Description of Historic Place

The Superintendent’s Residence is located adjacent to the Carillon Canal, as part of the Carillon National Historic Site of Canada, in the village of Carillon. It is a two-storey, squared-stone structure with a one-storey wood extension and pitched roof. Its principal façade is four bays wide and has an asymmetrically placed entrance and regularly spaced windows. A long verandah, covered by a roof supported by ornate posts, runs along the main façades. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The Superintendent’s Residence is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental value.

Historical Value
The Superintendent’s Residence is a rare surviving example of a structure associated with the military and commercial role of the Carillon Canal, which was built between 1829 and 1833. The Superintendent’s Residence symbolizes the presence and the role of the military canals in the region since it is the primary visual element associated with that function.

Architectural Value
The Superintendent’s Residence is valued for its good aesthetic and functional design. The house is characterized by its balanced proportions and the symmetrical arrangement of its openings. The repetition of the same roof angle for the main building and its extension establishes a visual harmony of primary importance. The building also demonstrates very good craftsmanship and materials, seen in the exterior wall masonry construction.

Environmental Value
The Superintendent’s Residence reinforces the historic rural character of its canal setting in the village of Carillon. As part of the Carillon Canal National Historic Site of Canada, it is a well known building in the area.

Sources: Normand Lafrenière et Yvan Fortier, La maison du percepteur, Canal de Carillon, Québec, Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office, Building Report, 89-007; Superintendent’s House, Carillon Canal, Carillon, Québec, Heritage Character Statement, 89-007.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Superintendent’s Residence should be respected.

Its good aesthetic and functional design and very good craftsmanship and materials, as for example: the two-storey rectangular massing with a gently sloping pitched roof, chimney stack and pitched roof wood extension; the repetition of the same roof angle for both the main building and extension; the verandah, which runs along the façades of the main building and the extension; the small second-storey verandah protected by a pavilion roof; the woodwork on the exterior and interior of the building; its exterior walls of squared stone masonry, terminating in quoins; the regular arrangement of openings on the front and rear façades.

The manner in which the Superintendent’s Residence reinforces the historic rural character of its canal setting in the village of Carillon and is a well-known building, as evidenced by: its overall scale, massing, design and materials that complement the adjacent Collector’s House and which contribute to the historic character of the canal site and rural surroundings; its ongoing operational role at the Carillon Canal National Historic Site of Canada, which makes it a familiar building in the area.

Heritage Character Statement

Disclaimer - The heritage character statement was developed by FHBRO to explain the reasons for the designation of a federal heritage building and what it is about the building that makes it significant (the heritage character). It is a key reference document for anyone involved in planning interventions to federal heritage buildings and is used by FHBRO in their review of interventions.

The former Superintendent’s House, built between 1842 and 1843, is a sombre stone building. Construction of the Superintendent’s House was contracted out under the supervision of the Royal Engineers in 1842-1843. This building initially combined the functions of lockmaster’s residence and office for the Royal Engineers. Around 1857, it was renovated to serve as residence for the superintendent of the Carillon and Grenville Canals, a function which it continued to serve until 1967. Since then it has remained vacant.

In 1972, it was transferred (with the Carillon Canal) from the Department of Transport to Parks Canada. See FHBRO Building Report 89-07.

Reasons for Designation

The Superintendent’s House was designated Recognized for its historical association with local development, its sober architectural design and its environmental significance.

The Superintendent’s House is one of the rare surviving structures that attests to the military and commercial role of the Carillon Canal, which was built between 1829 and 1833. The Superintendent’s House symbolizes the presence and the role of the military canals in the region since it is the primary visual element associated with this function. The Superintendent’s House is the key element of the site’s current heritage character.

Character Defining Elements

The heritage character resides in the two-storey rectangular structure topped by a gently sloping pitched roof, the massive chimney stack, the wood extension, the verandah which runs along the facades of the main building and the extension, the small second-storey verandah protected by a pavilion roof and the woodwork inside and outside the building.

The exterior walls are of squared stone masonry, terminating in quoins. This construction method must be preserved.

The aesthetics of the building as a whole are excellent and must be respected. The repetition of the same roof angle for these two adjoining structures establishes a visual harmony of primary importance. The same is true for the rhythm of solids and voids in the main facade. The basic aesthetic of the rear facade is very good as well as the rhythm of the openings.

The rear verandah suffers somewhat from the fact that approximately two-thirds of its length has been removed. Reconstruction of this element would enhance the heritage character of the building. The rather massive columns of the front verandah detract from the excellent aesthetic contribution of this element. Consideration could be given to restoring the original proportions of the columns in future work.

The rural character of the immediate surroundings must be preserved.