Bowness House

The heritage value of this house lies in its peculiar building material. It was built in 1908 of ballast stones from the sailing ships and schooners that used to frequent Summerside’s harbour. As such it is a unique expression of the age of sail and Summerside’s role as a transportation centre. Stone is an uncommon building material on Prince Edward Island and its rarity in Summerside is testified to by the fact that the building is known locally as “the stone house.” Ballast stone construction is even more rare as there are only three buildings on the Island constructed of this material.

Further heritage value lies in the house’s association with two prominent local figures. Its first owner, Robert S. Bowness, was one of Summerside’s first professional photographers. It was built as his retirement home, a testament to his success as a photographer for his 35 years in the business. The architect was J.W. Percy Tanton, a prolific architect and contractor who is associated with many homes, churches and commercial buildings in Summerside and the Prince County area, as well as in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Vancouver, BC.