Loyalist House, National historic site in Saint John, Canada.
Loyalist House is a Georgian mansion with a low hipped roof, four end chimneys, and a symmetrical facade that faces the street. Inside, the center-hall floor plan distributes rooms evenly on either side, with sash windows arranged in a balanced pattern throughout.
Built between 1810 and 1817 by a merchant, the house was owned by people who had migrated from the American colonies to Canada. It was among the rare structures in the area that survived a devastating fire in 1877 that destroyed much of the surrounding cityscape.
The family that occupied this house shaped it over many generations while keeping its original character intact. You can see the furnishings and personal objects that reflect the daily life of those who lived here.
The building sits on elevated ground because surrounding streets were excavated over time, leaving it above the current street level. Visitors should be prepared to climb a few steps to reach the entrance, which makes the house distinctly visible from the surrounding area.
A striking feature is how the house sits elevated above the street because surrounding roads were dug down over the decades. This left it perched above the current street level, creating an unusual spatial relationship between the building and the city around it.
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