Baptist Meeting House (Morrison House)
Title
Baptist Meeting House (Morrison House)
Church Name
Baptist Meeting House (Morrison House)
Church Association
N/A
Province
Nova Scotia
County
Richmond County
Address
3258 West Bay Highway, St. Georges Channel, Nova Scotia
Status
Alternative Use
Date
Built 1836
Historical Information
The Morrison House is a one-and-a-half storey, gable roof, simple style house with Gothic Revival influences, including a large gable dormer over the vestibule, with three pointed windows. It is believed that the building was built in 1836 as a Baptist-meeting house in nearby West Bay and moved to St. George’s Channel, Cape Breton, NS that same year. The house overlooks West Bay and out into the Bras D'or Lakes.
The Morrison House is valued for its historical association with its second owner, the Reverend John Stewart. In 1835 the Reverend John Stewart was inducted as minister for Presbyterians living along St. George’s Channel and The Points West Bay. Reverend Stewart preached in the church at The Points and the church at Black River in both Gaelic and English. In 1838 his congregation was so far behind in paying his stipend that he sold the Morrison House (when it was used as a meeting house) and the surrounding property and moved to Pictou, Nova Scotia.
The Morrison House is also valued for the building’s unaltered appearance since its transformation into a residence. Built in 1836 as a simple, one-and-a-half storey, gable roof meetinghouse, the Morrison House was dragged over ice and placed on its present site, and was converted that same year into a residence with the addition of Gothic Revival elements. The wood frame structure was never used as a meetinghouse. The changes and additions that were made to the building were sensitive to new style of the residence as Gothic Revival. The addition of two large gable dormers transformed its roofline into a cross-gable roof while expanding its interior space. The fanlight and sidelights on the projected vestibule, and the pointed windows on the gable ends add Gothic Revival elements to the house.
Information and photo from Canada Historic Places
The Morrison House is valued for its historical association with its second owner, the Reverend John Stewart. In 1835 the Reverend John Stewart was inducted as minister for Presbyterians living along St. George’s Channel and The Points West Bay. Reverend Stewart preached in the church at The Points and the church at Black River in both Gaelic and English. In 1838 his congregation was so far behind in paying his stipend that he sold the Morrison House (when it was used as a meeting house) and the surrounding property and moved to Pictou, Nova Scotia.
The Morrison House is also valued for the building’s unaltered appearance since its transformation into a residence. Built in 1836 as a simple, one-and-a-half storey, gable roof meetinghouse, the Morrison House was dragged over ice and placed on its present site, and was converted that same year into a residence with the addition of Gothic Revival elements. The wood frame structure was never used as a meetinghouse. The changes and additions that were made to the building were sensitive to new style of the residence as Gothic Revival. The addition of two large gable dormers transformed its roofline into a cross-gable roof while expanding its interior space. The fanlight and sidelights on the projected vestibule, and the pointed windows on the gable ends add Gothic Revival elements to the house.
Information and photo from Canada Historic Places
Files
Collection
Citation
“Baptist Meeting House (Morrison House),” Atlantic Baptist Built Heritage Project , accessed May 2, 2024, https://atlanticbaptistheritage.omeka.net/items/show/219.