful and even rivalled the mighty British and West Indies markets. In a ploy to bring the success home to the British Isles, the Quaker community was made an impressive offer and the whaling industry moved to Milford Haven in Wales after being in Dartmouth for only a decade. Some of the Quakers remained in Dartmouth however, the most notable being Seth Coleman. One of his grandsons, a master whaler out of Nantucket, signed on a new crewmember Herman Melville who wrote Moby Dick, one of the great literary classics.
It is interesting to note that when renovation work was done and beams were exposed, they were numbered as if for easy assembly upon reaching Dartmouth. Also of interest was the discovery of 4 separate shoes within its walls, a long reaching folk superstition. It was believed that if you embedded one shoe from a pair within the walls, the devil would be always looking for the other shoe and never find you!
From the Quaker House Museum
Quaker House
DESCRIPTION OF HISTORIC PLACE
Quaker House is located on a busy street in downtown Dartmouth, NS. A one time residential area of Dartmouth, this portion of Ochterloney Street now contains mainly commercial buildings. The Halifax Harbour is clearly visible from the front yard of the House, which sits nearly at the street line. Designation applies to the building and property.
HERITAGE VALUE
The Quaker House in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, is valued for both its unique architecture and social history. Built in 1786, Quaker House is one of the oldest buildings in downtown Dartmouth and the only surviving house of twelve Quaker homes that were built in the era in the mid 1780s for whalers who came from Nantucket to Nova Scotia to avoid high British tariffs following the end of the American Revolution.
While similarities to this house can be found in other early Nova Scotian homes, this is the only extant eighteenth century Quaker home in the province. Quaker House is a two-an-a-half residential building that exhibits heavy timber framing and the older portion of the house was built without an excavated basement, much like traditional Quaker homes on Nantucket Island. Quaker House contributes to the surrounding streetscape and size and massing. Its unadorned, symmetrical façade, clad with wooden shingles, has become a well known local landmark and represents the early history of Dartmouth and its ties to maritime industry. The site is presently operated as a museum.
CHARACTER-DEFINING ELEMENTS
- heavy timber framing;
- wood shingled façade;
- two and a half storeys;
- asymmetrical façade with six-over-six wooden windows and off-centre door;
- original stone foundation under front section of house;
- all original and historic interior elements including wooden floors, panels, doors, mantles, stairs and painted main hallway;
- position close to the street;
- unadorned façade;
- remains of original fireplaces and chimneys;
- historic side addition with slightly bellcast roof.
From Historic Places Canada