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Copyright © 1998
Nova Scotia Museum

Looking at Masonry

In the early days of European settlement virtually all buildings in Nova Scotia were made of wood. It was a convenient material, available everywhere and easily worked Furthermore, wooden buildings could be erected quickly, which was essential in our harsh climate. To build with stone and brick involved having a source of materials, workmen with specialized skills and the extra time and money necessary for this type of construction. One sign of Nova Scotia’s growing maturity was the construction of more masonry buildings around the beginning of the nineteenth century. As the century progressed, commercial buildings and superior residences of stone and brick became more common, although wood was always the most popular building material.

There are a number of reasons for building with stone or brick. If skillfully used, masonry will survive indefinitely. Also, when fire was a constant and very real threat, a building of non-combustible materials was particularly desirable. Fires cleared large sections of most of our towns at one time or another, and victims who learned their lesson rebuilt in masonry. A less tangible reason for using these materials was status. Because masonry was more expensive and desirable than wood, it set you apart as someone of substance.