276 Montague Street - Morris Division
The Edwin Odell Residence is designated as a Local Historic Pace for its architecture, its association with the famed architects who designed it, and for its association with two of its long time owners, Edwin Odell and Dr. Hugh O’Neill.
The Edwin Odell residence is recognized as being a good example of the Beaux Arts style. In 1910, Edward and William Maxwell drew the plans for the Edwin Odell Residence and the home was soon constructed. The front façade is enhanced by a three sided verandah with columns supporting an upper storey balcony. The upper storey balcony doors are paced in a narrow central bay projection with a pediment roof. The verandah roof forms into an elliptical arch in the central bay, above the steps to the verandah. An unusual aspect of this home is that the entranceway is not centrally lo- cated, allowing for a large parlor without the busyness of a doorway. The Maxwell brothers added many elements to this property that were displayed in their original plans, such as cornice mouldings throughout the building aligned with modillions, and pine panel quoins decorating the corners of the central projection and at each corner of the front façade. Many of the Maxwell homes in St. Andrews were built as summer homes, but this home was winterized and built for a local resident. It was the first home designed by the Maxwells that was clad with clapboards as opposed to shingles.
The Edwin Odell Residence is also recognized for the architects who designed the home. The architectural practice of brothers Edward and William Maxwell was among the most important in Canada during the early decades of the 20th century. Their works still hold a place of prominence in Canada and include the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the Birks Store in Montreal, the Saskatchewan Parliament in Regina, and the Palliser hotel in Calgary. The Maxwell period in Canada extended from 1892 until 1939 and spanned the late Victorian, Edwardian, and early modern eras. This residence was designed during the firm’s most vital period, between 1902 and 1923, when the two brothers worked together. At the peak of their career they were the largest and most prominent architectural firm in Canada and employed as many as 56 draftsmen.
The Edwin Odell Residence is also recognized for its association with two long time owners of the home. Edwin Odell was a lifelong resident of St. Andrews and had always been connected with the dry goods business, starting in the store with his father, Thomas Turner Odell, and brother, T. T. Odell, Jr., until 1907 when he went into business for himself. He passed away here in 1931.
In 1939 Mr. Odell’s heir sold the home to Dr. Hugh Pius O’Neill. Dr. O’Neill was a physician in St. Andrews for over 60 years, attending to a patient the night before he died. He was born at St. Andrews in 1877 to a prominent St. Andrews family, and after receiving local education he entered Columbia University in New York where he received his medical degree. He practised in St. Andrews continuously, saving for a brief period when he moved to San Juan, California, returning to St. Andrews in 1928. He served as a captain during the First World War, and in 1958 he was honored by the Canadian Medical Association as one of its senior practicing physicians. He passed away here in 1966.
The character-defining elements of this property include:
The character-defining elements of the Edwin Odell Residence property include:
Architectural Style: Colonial Revival
Source: Charlotte County Archives - Old Gaol - St. Andrews, New Brunswick
The Edwin Odell residence is recognized as being a good example of the Beaux Arts style. In 1910, Edward and William Maxwell drew the plans for the Edwin Odell Residence and the home was soon constructed. The front façade is enhanced by a three sided verandah with columns supporting an upper storey balcony. The upper storey balcony doors are paced in a narrow central bay projection with a pediment roof. The verandah roof forms into an elliptical arch in the central bay, above the steps to the verandah. An unusual aspect of this home is that the entranceway is not centrally lo- cated, allowing for a large parlor without the busyness of a doorway. The Maxwell brothers added many elements to this property that were displayed in their original plans, such as cornice mouldings throughout the building aligned with modillions, and pine panel quoins decorating the corners of the central projection and at each corner of the front façade. Many of the Maxwell homes in St. Andrews were built as summer homes, but this home was winterized and built for a local resident. It was the first home designed by the Maxwells that was clad with clapboards as opposed to shingles.
The Edwin Odell Residence is also recognized for the architects who designed the home. The architectural practice of brothers Edward and William Maxwell was among the most important in Canada during the early decades of the 20th century. Their works still hold a place of prominence in Canada and include the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the Birks Store in Montreal, the Saskatchewan Parliament in Regina, and the Palliser hotel in Calgary. The Maxwell period in Canada extended from 1892 until 1939 and spanned the late Victorian, Edwardian, and early modern eras. This residence was designed during the firm’s most vital period, between 1902 and 1923, when the two brothers worked together. At the peak of their career they were the largest and most prominent architectural firm in Canada and employed as many as 56 draftsmen.
The Edwin Odell Residence is also recognized for its association with two long time owners of the home. Edwin Odell was a lifelong resident of St. Andrews and had always been connected with the dry goods business, starting in the store with his father, Thomas Turner Odell, and brother, T. T. Odell, Jr., until 1907 when he went into business for himself. He passed away here in 1931.
In 1939 Mr. Odell’s heir sold the home to Dr. Hugh Pius O’Neill. Dr. O’Neill was a physician in St. Andrews for over 60 years, attending to a patient the night before he died. He was born at St. Andrews in 1877 to a prominent St. Andrews family, and after receiving local education he entered Columbia University in New York where he received his medical degree. He practised in St. Andrews continuously, saving for a brief period when he moved to San Juan, California, returning to St. Andrews in 1928. He served as a captain during the First World War, and in 1958 he was honored by the Canadian Medical Association as one of its senior practicing physicians. He passed away here in 1966.
The character-defining elements of this property include:
- window placement and proportion;
- massing;
- verandah spanning three façades;
- verandah roof supported by Doric columns;
- elliptical arch centrally located in verandah roof;
- large triple set windows;
- transom window and sidelights at entrance;
- pine board quoins;
- projecting central bay with pediment roof in upper storey incorporating a balcony;
- hipped roof;
- modillions in the cornice moldings;
- slightly projecting bays at the ends extending to slightly projected hipped roofs which break the plain of the roof-line;
- small shed dormers;
The character-defining elements of the Edwin Odell Residence property include:
- large lawn frontage;
- circular driveway encircles grassy turf and aligns with the central bay of the home
Architectural Style: Colonial Revival
Source: Charlotte County Archives - Old Gaol - St. Andrews, New Brunswick
