This 1 ½-storey dwelling is situated on the north side of Union Street. Constructed late in the 19th-Century, this wood frame dwelling is located between Friel and McKeen Streets on Fredericton’s northside.
Heritage Value
The heritage value of this dwelling is associated with the ownership of the MacLaggan family. Kenneth McLaggan, one of the earliest occupants of this dwelling, resided here by 1911 with his wife Katherine. Kenneth MacLaggan was employed as a bridge contractor, and during the 1920s, he served as alderman with the Devon Town Council.
This was the childhood home of celebrated New Brunswick nurse, Katherine MacLaggan. After completing her schooling, Katherine MacLaggan entered the Provincial Normal School, and began teaching elementary students after graduating from that institution in 1932. She would later enroll in the Royal Victoria Hospital, School of Nursing at Montreal. Two years later, MacLaggan graduated from McGill University with a degree in Public Health Nursing. MacLaggan would return to New Brunswick after the conclusion of the Second World War. A leader in Public Health Nursing, MacLaggan would become a pioneer in nursing education. Among her many achievements, MacLaggan was involved in the establishment of the Canadian Nurses’ Federation. Dr. MacLaggan died in 1967 and in 1968, Katherine MacLaggan Hall opened on the University of New Brunswick campus.
The McLaggan family resided in this dwelling for more than half a century.
Character-Defining Elements
The character-defining elements identified for this dwelling situated at 385 Union Street include:
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1 ½-storey wood frame dwelling
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medium pitched roof with returned eaves
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gable roof oriented away from the street
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gable peak in front roof line
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large, rectangular windows
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projecting bay windows on front façade
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enclosed side entry porch topped with low pitched gable roof
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single-storey ell with medium pitched roof