Victoria Avenue, 20-24 - Seldon/Asselstine House



Municipal Address:	20-24 Victoria Avenue - Seldon-Asselstine House
Legal Description:
Type:	20 Victoria: Classical Vernacular 24 Victoria: Victorian Commercial
Features:
20 Victoria: Built 1836, building has a cut limestone facade with a balanced arrangement of window and door openings with straight heads of brick voussoirs. Rubble stone side walls rise to parapets at the roof, supported by carved stone corbels. Later Victorian owners added a decorative verandah, now gone, and simple brackets with finials, under the eaves. Some early shutter hooks remain. Interior has the original brick and stone fireplace. 24 Victoria: Built 1879, this brick addition on the east side was used as commercial space by householders in the stone house at 20 Victoria Avenue. Originally, this building was nearly the length of the stone house. The segmental window-heads and the cornice supported by pairs of carved brackets are typical of this period. The second floor has two sash windows and a smaller cornice with the same bracket caps as the first floor.
Date Designated:	May 13, 1985; Residence By-Law #11697
Miscellaneous:
A map of 1816 shows that the land along Victoria Avenue from Front Street to Pinnacle Street was owned by John Everett and sold to Pennell Seldon for 80 pounds in 1835. Fraser Asselstine moved here in 1885 and started a business of selling pianos and organs in the adjoining property. The property remained in the Asselstine family until 1976.
Other Information:
18 Victoria Avenue (picture available in file) was a good example of the Greek Revival style, built 1860 or late 1840's. Due to fire, the house was demolished (1993) because of safety concerns. More information on file