The Consulate

The Consulate is valued for it association with George Smith, a leading Pictou County merchant and politician. In 1819, George Smith inherited the largest mercantile business in the county from his late father-in-law, Edward Mortimer. He also succeeded to Edward Mortimer’s seat in the Provincial Legislative Assembly as one of the four members for Halifax County, of which Pictou was part of at the time. In 1835, Pictou separated from Halifax and became its own county. Smith sat for one of the two county seats as well for the newly created Legislative County. During the economic depression of the mid 1830’s, Smith found himself in great financial difficulties and in 1837 he sold the house to his brother. George Smith died in 1850, virtually penniless.

The Consulate is also valued for its unusual sitting and plan to allow for both its use as George Smith’s residence and also his business premises. Built in 1811, the house was sited to allow for him to conduct his trading business directly from it after inheriting his father in-law's trading business. The property also housed the American Consulate in Pictou during the second half of the nineteenth century, illustrating the prominence of the Port of Pictou during this period. Both the sitting and the plan of the house are unusual as it sits adjacent to the street edge, despite the large lot, and its plan is rectangular in shape with its main entrance on the short side. It is atypical of such a large Georgian house. The Consulate is a large two and one half-story structure, constructed of dressed sandstone, with a hipped roof. It has a symmetrical three bay façade, three Scottish dormers, and a two-storey verandah extension to the rear facing the harbour.