One of the oldest houses in Sydney looks much as it did when the colony’s Anglican garrison chaplain, Reverend Ranna Cossit, built it in 1787. Reverend Ranna Cossit received land grants from the Crown – one thousand acres on the Louisbourg road, and three town lots on North Charlotte Street – as an inducement to move to Sydney. However, When Reverend Ranna Cossit arrived in Cape Breton he found that not only was there no sign of the house Governor Des Barres had promised to build for Cossit, his wife Thankful (Brookes) Cossit, and their family, but that the church had not even been built. After spending November 1785 to the spring of 1786 in New Hampshire, the Reverend returned and built the house at his own expense. The government agreed to refund 200 pounds for the cost of the house, and the Church was built in 1788 (at a cost of 500 pounds).
Thankful Cossit died in the childbirth at 46, after bearing thirteen children, two of whom died in infancy. After her death, Reverend Cossit became the leader of a struggle for political and social control of the colony between 1794 and 1800. Bishop Inglis made a special trip from Halifax to persuade Cossit to leave Sydney. He was finally transferred to Yarmouth in 1800 and remained there until his death in 1815.
Cossit House has since been restored with costumed guides and authentic 18th century furniture. The Old Sydney Society operates Cossit house.
Please explore The Nova Scotia Museum website for more information on Cossit House at:https://cossithouse.novascotia.ca
Join the costumed staff for demonstrations of 18th Century home life – Daily
Hours of operation (2023):
June 1st – October 15th
Monday through Saturday: 9:00a.m. – 4:00p.m.