Fultz House
Encyclopedia
The Bennett Daniel Fultz House is one of the earliest houses in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia
and the community's only museum
. It is located on its original land, on the corner of the "Great Roads" leading from Halifax
to Truro
and to the Annapolis Valley
.
. The Manor was completed in the 1770s.
The history of the Fultz Family begins in 1751, when a Johann Fultz left Germany, boarded the Speedwell, and traveled to Halifax. He then (according to records) made his way to Louisbourg. Before its fall in 1758, Johann Fultz, and his wife, whom he married while in Nova Scotia, Elizabeth, brought two children into the world.
One of them, Anthony Fultz, petitioned the Crown in 1809 for land in Sackville after having received some from his father's will in 1801. In 1812 Anthony was successful, and purchased 150 acres (60.7 ha) of land. Almost immediately afterwards, Fultz's Twelve Mile House began operating on the corner of the "Great Roads", serving as a rest stop for horse-drawn carriages traveling to and from Halifax. The inn was run by Anthony's son, William. The Inn included a 40 by ballroom. It was a popular stop for George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie
during his period as Governor of Nova Scotia (1816 to 1820). The inn itself burned down in 1890. In spite of this tragedy, the Fultz family persevered.
The house was significantly modified prior to the 1900s, with the addition of a summer kitchen and second floor. Bennett and Mary served as masters of a post-office they ran from their kitchen. They died in 1910 and 1928, respectively.
Jane Emily Fultz, the sixth child of Bennett and Mary retired to the family home after the death of her father. When she died in 1947, the connection between the house and the family had finally been broken; the house moved into the possession of another family.
The museum opened during the months of July and August in 1981 and was officially deemed the Fultz House Museum at a grand opening on Canada Day, 1982. Since then, it has served as a gathering place for teas, Canada Day celebrations, and other community events. Descendants of the Fultz family continue to be involved in museum activities.
In 1988, the W.J. Grace cooperage
was moved to the site; in 1995, the blacksmith's forge and tools that once belonged to A. J. Smeltzer were moved to the site. The entirety of the Fultz House site became the property of the society in 1990, and in 2008, the society was granted additional land in the form of 17 Sackville Drive, hand-delivered by Premier Rodney MacDonald
.
This prized community museum is open from 10am-5pm on all days of the week throughout the months of July and August. Through provincial and federal funding the museum is able to keep history alive through the employment of a summer staff made up of post-secondary students. Admission to the museum is free of charge.
Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia
Lower Sackville is a suburban community located in the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is part of the urban area of Halifax ....
and the community's only museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
. It is located on its original land, on the corner of the "Great Roads" leading from Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
to Truro
Truro, Nova Scotia
-Education:Truro has one high school, Cobequid Educational Centre. Post-secondary options include a campus of the Nova Scotia Community College, as well as the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in the neighboring town of Bible Hill.- Sports :...
and to the Annapolis Valley
Annapolis Valley
The Annapolis Valley is a valley and region in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It is located in the western part of the Nova Scotia peninsula, formed by a trough between two parallel mountain ranges along the shore of the Bay of Fundy.-Geography:...
.
History
Lower Sackville was officially created with Fort Sackville in 1749, under Captain John Gorham. The first land grant in the area was given to Colonel Joseph Scott, of the Scott Manor House, located in what is now BedfordBedford, Nova Scotia
Bedford is a community in the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, Canada. It was an independent town from 1980-1996. Bedford lies on the northwestern end of Bedford Basin, an extension of the Halifax Harbour...
. The Manor was completed in the 1770s.
The history of the Fultz Family begins in 1751, when a Johann Fultz left Germany, boarded the Speedwell, and traveled to Halifax. He then (according to records) made his way to Louisbourg. Before its fall in 1758, Johann Fultz, and his wife, whom he married while in Nova Scotia, Elizabeth, brought two children into the world.
One of them, Anthony Fultz, petitioned the Crown in 1809 for land in Sackville after having received some from his father's will in 1801. In 1812 Anthony was successful, and purchased 150 acres (60.7 ha) of land. Almost immediately afterwards, Fultz's Twelve Mile House began operating on the corner of the "Great Roads", serving as a rest stop for horse-drawn carriages traveling to and from Halifax. The inn was run by Anthony's son, William. The Inn included a 40 by ballroom. It was a popular stop for George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie
George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie
General George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie GCB , styled Lord Ramsay until 1787, was a Scottish soldier and colonial administrator...
during his period as Governor of Nova Scotia (1816 to 1820). The inn itself burned down in 1890. In spite of this tragedy, the Fultz family persevered.
Fultz House History
In 1858, William's nephew Bennett Daniel Fultz purchased the land opposite the Twelve Mile Inn from his cousin, William Beresford Fultz. In 1863, he began building what is now colloquially known as the Fultz House. Bennett lived in the house from 1865 with his wife Mary and their eight children.The house was significantly modified prior to the 1900s, with the addition of a summer kitchen and second floor. Bennett and Mary served as masters of a post-office they ran from their kitchen. They died in 1910 and 1928, respectively.
Jane Emily Fultz, the sixth child of Bennett and Mary retired to the family home after the death of her father. When she died in 1947, the connection between the house and the family had finally been broken; the house moved into the possession of another family.
The Fultz House Museum
In 1979, the Provincial Government of Nova Scotia acquired Fultz House and the surrounding land. Preparations were made to expand the "Great Roads" intersection in order to facilitate traffic. In November of that year, six Sackville community groups joined to form the Fultz Corner Restoration Society; among them were the Sackville Heritage Society (represented by Bob Harvey, a councilor with HRM District 20 today), a garden club, and a sorority. In 1980, the plans for demolition of the house were put on hold, and the house and property were leased to the society that August.The museum opened during the months of July and August in 1981 and was officially deemed the Fultz House Museum at a grand opening on Canada Day, 1982. Since then, it has served as a gathering place for teas, Canada Day celebrations, and other community events. Descendants of the Fultz family continue to be involved in museum activities.
In 1988, the W.J. Grace cooperage
Cooper (profession)
Traditionally, a cooper is someone who makes wooden staved vessels of a conical form, of greater length than breadth, bound together with hoops and possessing flat ends or heads...
was moved to the site; in 1995, the blacksmith's forge and tools that once belonged to A. J. Smeltzer were moved to the site. The entirety of the Fultz House site became the property of the society in 1990, and in 2008, the society was granted additional land in the form of 17 Sackville Drive, hand-delivered by Premier Rodney MacDonald
Rodney MacDonald
Rodney Joseph MacDonald is a Canadian politician, educator and musician who served as the 26th Premier of Nova Scotia from 2006 to 2009 and as MLA for the riding of Inverness in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1999 to 2009....
.
This prized community museum is open from 10am-5pm on all days of the week throughout the months of July and August. Through provincial and federal funding the museum is able to keep history alive through the employment of a summer staff made up of post-secondary students. Admission to the museum is free of charge.