The neighborhood, known as the "Old South End" is one of the oldest residential districts in Halifax, containing many heritage buildings, including the Sarah Moren House. Built about 1886, it was one of two built on the site of the old home of Bishop Charles Inglis, the first Anglican bishop of Nova Scotia. Showing some Italianate influence, the building has a rare type of Second Empire roof, rare in that it is mansarded on all four sides, as opposed to only the front elevation. The large bow window opposite the main entrance is very much a Victorian touch, as is the general asymmetry of the façade.
The building received its name from Sarah Elizabeth Moren, wife a West India merchant and president of the Glace Bay Mining Company, who lived in the house until her death in 1916. Today owned by Dalhousie University, it first housed the Placement Office and the Atlantic Industrial Research Institute of the Nova Scotia Technical College. Today is appears that it is used primarily for university-related social functions.
The Sarah Moren House was designated a City of Halifax heritage property In November of 1989.
Sarah Moren House
Building History
This three-story house was built on the original site of the late 19th century home of Bishop Charles Inglis, the first Anglican bishop of Nova Scotia, and the birthplace of Sir John Inglis, "the Hero of Lucknow" ("Historic House", "Tech President's Home..." 6). It was "one of few brick residences built in the 1880s . . . noted for its transitional design and simple stone embellishment ("Two buildings granted heritage property status").
The Moren House is part of a series of houses built between 1864 and 1891 which show "the evolution of residential design" in Halifax's Old South End (Banks 2, 1334 Barrington Street - Historical Information). "The second storey is Italianate," and the truncated, Second Empire-style of the roof on all of its four sides is rare in Halifax, since it was customary to 'mansard' only the front (Banks 2, 1334 Barrington Street - Historical Information). Other design features include a bay window and segmental arches.
The house was named after "Sarah Elizabeth Moren, wife of James A. Moren, a West India merchant and president of the Glace Bay Mining Company" ("Two buildings granted heritage property status"). It was built in 1886 by Mr. James R. Lithgow, an accountant with Mr. Moren. Lithgow lived in the house from 1887 until he sold it in 1893 to Mrs. Moren, who had been widowed a few years prior. Mrs. Moren lived in the house from 1893 until her death in 1916.
After Mrs. Moren's death, the house was acquired and occupied by George C. Oland, father of Sydney Oland and a member of what was considered to be "the nearest thing to a royal family in Nova Scotia" (Banks 1). George Oland lived in the house until his death in 1933, and
the house remained in Oland hands through Mr. Oland's wife (who died in 1947) and then his daughter, Margaret VanKlatt. In 1955, the house became occupied as the Headquarters for Civil Defence and in 1960 by the Nova Scotia division of the Corps of Commissionaires.
In 1966, the Nova Scotia Technical College acquired the Moren House and housed the Placement Office and the Atlantic Industrial Research Institute there as of September 19 of that year, after renovations were made by the College's maintenance staff.
In 1977, new College President Dr. J. Clair Callaghan had the house restored and occupied it as his residence, and used it as the site for university-related social functions. The restoration project was largely designed by the College's campus design architect Larry Richards in conjunction with the College's Architecture students, while most of the physical work was done by the staff of the College's Physical Plant, with Mr. Janusz Rosinski and his Historic Restoration Company Ltd. contracted to offer supervisory services and some additional work. The restoration cost about $61,000, remained faithful to period detail overall and included the purchase of primarily Victorian furniture. Dr. Callaghan
vacated the Moren House in July 1989, shortly after his departure as President of the College, which had been renamed the 'Technical University of Nova Scotia' in 1980.
In November 1989, the building was designated as a City of Halifax heritage property; its official recognition ceremony was held in February 1990 during the City's Heritage Week activities.
From Dalhousie University