St. Michael's Museum
10 Howard Street, Miramichi, New Brunswick, E1N, Canada
Formally Recognized:
2006/01/26
Other Name(s)
Hotel Dieu Hospital
St. Michael's Museum
Hôpital Hotel Dieu
St. Michael's Parish Rectory
Presbytère de la paroisse de St. Michael's
St. Michael's Male Academy
Académie d'hommes de St. Michael's
Links and documents
Construction Date(s)
1846/01/01
Listed on the Canadian Register:
2007/09/26
Statement of Significance
Description of Historic Place
St. Michael's Museum is a one and a half storey Greek Revival building built in 1846. It is located on the grounds of St. Michael's Basilica on Howard Street in Miramichi.
Heritage Value
St. Michael’s Museum is designated a Local Historic Place for its former use as a rectory, for its importance to education, for being the first Hotel-Dieu Hospital and for its current function as a religious and genealogical centre.
The historic value of St. Michael's Museum lies in its initial function as St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church rectory. It was the home of Father Sweeney, its builder, followed by Father Vericker and Bishop Barry.
St. Michael's Museum is also recognized for its educational significance. During Bishop Barry's residency, the building also functioned as St. Michael's Male Academy. This academy would become the cradle of St. Thomas University.
St. Michael’s Museum is also recognized for being the first Hotel Dieu Hospital in 1869-1870 when four Sisters of the Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph arrived to the Miramichi at the request of the Bishop to open a hospital.
Heritage value of St. Michael's Museum also lies in its more recent mandate of providing religious and genealogical resources to the public. Since 1979, when the St. Michael's Museum Association took over the building, it has been open to the public. It houses a religious book store, a genealogical research service and archival library.
Source: City of Miramichi, Heritage Office, Beaverbrook House, Site File# 05-58
Character-Defining Elements
The exterior character-defining elements that describe St. Michael's Museum include:
- rectangular one-and-a-half-storey form and massing;
- plank construction;
- well-balanced 6/6 window placement;
- central entrance with transom above;
- clad in shingles;
- brackets and large corner boards.
Recognition
Jurisdiction
New Brunswick
Recognition Authority
Local Governments (NB)
Recognition Statute
Local Historic Places Program
Recognition Type
Municipal Register of Local Historic Places
Recognition Date
2006/01/26
Historical Information
Significant Date(s)
1869/01/01 to 1870/01/01
Theme - Category and Type
- Building Social and Community Life
- Religious Institutions
- Expressing Intellectual and Cultural Life
- Architecture and Design
- Building Social and Community Life
- Education and Social Well-Being
Function - Category and Type
Current
- Leisure
- Museum
- Commerce / Commercial Services
- Shop or Wholesale Establishment
- Leisure
- Library
Historic
- Religion, Ritual and Funeral
- Religious Facility or Place of Worship
- Education
- Special or Training School
- Health and Research
- Hospital or Other Health Care Institution
Architect / Designer
n/a
Builder
Father John Sweeney
Additional Information
Location of Supporting Documentation
City of Miramichi, Heritage Office,
Beaverbrook House, Site File # 05-58
Cross-Reference to Collection
Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier
795
Status
Published
Related Places
n/a