The Oldest Wooden Structure in Nova Scotia
by Light Collector
The deGannes house is the oldest documented wooden structure in Nova Scotia and has been continuously occupied since its construction in 1708. It was built by Major Louis deGannes de Falaise - a native of France who was posted to Port Royal in 1696 - on the site of his previous house, which had been burned in the unsuccessful siege of the town in 1707. Using the cellar foundation and both standing chimneys, he raised a post and beam frame and filled the walls with wattle and daub. In 1710, Port Royal changed hands for the final time and was renamed Annapolis Royal in honour of the reigning Queen. Two years later, the deGannes family returned to France.
Throughout most of the 18th century, the house was the home of the Cosby family, beginning with Alexander Cosby, who came to Nova Scotia in 1721 as a major in the 40th Regiment, commanded by his brother-in-law Richard Phipps, governor of the province. Alexander married Anne Winniett, the daughter of a prominent merchant in town. A son, Phillips Cosby, was a lieutenant with Boscowan’s fleet at Louisbourg in 1758, and aide-de-camp to General Wolfe at Quebec the following year. In 1809 the Reverend Cyrus Perkins purchased the house from the heirs of Anne Cosby. It served as the Anglican rectory during his tenure. Through the mid-nineteenth century, the house was owned by the prosperous Henkel and related Tobias families. It was during this period that the central dormer, shown in the photograph, was added. Later additions to the house included a large ell to the back and dormer windows. It is significant for its construction during the Acadian period, evident in its wattle and daub walls and the very wide floorboards visible in the ceiling of the first floor. It features a gambrel roof and clapboard siding. The deGannes-Cosby house is a provincially and municipally designated heritage building. It has had 16 owners in nearly three hundred years and remains a private residence.
