Description of Historic Place

The Gordon G. Pike Railway Heritage Museum and Park is a late nineteenth century railway station located on a high point of land in the community of Harbour Grace, Conception Bay North, Newfoundland and Labrador. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The Gordon G. Pike Railway Heritage Museum and Park has been designated a municipal heritage structure because it has aesthetic and historic values. This building is an excellent example of late nineteenth century railway station construction, erected in 1881. Built by the Reid Newfoundland Company (RNC) this station was designed in a style similar to many other RNC railway stations. Railway buildings in Newfoundland evolved into standard styles and they became simpler in style to reflect their utilitarian intent, as this station clearly exemplifies.

The Gordon G. Pike Railway Heritage Museum and Park is a one story, rectangular building with a mid-pitch hipped roof and a tall chimney extending up from below the ridge. Large eaves protruding out from the building acted as overhead shelter for those waiting for the trains. This building is sheathed in narrow, wooden clapboard and has wide cornerboards. The long, narrow 2/2 windows are simply decorated with a small sill and eared corners. A central, double window is located on the front and rear facades of the building in a protruding telegraph bay, which allowed the telegraph operator to survey the tracks with ease. The main façade is on the track side of the building and there are two plank doors, one for the Express Room and the other an unmarked door. The color of this railway station is also important, as it signifies the Reid Newfoundland Company’s corporate colors of yellow ochre and green trim.

The Gordon G. Pike Railway Heritage Museum and Park is historically significant because of its age. This building operated as a train station for the community of Harbour Grace for 100 years as the Harbour Grace Branch, but ceased operations when the railway ended in Newfoundland in 1984. This train station signifies the end of an era, and its current use as a community museum further signifies its value to the Town of Harbour Grace.

Source: Passed by a motion of Harbour Grace Town Council, held January 10, 2006

Character-Defining Elements

All those elements that reflect the age and style of the building, including:
-mid-pitch hipped roof with projecting eaves;
-wooden construction;
-narrow wooden clapboard with wide cornerboards;
-window sizes, shapes and fenestrations;
-2/2 windows with small sills and eared corners;
-protruding telegraph bay with double windows;
-plank doors;
-door locations and openings;
-one storey construction;
-size, shape and orientation of building; and
-use of traditional Reid Newfoundland Company color scheme: yellow ochre paint with green trim.