- Address
- 1 Prince William Street / Chipman Hill
- Type
- Other places
- Designated
- 1984
1 Chipman Hill
Also known as Pratt House
1 Prince William Street / Chipman Hill, Saint John
About 1 Chipman Hill
Canada counts 1 Chipman Hill among Saint John’s 14 National Historic Sites. Construction of 1 Chipman Hill is recorded as 1854–1861.
Description of Historic Place 1 Chipman Hill is a mid-19th-century brick townhouse. It is located at the top of Chipman Hill in the historic section of downtown Saint John. The formal recognition consists of the townhouse and the legal property on which it sat at the time of designation. Heritage Value 1 Chipman Hill was designated a national historic site in 1984 because of the scale and variety of the illusionist paintings in its interior. The interior of 1 Chipman Hill provides a rare and early example of the type of artistic wall and ceiling paintings favoured in affluent homes in late 19th century domestic interiors of the affluent middle class. Likely created in the 1870s, the paintings reflect the High Victorian taste for painted illusions of textures and depths, imitations of materials, and revivals of historical motifs.
From Parks Canada’s statement of significance, 1 Chipman Hill · Open Government Licence – Canada · quoted as the register has it
National Historic Sites are places the Minister of Environment designates, on the advice of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board, for their national significance.
Questions about 1 Chipman Hill
Is 1 Chipman Hill protected?
The designation recognizes its national significance; it doesn’t by itself protect a building the federal government doesn’t own. Provincial or municipal designation may.
Can you visit 1 Chipman Hill?
From outside, yes; going in depends on who owns or runs it.
What is 1 Chipman Hill?
Canada named 1 Chipman Hill a National Historic Site in 1984.
When was 1 Chipman Hill built?
Its register puts the building of 1 Chipman Hill at 1854–1861.
Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada (Parks Canada).
Sources: Parks Canada, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).