Description of Historic Place

Building 66, also known as the Marconi Station, is located in the village on Grosse Île, overlooking the St. Lawrence River, in the Grosse Île and the Irish Memorial National Historic Site of Canada. The small, wooden building has a rectangular plan and a gently sloping gable roof with a chimney. An open gable roof porch protects the front door, the doors and shuttered windows are symmetrically arranged, and the exterior walls are clad with horizontally laid planks. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

Building 66 is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental values.

Historical Value
Building 66 is associated with Canadian immigration and quarantine. Situated on the St. Lawrence River, 50 kilometres from the port of Quebec, which it served, Grosse Île functioned as the most important quarantine station for immigrants arriving into Canada between 1832 and 1937. Immigrants were disembarked and passed health examinations at the station. Building 66, the former wireless station, is the only remaining evidence of the “communication” function of Grosse Île.

Architectural Value
Valued for its good aesthetic design, Building 66 is of pleasing appearance and has been likened to a colonial bungalow. Its simple design and construction details are inspired by vernacular architecture. The interior layout is divided between the work area, a large telegraphy room, the former generator room and a washroom with a small hall in between. This spatial organization was critical to the proper functioning of the communication system and Grosse Île. Good, solid craftsmanship and materials are evidenced in simple building techniques and the interior finishes.

Environmental Value
Building 66 is compatible with the present historic character of its Grosse Île setting. The structure is a well-known local landmark.

Sources: The Marconi Station (no.66), Grosse Île (Part 4 1901-1920), Quebec, Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office, Report 90-031; The Marconi Station (No.66), Grosse Île, Quebec, Heritage Character Statement 90-031.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of Building 66 should be respected.

Its good aesthetics, functional design and very good craftsmanship, for example:
- the small, single-storey massing with gable roof and chimney;
- the simple, light timber construction;
- the placement of the doors and shuttered windows and associated hardware;
- the exterior walls clad in horizontally laid rabbeted planks and the chimney;
- the open gable roof porch supported by columns and pilasters, that protects the front door;
- the interior configuration and finishes including the small varnished boards, the interior panel doors, the simply plastered walls embellished with painted wooden strips and the furniture and fixtures of the period which refer to the former communication functions.

The manner in which Building 66 is compatible with the historic character of Grosse Île, and is a landmark on the St. Lawrence River, as evidenced by:
- its scale, its design and materials, which complement the related adjacent structures, including the Physician’s residence and the School;
- its high visibility and familiarity within the local area due to its location on a small rise at the entrance to the central sector on Grosse-Île.