Magee House - Ottawa, Ontario
Posted by: Weathervane
N 45° 25.207 W 075° 41.358
18T E 446071 N 5029852
Magee House, built in 1895 for the founder of the Bank of Ottawa, Charles Magee, was designed by Toronto architect Mathew Sheard. In 1943, the residence was purchased and became HMCS Bytown, the naval officers' mess.
Waymark Code: WM143PQ
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date Posted: 04/08/2021
Views: 0
The Magee House's cultural heritage value lies in its being an excellent example of the Queen Anne Revival style popular at the end of the 19th century and frequently used for the houses of the wealthy. It was designed by Toronto architect Mathew Sheard and, typical of the Queen Anne Revival, features an irregular plan with a cross gable roof, projecting bays, and a rich profusion of wooden details including carved bracketed bargeboards, shingles in the gable end, and a dentilled cornice. The building also features a rich assortment of window types, a two storey gabled bay with decorative bargeboard, and two chimneys with brick details that are repeated in the string courses. It is one of a pair of Queen Anne Revival houses on Lisgar Street (66 and 78) owned by members of the Magee family.
The Magee House's cultural heritage value also lies.in its association with Charles Magee, a prominent Ottawa businessman. Magee was born in Ottawa in 1840 and started his career in the dry goods business. In 1871 he became the sole trustee of the Sparks Estate, and eventually became a large landholder, selling his lots as the city developed. He founded the Bank of Ottawa and served as a city councillor and as a member of many boards. Magee moved to this house after creating a lot from a previous house directly to the south and building a new house on it, adjacent to his daughter's house next door at 66 Lisgar Street.
The Magee House also has cultural heritage value as HMCS Bytown, the naval officers' mess since 1943 when it was purchased from Frederick Magee, Charles's son. Additions have been constructed to the east and south facades of the building to accommodate its use as a mess
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