275 Pelham St, Lunenburg, NS B0J 2C0

Some old houses harbour a mystery. Once a farmhouse, built in 1863 in a simplified Gothic Revival style, this house is the oldest surviving house on Blockhouse Hill. It was constructed on a large piece of land severed from the Common Lands at the crest of the drumlin and in the beginning stood alone on what was then known as the Blue Rocks Road, surrounded by fields and orchards, with a broad aspect looking south-west over Lunenburg Bay. The original family who built this house is unknown; nor is the reason known for their homestead being sold. The farm was purchased by Senator Kaulbach - who evidently dappled in property speculation. It was sold as a much smaller town lot with the existing farmhouse in 1873. The house changed many hands till it was purchased by a man of the sea, Capt. Albert Selig in 1908. At that time it underwent a dramatic reincarnation when the two rooms on the west side of the house were transformed into an elegant Edwardian double-parlour, boasting outstanding oak woodwork. An archway with supporting columns divides the room and makes a bold statement - in its day indicating the prosperity of its owners. The house also features a large kitchen with a wide bay affording glimpses of Lunenburg harbour. A separate front room or den has been used in the past as both a dining-room and a ground floor bedroom, but would originally have been Captain Selig's private office. This home has a separate mudroom and a full bath at the rear off the kitchen. An additional full bath is on the second floor at the end of a long hall, which is flanked by two bedrooms to either side. There is a small sitting area at the gothic dormer looking out to sea, suitable for a desk or as a reading nook. The garden wraps around the house facing south-west and offers beautiful sunsets over the water each day. The intersection of Sawpit Rd and Pelham St historically was coined, The Forgotten Corner. 2023-02-07