This mansion was built for Louisa Smith. Louisa Smith (born Louise Slaunwhite) was the widow of Martin L. Smith of N. & M. Smith. Nathaniel and Martin Smith were brothers, originally from Yankeetown, Hammonds Plains, Halifax County. They were descendants of British Empire Loyalists from Maryland. The brothers moved to Halifax - Nathaniel around 1865 and Martin following in 1870, to attend to growing business interests, establishing a branch cooperage, and forming N. & M. Smith Limited. The original business of a cooperage expanded to the export of salted fish and the import of fishery salt. N. & M. Smith underwent voluntary liquidation in about 1915. Martin died in 1889 at age 54. Martin Smith’s widow, Louisa and two sons Howard H. (a bookkeeper) and Albert (“Bert”) Martin (an export merchant) retained the premises.

​

The architect chosen, was James Charles Philip Dumaresq with contractors, John McInnis & Son. John McInnis also happened to have a home on Young Avenue and built others on the street. J.C. Dumaresq's daughter, Jean Vesey Dumaresq married Louisa Smith's son, Nelson Baker Smith in 1896.

​

The large wood home was built in 1897 in the Queen Anne Revival style with the usual eclectic mixture of projecting features such as towers, bays, and verandahs with unusual drop rail post bases. The most noteworthy features are a large corner tower with a conical roof to the right of the house spanning all 2-1/2 storeys, and a smaller suspended octagonal tower to the left.

​

The interior has beautiful stained glass and floral-patterned windows. There are massive and detailed door frames, crown moulding, plaster ceiling roundels, arched main doorways as well as wooden flooring with intricate patterned edging, and a stunning black and ochre coloured marble fireplace. The house was made into several apartments a number of years ago, but the current owners hope to restore it in the future.

The basement consisted of a vegetable room, soft and hard coal rooms, rear basement stairs, servants' water closet, shelving, boiler and large furnace and storage area. The ground floor had a vestibule, main hall, sitting room, a large oval parlor, main stairs, closet, dining room, shelving, large and small pantry, kitchen, mid-house servants' stairs, rear basement stairs. The second floor had a front balcony, four closets, five bedrooms, bathroom, linen room, shelving and sink, as well as wardrobes. The attic had rear servants' stairs, one bedroom with closet, and large areas for storage.

​

The house was originally on the left-hand side (south) of Owen Street (now called Southwood Drive), but was moved to the right-hand side (north) since it was too close to the construction of the railway cut and probably smoke and noise issues as well.

​

This is the present location at the northwest corner of Young Avenue and Southwood Drive formerly Owen Street.