The Earle House is located at 266 Lancaster Avenue in Saint John and has been recognized as a Cultural Heritage Site in Canada and is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places. Its Second Empire Gothic architecture is striking and eye-catching.
The house was built by Thomas William Robinson in the 1870s and was occupied by the Earle family starting in 1900. After their involvement in the family Bibles and Persian carpet business, they developed several apartment buildings on the 11.5-acre estate to provide a more secure financial base.
Saint John experienced its most devastating fire in 1877, which resulted in the loss of 1,600 homes and businesses. Many of these structures were rebuilt and still stand today, contributing to the city’s Victorian character.
However, by the 1950s, historic structures began to be demolished for the sake of progress, and a large urban renewal development was carried out in the 1960s.
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I know we lived in “the Earle Apartments” when I was 4 years old (1956) but can’t remember which one. My paternal grandmother worked at the DVA lodge just down the road. My maternal grandparents lived at 315 Union Street long since demolished to make way for the Prince Edward Square. They then moved to Duke Street.