[1] A devoted Roman Catholic, Smyth donated a portion of his estate to the Diocese of Antigonish.
Built for prominent merchant Peter Smyth, the stone is believed to have been quarried locally in the district of Port Hood.
In true Georgian style, it has a raised first floor level entrance with a fanlight and sidelights with original stone stairs ascending to it.
Born in Dublin, Ireland circa 1800, Peter Smyth came to Port Hood in 1830 and established himself as a fish and cattle merchant.
In Port Hood, he made a major contribution to the construction of the present St. Peter's Catholic Church (1881) and was instrumental in the establishment of a boys and girls public school in Port Hood under the tutelage of the Sisters of Notre Dame of Montreal.
His widow, Ellen (Keating) Smyth, was a gracious hostess and when the first two Sisters arrived in 1884, they resided with her in the stone house until their new convent was ready for occupancy.
It was the official residence of John I. Smyth when he was elected the first mayor of the newly established town of Port Hood in 1903.
She operated an inn at her home called Killarney Manor and an ice cream parlour (in an adjacent building on the property) catering to visiting county councillors, politicians, lawyers, judges, and educators in Port Hood, the Shire Town of Inverness County.