Maison Henry-Stuart

The tour takes you back in time to appreciate the refined ambiance typical of bourgeois society in early 20th-century Québec. The authentic interior reflects the way of life of the Stuart sisters, whose home it was from 1918 to 1987. Usually after the visit, we invite you to take tea and enjoy a piece of lemon cake on the gallery, a real haven of tranquility in the heart of the Montcalm district. We invite you to watch the promotional video of the house.

The Maison Henry-Stuart is a Regency cottage nestled in a luxuriant English garden. The house is named for the wife of William Henry, who had it built, and for its last owners, the Stuart sisters, Adèle Maud and Mary Lauretta. In 1849, Mrs. William Henry (née Maria Curry) acquired the lot and engaged British-born builder Joseph Archer to build a cottage. Construction was completed in 1850. In its day, the cottage was ideally situated to harmonize with its natural setting while remaining close to the city. This idea of a rapprochement with nature was inspired by the romantic aesthetic style known as the picturesque movement. The property owes its remarkable state of conservation to the fact that it had a limited number of owners over the years. In 1917, Mary O’Meara, widow of James de Gaspé Stuart, rented the cottage along with her two daughters, Mary and Adèle Stuart. The three women bought the property together in 1918. Having kept its original interior, the house faithfully reflects the way of life of Québec’s English-speaking bourgeois society. The Stuart family cared for the house right up to the death of Adèle in 1987. The following year, in response to recommendations by the Conseil des monuments et sites du Québec (today, Action patrimoine), the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications du Québec classified the house and garden under the Cultural Property Act. In 1992, the estate of Adèle Stuart donated the personal property making up the collection to Action patrimoine. This marked the first time an indivisible property of this kind was classified in Québec. It became a museum in 1993, and the federal government designated the Maison Henry-Stuart a National Historic Site of Canada in 1999. The Maison Henry-Stuart has been preserved intact thanks to the conviction and perseverance of France Gagnon Pratte, Marie Nolet and Louise Mercier. To learn more about the maison Henry-Stuart, read The Delicate Charm of the Henry-Stuart House, sold here.