Along with St. Paul's Church, the building housing the former offices of the Hon. Charles Morris is one of the four oldest buildings in the city.
Projects
Relocating the former offices of Chief Surveyor Charles Morris to Nova Scotia Power Lands
Posted 
December 20, 2009 
A Coalition of Groups including Heritage Trust has been successful in arranging for the re-location of the building that, in the mid-1700's, was the offices of the Hon. Charles Morris to Nova Scotia Power lands (on the same block). Charles Morris, one of Halifax's founding fathers, laid out the city of Halifax and was the first Surveyor General of the Colony. The moving of the building began on December 19, 2009 and was completed on December 21.
During the move it was discovered that there are hand hewn beams under the building. Some shingles and wall sheathing came off when the kitchen addition was removed. This revealed planks more than a foot wide, post and beam construction with brick nogging between the posts.
The only other building we know of in Halifax with this construction is St. Paul's Church, our oldest building, at 260 years. Both St. Paul's and the Morris office have Roman numerals on the beams. All of this is consistent with the fact that the building was mentioned in Charles Morris' will in 1781, and makes this one of the four oldest
buildings in HRM.
As the work place of a Founder of Halifax the unique, simple Georgian building dating back to the mid 1700’s is of considerable historical importance. Charles Morris was the first Surveyor General for the Province and drew the plans for many Maritime communities!
In addition to its heritage value, the project has captured the attention of the environmental community as an opportunity to demonstrate how existing buildings can be repurposed through adaptive reuse, moving or deconstructing them.
The Ecology Action Centre is currently creating a Toolkit of resources to help inform building professionals, home owners and community groups about the advantages of these alternatives, and for ways to minimize the number of buildings going to our landfills. Relocating the Charles Morris building provides us with an inspiring alternative to a demolition approach to property redevelopment.
It is truly remarkable that we still have a building standing that was owned and used by one of the principal founders of Halifax. Most of Canada was a wilderness when Charles Morris sat in this building, drawing lines on maps and turning some of that wilderness into our present communities. Like any architectural heirloom of great historical importance, this building deserves to be repaired and protected for years to come.
Because of its connection with early science, technology and commerce, it is particularly appropriate that Nova Scotia Power has offered house this building on NSP land while a long term plan for its future evolves. The building is a symbol of Nova Scotia’s long tradition of technological excellence and demonstrates environmental leadership from HRM and the business community.
The following notes bring to light some of the reasons why we are excited about this building and the opportunities it represents.
Historical Notes
Charles Morris’ Office, 1273 Hollis Street
The Hon. Charles Morris was a Founding Father of Halifax. He laid out the original town of Halifax, and was the first Surveyor General of the colony.
Charles Morris practiced his surveying profession in this little building on Hollis Street, which still stands today and serves as a reminder of his legacy. During his 32 years as Surveyor General, Morris saw the founding of Halifax and Lunenburg, as well as the coming of the pre-loyalists, when the colony’s foundations were laid. In his will, dated 1781, he bequeathed “the office and store on the north part of my house lot in Halifax.”
His son, Hon. Charles Morris II mentioned the office in an inventory of his estate in 1802. He noted the cash “in chest in west room of office below stairs”. (There were no banks in Halifax until two decades later.) The chest contained 14 bags of money containing a total of 2,899 pounds. Morris also noted three more bags, with 250 pounds each, along with loose cash, in a box in the east chamber of the office. Surveying was a lucrative profession! The Morris family continued to practice surveying through at least three generations, Charles Morris, Charles Morris II and Charles Morris III (1759-1831).
Watercolour by R.D. Wilkie showing
Charles Morris office in its original
location at the corner of Morris and
Hollis Streets, with the larger Morris
family home to the east. (NSARM)
The office building was moved south
to its current location about 1895.
Dating back to the mid 1750’s the building has slender corner pilasters, a truncated pitched roof, and molded cornice and returns. On the south side of the roof there is an early Scottish dormer.
Inside there is a wooden Georgian mantelpiece, Georgian trim around doors and windows, a Georgian balustrade at the top of the stairs on the second floor, an early narrow staircase to the third floor, and wooden cornices under the plaster ceilings.
The Project
In September 2009, HRM Council approved a development agreement by Dexel Developments, for lands at the southeast corner of Morris and Hollis Streets, including the Victoria Hotel, The Ruhland House, and the Charles Morris office. The buildings on the site will be replaced by a new ten storey apartment building with commercial space at street level.
At the public hearing, representatives of the Heritage Trust and Dexel Developments discussed the possibility of moving one or more of the buildings. Mr. Louis Lawen, on behalf of Dexel, expressed interest in the idea, and offered to contribute to the project by putting the cost of demolition towards the cost of moving them instead.
The Heritage Trust and the Ecology Action Centre looked for a site or sites to locate the buildings in the short and long term. Nova Scotia Power owns the property immediately to the east of the development site (5128 Morris Street on the attached map), as well as the property across Lower Water Street (1233 and 1223 Lower Water Street), where the company is currently converting a former power station into new, LEED certified, corporate offices.
The above map shows the
historic buildings located at
1267-85 Hollis Street and 5142-4
Morris Street. The Nova Scotia Power
owned land can be identified on
the map at 5128 Morris and
1233 and 1223 Lower Water Street.
Nova Scotia Power generously agreed to allow the Charles Morris’ office to be located on its land while a permanent home is sought. The location is the extreme southerly portion of the parcel labeled 5128 Morris Street on the map, adjacent to the office building at 5151 Terminal Road. The building was moved by cribs and shuffle.
City and provincial officials have been very supportive of the project. A city planner was seconded to the project and has been extremely helpful in expediting necessary permissions including Right of Way Services and Building Inspection etc.
For more information, please contact:
Phil Pacey
Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia
Philip.pacey@dal.ca ,
494-3334, 237-1375, 422-8814
Kim Thompson
Ecology Action Centre
442-0300
Download EAC's "Morris Street Backgrounder" PDF 
References:
Elizabeth Pacey, Georgian Halifax, Lancelot Press, Hantsport, 1987.
Maud Rosinski, Architects of Nova Scotia: a Biographical Dictionary 1605-1950,
Province of Nova Scotia, Halifax, 1994.
Garry D. Shutlak, “The New Victoria Hotel”, The Griffin, Vol. 21, No. 1, p. 5, Halifax, 2002.
Credits:
Photos : Liz MacDougall, Arthur Carter, Kim Thompson
Watercolour : Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management
Map : Halifax Regional Municipality
