Built in 1708, This Nova Scotia Home Is Now for Sale

When this house went up, Canada didn't exist yet, and the United States was nearly 70 years from declaring independence. The de Gannes-Cosby House at 477 Saint George Street in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, was built in 1708 and has been lived in continuously ever since. Parks Canada calls it the oldest documented wooden structure in Nova Scotia. The listing goes further, calling it the oldest wood-framed building in Canada and the oldest surviving example of Acadian architecture anywhere. Today it offers three bedrooms and about 2,500 square feet on just under an acre, plus a barn and a carriage house out back.

A House That Served Two Empires

The house was built for French officer Louis de Gannes de la Falaise, and the listing says King Louis XIV himself supplied the funds. After the region changed hands, it became the home of British officer Alexander Cosby, lieutenant-governor of the fort and town of Annapolis Royal. That makes it a rare building that lived through both French and British rule. It's one of the few structures from the French regime in Nova Scotia, before 1710, that is still standing. It's also a rare surviving Acadian home from before the expulsion, when British authorities forcibly deported the Acadian population beginning in 1755. Parks Canada recognizes the house as a National Historic Site and calls it the only visible reminder of nearly 120 years of Acadian settlement.

Original Everything (Please Don't Add Shiplap)

Owners Jim and Pauline How carefully restored the home, and a remarkable amount of it is original. That includes the post-and-beam framing, massive floorboards, pine paneling, a fieldstone foundation, and sections of wattle-and-daub infill. Wattle and daub is an ancient building method in which woven wooden strips are packed with a mix of clay, soil, and straw. The planks and beams are believed to have been cut in 1707, and one parlor floorboard runs a full 20 feet long and 31 inches wide. On Reddit, a commenter shared a CBC article explaining that the Hows actually undid earlier renovations to bring the house back to its historic look. Commenters were quick to joke about gutting it for an open floor plan, shiplap, and barn doors, and just as quick to beg future buyers not to. A local noted that Annapolis Royal has strict heritage bylaws, down to exterior paint colors. Others pointed out the low ceilings, asked whether the ghosts convey with the sale, and admitted they'd half expect a costumed tour guide to lead a group through the living room.

The Internet Has Thoughts

Naturally, this listing caught the attention of Reddit's r/zillowgonewild community. See what people are saying about it here.

Whether you're a history buff, a preservationist, or just someone who wants a house with more stories than any neighbor's, this one is worth a look. View the full listing here.