Historic house in Sydney, N.S., opens doors to the public
One of the oldest family homes in the north end of Sydney, N.S., opened its doors to the public this week.
Cossitt House is one of Cape Breton’s oldest family homes. It was built in 1787 for Reverend Ranna Cossitt and his family who moved to Nova Scotia from Claremont, N.H., after the revolutionary war.
Today, Cossitt House is a museum.
Rachel Adams is a Cossitt House historical interpreter. She said it is believed that the house was built by boat builders in Virginia.
“The boat builders did it in the way they built the boats,” Adams said. “One reasons why it’s lasted 237 years. It is done with tenon and mortise joints.
“They pre-built it. Everything was constructed. Everything was numbered and then it was shipped here.”
Cossitt House still has functional kitchen gardens with medicinal herbs said Cossitt House historical interpreter Jillian Trenchard.
“All of these spices weren’t actually used as flavouring, they were used for their medicinal purposes,” Trenchard said. She said the house would often smell like gingerbread thanks to the presence of nutmeg in savoury dishes.
Cossitt House changed hands a few times after the Cossitt’s sold and eventually became a rooming house, said Claire Roach, the executive director of the Old Sydney Society.
“It became vacant,” Roach said. “The Old Sydney Society stepped in and worked with the provincial government. It became a Nova Scotia museum in 1977 and has been a cornerstone in the historic north end district of Sydney.”
For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
First standardized housing designs coming in December, but won't be permit-ready until 'early 2025'
The first iteration of the federal government's standardized pre-approved design catalogue – a revival of a wartime housing effort – will be unveiled in December, CTV News has learned.
He told his mother there was 'no way' he'd meet someone in Australia. Then he fell in love at first sight
Mike Grossman was adamant he wasn’t going to fall for anyone in Australia.
'Headspin hole': Man develops scalp tumor after decades of breakdancing
Researchers in Denmark have published a case report revealing an unexpected consequence of one of breakdancing's most iconic moves: the headspin.
Severe weather has some snowbirds leaving Florida, others battening down the hatches
When Julie Riddell and her husband, Gerry, bought their Fort Myers, Fla., vacation property in 2009, it didn't cross their mind that they might be buying in a hurricane-prone area.
Food banks continue to face a surge in demand
As millions of Canadians head into the Thanksgiving weekend, food banks across the country continue to see a surge in demand.
Indian politician known for his close ties with Bollywood is killed in Mumbai
A senior politician in India’s financial capital, Mumbai, who was also known for his close ties with Bollywood has been shot dead weeks before a key state election.
5 things not to say to a grieving friend
It’s almost impossible to know what to say to someone in the throes of grief. We all want to say something comforting. Very few of us know what that is.
How gloves belonging to Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe wound up in Newfoundland
A five-hour drive from St. John's, N.L., and well off the beaten path, Point Leamington seems an unlikely spot for a one-of-a-kind tourist attraction.
Picture-perfect engagement under Manitoba northern lights
Sometimes love is written in the stars, but for one couple, it’s written in the aurora borealis.