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The MacKinnon-Cann Inn, located in Yarmouth’s Heritage Conservation District, was built in 1887 in the Italianate Victorian Style. Originally built as a duplex or “sister house” its double bayed façade, heavily bracketed roof line, long narrow symmetrical windows, hip roof and elaborate widows walk make this house a dominate feature on the block. The house, suffering from the abuse of time and the elements, sat vacant for over a decade and was sure to be lost from the streetscape had it not been for the vision of its present owners Michael Tavares and Neil Hisgen who saw past its peeling paint, obsolete systems, broken windows and non existent landscape.
The present owners, also the developers and rescue team of the Charles Richards House Bed and Breakfast, another local condemned building located to the east, took interest in preserving this historic home. Upon the completion of the restoration of its brick mansion neighbor, focus began on other buildings on the block in need of the same attention. Having successfully completed the restoration of the Charles Richards House in 1999, and experiencing first hand the need to continue the trend in creating high style lodging in the community, the MacKinnon-Cann Inn was acquired in the summer of 2000. The house at 27/29 Willow Street was built by Zebina Goudey for his two children, son Hiram Goudey and daughter Frances H. Goudey. Hiram Goudey married Georgina M. Churchill and had three daughters, Rita, Myra and Hazel. Hazel married Chelsea Cann and continued to live at 27 Willow Street until her death in 1960. They had three sons, Douglas, William and Malcolm. Frances H. Goudey married William C. MacKinnon of Amherst and together had two children, a son W. Carl and a daughter F. Jean. Jean continued to live at 29 Willow Street until her death in 1970. She is most remembered by the community as the piano teacher, which she taught from her front parlour. William Cann purchased the Cann side of the house upon his mother’s death in 1960 and later acquired the MacKinnon side upon the death of Miss MacKinnon around 1970. William, in an effort to maintain the property followed the local trends and converted this once grand family home into 4 apartments. He continued to operate the property until the early 1970’s. The property was sold to a local apartment building owner and went continually “down hill” from there until the town condemned the building in the early 1990’s. It sat vacant for nearly a decade, suffering from neglect and vandalism until its acquisition in July 2000 by its present owners Michael Tavares and Neil Hisgen of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Excerpts from Beverley A. (Cann) Nickerson and Diane Lee (Cann) Leblanc, daughters of William S. Cann. |
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