OLIVER PARNELL HOUSE

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Historical Notes

THIS HOUSE BELONGED TO OLIVER & MATILDA PARNELL BOTH OF WHOM ESCAPED FROM SLAVERY IN THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. OLIVER'S ESCAPE IS DOCUMENTED IN WILLIAM STILL'S BOOK "THE UNDERGROUND RAIL ROAD" 1855; A COLLECTION OF NARRITIVES AND LETTERS OF THE HARDSHIPS THEY ENDURED. THEY ACCUMULATED A LARGE AMOUNT OF LAND IN DRUMMONDVILLE AND IN 1891 DONATED THE LOT ON THE CORNER OF PEER STREET AND GREY AVENUE FOR THE USE OF THE BRITISH METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

Architectural Notes

A VERNACULAR BUILDING, REFLECTING THE POPULARIZATION OF THE GOTHIC REVIVAL MOVEMENT FOUND IN THIS PART OF CANADA IN THE 1870'S. THE HOUSE HAS A NUMBER OF GOTHIC ELEMENTS, INCLUDING A CENTRAL GABLE, NARROWER WINDOWS AND WINDOW MOULDINGS. THE HOUSE HAS A SYMMETRICAL FRONT PORCH WITH DECORATIVE MOULDINGS.