Commemoration
This imposing house is a fine example of the Second Empire style which was popular in Canada in the 1870s and 1880s. Local architect Thomas Hanley skillfully blended the characteristic Second Empire mansard roof and its ornate dormer windows with asymmetrical massing, a bracketed cornice and iron cresting to create an image of picturesque elegance. The profusion of ornate woodwork and decoration inside the house complement its stately exterior. Built in 1882-1883 for the wealthy banker and financier, J.P.C. Phillips, Glanmore reflects the tastes of the well-to-do in late 19th century Canada.
Background
Second Empire architecture is so named due to its popularity in the time of Napoleon III,who became the second Napoleon to be an emperor in France.
Such houses show how well Belleville had progressed since its settlement by penniless refugees a century earlier.