Leslie R. Fairn - The Architect of Cedar Crest

Leslie Raymond Fairn (June 25, 1875 - August 13, 1971) was a Canadian architect whose career is notable for its longevity and for the range of styles it encompassed, including Beaux Arts  and Modernism. Most of his work was completed in Maritime Canada.

He attended Acadia University and later studied architecture in Boston, later apprenticing with Edward Elliot in Halifax. Beginning about 1901, he earned a living as Principal of Drawing and Manual Training at Horton College (Acadia University) in Wolfville. One of his first commissions was the Kings County Courthouse, completed in nearby Kentville in 1903, and in 1904 he moved to Aylesford where he began to practice full time. He became a charter member of the Royal Architecture Institute of Canada (RAIC) in 1907 and was made a Fellow in 1939.  He was also a founder of the Nova Scotia Association of Architects (NSAA).

In 1932 he moved to Wolfville where he continued to practice until his death at the age of 96. around 1946 he opened an office in Halifax which was managed by his son Laird L. Fairn. This company handled large projects and was known as Leslie R. Fairn & Associates.

His career lasted 65 years, earning him the unofficial title of dean of Nova Scotia architects. His style ranged from Beaux Arts to Richardsonian Romanesque to Classical Revival and Modernism.

His brother, Clifford William Fairn, also practiced architecture, partnering with Charles Hay and designing several schools in Calgary between 1911 and 1914.

 Some notable projects included:

• Kings County Courthouse, now Kings County Museum (1903)
• Digby County Court House (1910)
• West Highlands School, Amherst (1911)
• Administration Building, Acadia University, Wolfville (1924)
• Dominion Public Building, Amherst (Beaux Arts, 1936)
• Annapolis Royal Town Hall Memorial Building (Classic Revival, 1922)
• Halifax Public Library (1951)
• Henry Hicks Academic Administration Building, Dalhousie University, Halifax (1951, with E. W. Haldenby)
• Killam Memorial Library, Dalhousie University, Halifax (1971)

Administration Building, Acadia Univerity, Wolfville. Now called U Hall.

  

Kings County Court House - Now Kings County Museum. The triangle motif in the roof lines is apparent in the design of Cedar Crest as well.

Percy A. Margeson - The original owner of Cedar Crest

Chronicle Herald, Monday January 23, 1961  page 6

Percy A. Margeson Dies in Kentville

Kentville - Percy A. Margeson, C.A., 71, a former druggist and for 23 years , prior to his retirement in 1955, pharmacist and accountant at the Nova Scotia Sanatorium, but most widely known throughout the Maritimes as former manager of Kentville Wildcats Hockey team, died suddenly at his home here Saturday.

Son of the late Norris Margeson, former Dominion Atlantic Railway conductor, and Sophia (Fitch) Margeson, both of Kingston, he was born in Halifax. Mr Margeson received his degree in pharmacy from the University of Toronto and later also graduated as a Chartered Accountant. He opened a drugstore here in 1912 which he operated for eighteen years.

A musician of some note, he played in the Kentville Citizens Band with his father. He was also a talented pianist. Although he never participated as a player in hockey, he took over the managership of the Kentville senior team and christened it the "Wildcats", the name which has continued ever since in both senior baseball and hockey. In 1927 the club which he had assembled won the Maritime Hockey Championship.

At his home at the top of Prospect Avenue he assisted Mrs Margeson in the operation of the widely-known Cedar Crest Kennels, and they later organized the Annapolis Valley Kennel Club. In 1933, Mr Margeson joined the staff of the Nova Scotia Sanatorium as both pharmacist and accountant. He retired five years ago on super-annuation. Continuing his active life, Mr Margeson built and operated the "Arlene" apartments, Prospect Ave.

He is survived by his wife, the former Eulalie Arlene Davis of Lincoln, Maine, who is an internationally known dog judge.

Funeral services to be conducted by Dr. George N. Hamilton, pastor Kentville United Baptist Church, will be held from the W.C. Hiltz and Son Funeral Chapel at 2 o'clock Tuesday afternoon. Interment will be in Elm Grove Cemetery, Kentville.

The Plans

Yesterday I went to the house to meet with Don from Royson's Flooring. Bill and Mary gave us permission to have Don take some measurements for when we tear up the wall-to-wall carpeting and refinish the White Oak hardwood floors (mostly White Oak - Don found some other types of hardwood in a couple spots). While there Bill presented me with the original architect's plan to the house. For being as old as they are, they are in pretty good shape. There are 7 drawings in the portfolio all of which we'll have framed and displayed in the house. They will make great conversation pieces.  Here  are a few of them:

This is the west side of the house which faces Prospect Ave.

This is a detail of the stone pillars and gates. The pillars are still there but the gates rusted away a long time ago. However this image will allow us to reproduce them if we decide to bring them back.

This is the north side of the house that faces the valley.

This is the south side of the house. There is now an extension added between the main house and the barn along with a deck and in-ground pool added to this side. This side of the barn is where the dog kennels are now located. Percy Margeson (the original owner) married Eulalie Arlene Margeson (nee. Davis) of Lincoln, Maine. She was a very well known dog breeder and internationally known show dog judge. It was she who named this property Cedar Crest Kennels.

This is a floor plan of the main floor showing the barn, carriage house and main house. The wall between the hall and the bedroom (next to the kitchen) was removed along with the wall between the bedroom and the kitchen and that bedroom was converted into a den. The door leading outdoors (from the hall) was changed into a window. A laundry room was added about where you see the wood room. A addition was built in 1991 and extends out from about where you see the carriage house and wood room.

This is the second story of the main house. The linen closet and part of the hall were converted into an upstairs bathroom. The rest remains exactly as shown here.

This is the cellar of the main house. It too remains almost exactly as it's shown here. The boiler room is now the furnace room, the coal room has been converted to two cold rooms and the laundry room is now located upstairs however the old laundry sinks are still in the cellar. There is also an original laundry shoot but it is not longer used except as a conduit for electrical and plumping connections.

We were fortunate to find the name of the architect. This will hopefully allow us to determine exactly how old the house is. We had assumed it was built around the turn of the century but we recently discovered that Percy A. Margeson - the original owner - was only born in 1891 so it is unlikely he built the house when he was nine years old. We'll keep investigating that part. We were able to find his obituary which I'll post later.

Original Owner