Mountain View Lodge
Old Route 5
1880
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Located near the Big Bras d’Or Ferry, Mountain View Lodge was the first or last place of lodging after crossing the ferry. After the death of Florence Livingston in 1949, the property was sold to the Ahle family who continued to run the lodge, as well as a successful dairy farming operation. Records from the time show that when the Ahle’s ran the lodge they offered a wide variety of services to their guests; motor boat and motor coach rentals as well as return trips to the Bird Islands. This was the start of the Bird Island Boat tours, a long standing tourist attraction on Boularderie Island. The family who now occupies the house uses it as a private residence and operates cottages as part of the Bird Island Boat tours. The house which was built circa 1880 is vernacular (for the time) with strong Victorian details. It is a one and one half storey with a steeply pitched gable roof with a brick inset chimney. The exterior is wooden shingles with barge and corner boards. The windows are varied in size, and a combination of single pane tilt types, fixed light and sliding, most with hoods. There are two small pointed dormers on the front elevation. The front façade is four bay and asymmetrical. The original foundation was fieldstone. In addition to an orchard, there are outbuildings which include pig pens and barns.
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Architectural Comment
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Built in 1880, this is a good example of local vernacular architecture, with strong Victorian detail. The foundation of the home is fieldstone. Windows are varied in size, fixed light and single pane tilting types. Exterior is shingled, with barge and corner boards. There are two small pointed dormers on the front elevation. The front façade is four bay and asymmetrical.
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Contextual Comment
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An 1874 church map of the Big Bras d’Or area shows George Rogers with a land grant of 102 acres. Local history states that he may have acquired the land from an Angus Livingston or an R. Buckmaster. These two men are thought to have connections to this piece of land as much as 40 years earlier. George Rogers got the grant from the Crown in 1872 and he divided the land into two strips in 1881. One piece was sold to George and Flora Livingston, the other he kept for himself. It is presumed that George and Flora built the house that is standing on the property today. In 1899 the Livingstons took out a mortgage and put a large addition onto the house. On the 1901 census the house was described as an 11 bedroom 1 and 1 half storey dwelling. The Livingstons operated the house as Mountain View Lodge. After their deaths in 1915 and 1919 the lodge was run by their daughter Florence until 1949.
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