Matthew Farfan

The Victorians were famous for their eclectic architecture. Fashion changed dramatically throughout the period (1837-1901), which saw the adoption, one after another, of a succession of architectural styles from earlier periods in European history. Several major "revivals" achieved immense popularity, with considerable overlap in time. These included the Georgian, Classical Revival, Gothic Revival, Italianate, Second Empire, Neo-Romanesque, and Queen Anne styles. Elements of these various movements are found, often in combination with other styles, in most buildings of the period, from the humblest dwellings to the grandest public edifices.

In the Eastern Townships, the Victorian period (and the years immediately following) produced some spectacular homes. For people of means there was no better way to display wealth and prosperity than in the design of their home, or at least the side of it facing the street. Pride or pretension, the results were often impressive.