Description of Historic Place

A small, one storey, frame building, the Little Station is located on the harbour, adjacent to the east-west CP Railway lines and Hayward Street. It is covered in diagonal match board cladding, with a low pitched gable roof.

The Little Station has been recognized for its heritage value, by the Municipality of Port Hope By-law 9/80, passed on February 18th, 1980.

Heritage Value

The Little Station's early history is unknown. While some suggest the building was a whistle stop, along the Port Hope, Lindsay and Beaverton Line, it is also theorized, that the building was the first railway station for the Grand Trunk Railway, in Port Hope. While the exact history of the Little Station is uncertain, its function as a railway building has never been questioned. It stands, preserved, as a reminder of early transportation in Upper Canada and illustrates the evolution of the railway.

The design of this small structure is that of a typical 19th century railway station, with frame construction and diagonal match board cladding. While smaller in scale, the ornamentation of the building is similar to rail stations in Fenelon Falls, Peterborough, Aurora, Newmarket and Maple. Moved from its original location, the current site of the building along the harbour, with the east-west CP Rail lines running on pillars above it, is appropriate for its railway heritage.

Source: Heritage Designation for 10 Hayward Street: The Little Station By-law 9/80.

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements of the Little Station include its:
- one storey frame construction with low gable roof, three foot overhang and brackets
- exterior walls covered in diagonal match boarding, divided by chamfered strapping
- finial and drop at each gable end
- fenestration, including the 6 over 6 sash windows
- single entrance door with a four pane transom