The George Wright Mansion

Text

George Wright was born in 1849 in Wright's Cove on the Dartmouth side of Bedford Basin. Wright became a millionaire as a housing developer and by publishing a worldwide trading directory and gazette called Wright's World Business Directory. Wright returned to Halifax in 1896 as a wealthy and well-travelled man. There he gained recognition as a property developer and philanthropist, using his wealth and status to help improve the lives of women, children, and the working class in Halifax.

Wright hired James C. Dumaresq to design a home for him on Young Avenue at the corner of Inglis Street. Wright was Dumaresq’s most important client, hiring him to design over 20 buildings including the Marble Building and the St. Paul's Building on Barrington Street. J. C. Dumaresq & Son's floor plans and elevations for Wright's house were finalized on October 31, 1902. The mansion was built at a cost of over $10,000 and was completed at the end of 1903.  

The Wright House was designed in the Queen Anne Revival style, including two-storey high columns that frame the main entrance and a three-section Palladian window over the door. Perhaps most striking are the round corner towers with conical roofs facing Young Avenue. At the time the house was built, there was a nice ornamental fence surrounding the property, but at some point, it was removed.

The house's interior was as elaborate as its exterior. Originally the basement had servants' stairs, two coal rooms for hard and soft coal, a toilet near the stairs, a larder, furnace room and large open area, plus a laundry area. The ground floor consisted of entrance and vestibule, main hall and stairwell, library, an L-shaped sunroom with a bank of windows facing Young Avenue, parlour, living room with corner tower, dining room, kitchen, pantry, rear servant's stairs, and rear entry. The second level had the main stairwell and hallway leading to three bedrooms – one of which was a tower room – two baths, dressing room, and servant's stairs to the rear. The attic had the main stairwell and possibly a servant's bedroom, servant's stairs, and a large L-shaped open area probably for storage.

In 1912, Wright tragically passed away (read the surprising story here). In his will, Wright's fortune was distributed amongst several worthy causes including the Y.M.C.A. building fund and $275,000 for Dalhousie University. He bequeathed his house to the Halifax Local Council of Women (later Local Council of Women Halifax or LCWH), which Wright had supported for years given their shared concern over the "evils" of their time – strong drink, prostitution, and the poverty of widows and children. Although the interior has changed over the decades, the LCWH's Council House remains a landmark in Halifax's south end. The George Wright House/LCWH's Council House is now a Federal Heritage Building and recognized as one of Canada's Historic Places.