100 Prince Street

Heritage Resource (Charlottetown)
1979-10-26

	100 Prince Street Charlottetown   Construction Date: 1827   Latitude: 46.23584 Longitude: -63.12408
Place Description Why is this place important? Special Characteristics Place Description 100 Prince Street is a Georgian influenced home that was built by local builder Henry Smith. Constructed in 1827, it is the oldest home on a block that includes a great number of historic homes. The designation encompasses the building's exterior and parcel; it does not include the building's interior. Why is this place important? The heritage value of 100 Prince Street lies in its association with local builder, Henry Smith; its association with World War II veteran and sports enthusiast, William Wright Reid (1913-1987); as well as the building's role in supporting the Prince Street streetscape. Henry Smith and his brother, Isaac Smith, were contractors for two of Charlottetown's most recognizable landmarks. Their firm built Province House, where the Fathers of Confederation met to discuss Canadian confederation in 1864 and where the Province's Legislature sits to this day. Another one of their projects was Government House, also known as Fanningbank, the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island. Before working on the aforementioned large projects, Henry Smith built his home at 100 Prince Street in 1827. The well proportioned home is Georgian influenced in its style. The Georgian style followed a British tradition that began in the 1700s and the early 1800s. The style was popular for buildings in Charlottetown. Smith and his wife, Ann, lived in the home with their large family until 1858, when at age 63, he packed up his family and left for Auckland, New Zealand. The group of Islanders traveled aboard the Prince Edward, an Island built ship. Newspaper reports and diary entries tell us that the voyage took 162 days. The group arrived safely in New Zealand on the 13 May 1859. Smith put his home up for sale and well-known jeweler and watchmaker, William Wright Wellner bought it in 1866. Wellner began a business that lasted for 92 years. He operated his business from 103 Grafton Street. Wellner lived in the home for a time, but later moved up the street to the address, 108 Prince Street. He then rented 100 Prince out to various tenants including William Brown, a silversmith and George Hughes, paymaster for the railway. According to City Directories, Arthur B. Reid, a dentist whose office was located on Grafton Street lived at 100 Prince Street from the early 1920s until the late 1930s. Reid was married to Beulah Wellner. Descendants of Reid and Wellner occupied the home until the 1980s with Brigadier-General William Wright Reid listed as residing at the home in the Prince Edward Island Directory of 1950. Among his many accomplishments, Brigadier-General Bill Reid was a World War II veteran, the first commander of the Prince Edward Island Regiment, clerk of the Legislative Assembly, and a pioneer in physical fitness on Prince Edward Island. An athlete since his school days, Reid was a natural fit in to the role of the first Director of Physical Fitness on Prince Edward Island. A tireless volunteer and military hero, Reid was given two honorary degrees, made a member of the Order of Canada in 1973 and inducted into the Prince Edward Island Sports Hall of Fame in 1985. 100 Prince Street in its long history has been associated with many prominent Islanders. The home has been well kept, has retained its original character and therefore is a well preserved example of a Georgian influenced house and is an asset to the Prince Street streetscape. Sources: Heritage Office, City of Charlottetown Planning Department, PO Box 98, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7K2 #1625 Special Characteristics The following Georgian influenced character-defining elements illustrate the heritage value of 100 Prince Street: - The massing of the wood framed building with its symmetrical facade - The style and placement of the windows, including the four large windows of the first floor and the five smaller windows of the second floor facade. The style and placement of the decorative rectangular window on the south side of the building. - The style and placement of the centrally placed door and porch. The porch features a hipped roof, a transom light and two sidelights. - The simple contrasting trim running throughout the facade - The pitch of the gable roof - The style and placement of the chimney Other character-defining elements of 100 Prince Street are: - The location of the building set close to the street