Cheney House
Address: 176 Bronson Avenue
Construction date: Early 1870s
This two-and-a-half storey late 19th century residence is situated beside another brick dwelling, together they form an integral part of the historical fabric of this particular area of Ottawa's centre.
The Cheney House was constructed sometime in the early 1870s for William G. Perley and Gordon B. Pattee. Perley and Pattee owned a successful lumber mill at the Chaudiere Falls, not far from the location of this house.. The house was most likely rented by Josiah P. Cheney, a foreman at the lumber mill. He eventually bought it in 1883 and remained there until the turn of the century.
This building is an example of a residence that mixes Neoclassical and Italianate elements, two classically-inspired styles which were popular in the late 19th century. Notably, when this house was constructed, it was one of only a few brick residences in Ottawa. Very shortly after the construction of the Cheney House, the use of brick exploded in popularity and it eventually became the building material of choice from the 1880s onwards.
