Situated at 758 George Street in Fredericton, this cottage was constructed in 1855 by William Odell on a stretch of pastureland reaching up to what is now known as the University of New Brunswick, formerly Kings’ College. Subsequently, it served as the residence for Hon. A. G. Blair, who held the office of the New Brunswick Premier from 1883 to 1896.
The home is also known as Fiddlehead Cottage because of the fiddle head shapes in the carving on the porch.
In Fredericton, 785, 806, and 809/811 George Street each encompass parts of the pre-1844 Odell estate “cottages”. The esteemed poet Bliss Carman is thought to have been born in part of 809, which underwent significant renovations in the 1880s, led by Hon. A.G. Blair. Blair, who served as Premier of New Brunswick from 1883 to 1896, leveraged an opulent range of elements from the Picturesque Queen Anne Revival style. These elements are prominently visible on the George Street façade, which, despite its busy asymmetry, manages to maintain a sense of visual balance.
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