Description of Historic Place

The Herridge Chalet is a rustic two-storey square-cut log building with a rectangular floor plan and a small extension on the west side. It is remarkable for its simple form, its metal gable roof and its symmetrically-placed windows and doors with white surrounds. The lodge is located in Gatineau Park on Trail No. 50, halfway between lac Philippe and Pine Road. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The Herridge Chalet was designated a recognized federal heritage building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental values.

Historical Value
The Herridge Chalet was designed as a pioneer farmhouse and is a good illustration of the theme of the development of agricultural settlement related to the growth of the logging industry near riverside communities in the 19th century. Constructed in the 1880s, it is a relatively rare older example of this phase of development in the Outaouais, which at the time was considered the hub of the logging industry in North America. The chalet is associated primarily with William Duncan Herridge, a former advisor to Prime Minister R.B. Bennett, who purchased the property in 1926 and kept it until 1951. The chalet illustrates in a practical way the three separate phases of development of the area that is now Gatineau Park: the first phase is linked to agricultural settlement in the 19th century; the second phase is characterized by the development of the logging industry at the turn of the 20th century; and the third phase corresponds to the growth of the resort and recreation industry beginning in the 1920s until today.

Architectural Value
The Herridge Chalet is a good example of a common type of rustic houses built by many pioneers in the 19th century. It is a two-storey building constructed of square-cut logs with dovetailed joints, with a floor plan that is almost square and a small one-storey log extension. It is an elegant and well-proportioned building, which was designed using a simple plan that could easily be adapted for multiple uses. The craftsmanship and materials are of good quality, and the building has remained in good condition for over a century. The exposed timbers inside add to the rustic character of the building and attest to the simplicity of its construction.

Environmental Value
The Herridge Chalet is compatible with its natural setting because of its size, materials and rustic and picturesque appearance. Located in a small clearing surrounded by dense forest, the chalet derives its character from its historical evolution from its initial use as a pioneer farmhouse to its current use as a recreational facility. Despite the addition and removal of outbuildings, the encroachment of vegetation and modifications to the access road, the site has retained its original character and the building blends into the landscape very well. Accessed by a trail whose entrance is marked by two fieldstone posts, the lodge is well known to hikers, cyclists and skiers who use this area of Gatineau Park.

Sources: Nathalie Clerk, Herridge Chalet, Crescent Sector, Parc de la Gatineau, Pontiac, Québec, Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office Building Report 06-111; Herridge Lodge, Gatineau, Québec, Heritage Character Statement, 06-111.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Herridge Chalet should be respected.

Its elements illustrating the theme of the development of agricultural settlement related to growth of the logging industry near riverside communities in the 19th century, in particular:
- its square-cut log construction and its rustic character, which evoke the region’s agricultural role in the 19th century.

Its good aesthetic and functional design and its good quality of materials and craftsmanship, which are reflected in:
- its elegant proportions, its human scale and its simple massing;
- the overall rustic and picturesque quality of the lodge, which is conveyed by its square-cut log construction and dovetailed joints, its metal gable roof with two chimneys and the white window frames;
- the symmetry of the façades, with one window on either side of the main door and four windows on the south side;
- the flexible, open ground-floor plan, with a foyer and a centre staircase leading to the second floor;
- the predominant use of wood inside and out.

Its compatibility with the natural character of the area, which is reflected in:
- its size and the choice of materials;
- its location in a natural setting;
- its location along the trail linking lac Philippe and Pine Road, which makes it accessible to hikers.