Dartmouth Heritage Museum – Quaker House
exclusive access
In 1785-1786 several Quaker families from Nantucket settled in Dartmouth to establish a whaling fleet. They remained in Dartmouth a short time but had a substantial influence on the town. In 1971, after a surge of urban renewal resulted in the destruction of many historic homes in the downtown core, the Museum Society preserved Quaker House and converted it to an interpreted historic house open to the public every summer. Originally the home of William Ray, a Cooper (barrel maker), the house is considered the oldest standing structure in Dartmouth. Quaker House is restored and furnished to reflect its 1785 construction date. The house is a municipally and provincially registered historic site. It is representative of its construction period and reflective of the Nantucket Island domestic architecture from which it is derived.
Special instructions
Quaker House is open in June, July, and August, Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm.
Paid parking is available around the downtown core of Dartmouth. There is no onsite parking at the museum. Mobility: Quaker House is unfortunately inaccessible for wheelchair users, and may be difficult for those with mobility issues, due to several staircases and changes in elevation. The garden does have two ramps from the back doors to help those exiting or entering from the house to the back. However, these ramps do still have a raised edge and may still be inaccessible to wheelchair users and others with reduced mobility.
