Built as two cottages around 1861, converted to a single dwelling in 1869 for the Cable family, and rebuilt as two residences in the 1970s, Cable House provides a reminder of the history and architecture of nineteenth century Dunedin. Five generations of the Cable family lived in this one and a half storey timber residence on Cumberland Street in North Dunedin.

John and James Barr had two semi-detached cottages built of Oregon and Baltic pine in the early 1860s. The cottages had four small downstairs rooms and two upstairs bedrooms. They may have been built as rental properties as in 1864 John and James Barr were advertising a six-roomed cottage to rent on Cumberland Street. A newspaper report from the 1950s identifies tenants as the parents of businessman and retailer Arthur Barnett, and the grandmother of Sir Charles Hercus (1888 – 1971), doctor and professor of public health.

In 1869, Dunedin produce merchant Joseph Cable purchased the property, and opened the party wall to make one house. Additions were made to the rear of the property. Joseph Cable died in 1871. Five generations of the Cable family lived in the house – three family members were still living there in the 1960s – Reverend John Cable, and sisters Miss E.C. Cable and Miss Annie Cable.

The Cable family continued their association with the house until 1973, when Rev. J. H. Cable put the property in the hands of the Perpetual Trustee to sell. The Perpetual Trustee approached the Dunedin City Council to see if the Council would consider buying the historic house. The Council considered the building unsafe – ‘the upper stairways were unsafe and part of the roof had collapsed’. Many Dunedin people expressed their desire that the landmark property be saved. As a result of the public interest, the Otago Regional Committee of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust bought the property, and planned to deconstruct the house and rebuild it. The extensive rear garden was sold to the Dunedin City Council to finance the project. The house was found to be in a poor state of repair and was largely rebuilt. The two new units were sold in 1975.

In 2014, Cable House remains as two separate residences.