Description of Historic Place

The Torraville Property consists of a wooden one storey curved roofed stage and a one and a half storey wooden bungalow with a curved roof. Constructed between 1900 and 1934, the property is located on Change Islands, NL. The designation is confined to the footprint of the two individual buildings.

Heritage Value

The Torraville Property has been designated because of its historical, aesthetic and cultural value.
The Torraville Property is of historical importance because of its extended use as a fisheries premises, in addition to its association with the development of ferry routes in the province and its role as a centre of transportation for the greater region. Built around 1900 by merchant Walter Torraville, the stage was used for various fisheries related purposes until the mid 1960s when it became the landing site for the first ferry linking Change Islands to the mainland, the ferry being operated by Fred Chaffey. This private enterprise was a forerunner to the establishment of regular government run ferry routes in the province, a development which alleviated the isolation of many rural communities.

The two buildings that make up the Torraville Property have aesthetic value for their interesting curved roof construction, a rare building form in Newfoundland and Labrador. The cottage is also a good example of early bungalow construction in the region. This type of house construction eventually saw great popular use throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. The fishing stage has further aesthetic value as a good example of an intact fishing structure in the region. There are few examples of such structures in the province left in their original shape and condition. Such buildings were designed for practical use and had to endure the rigours of a harsh environment. The use of rough materials, simple design elements and utilitarian construction techniques exemplify these fishery buildings.

The buildings are culturally important as they are a physical reminder of a specific time and place, particularly of a time when life was intrinsically linked to the sea. The stage originally served a vital purpose in a subsistence economy based on the bounty of the ocean surrounding the islands. Later it would provide a vital link between Change Islands and the mainland. This connection alleviated the isolation of the community and impacted its cultural and economic evolution.

Source: Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador property designation file # M-053-033 Change Islands - Torraville Property

Character-Defining Elements

All those architectural features relating to the age and vernacular design of the stage/ferry terminal, including:
-original form, scale and massing;
-round roof;
-number of storeys;
-narrow clapboard;
-corner boards;
-window size, style, trim and placement;
-size, style, trim and placement of exterior doors;
-red ochre exterior colour;
-wooden post building supports;
-placement, design and construction of wharf; and,
-dimension, location and orientation of building along the main tickle.

All those features which are reflective of the age and vernacular design of the cottage, including:
-round roof;
-number of storeys;
-narrow clapboard;
-corner boards;
-window size, style, trim and placement;
-size, style, trim and placement of exterior doors;
-location, design and size of open porch on front facade;
-dimension, location and orientation of building; and,
-original green and dory buff exterior paint colours.