Description of Historic Place

Granville Park is a public parc and play area located on Prince William Street on land that was the site of the former Chipman Memorial Hospital in St. Stephen.

Heritage Value

Granville Park is designated a Local Historic Place for its association with the former Chipman Memorial Hospital and for its current dedication to Stanley Granville.

Granville Park is recognized for being the site of the former Chipman Memorial Hospital. The building was the home of Mr. and Mrs. Zachariah Chipman and was known as “The Cedars”. The home was located on the banks of the St. Croix River; in 1902 the family donated the home to the community of St. Stephen to serve the town and the surrounding area, including part of Washington County, State of Maine, as a hospital in memory of their parents and other relatives. The hospital began under the sponsorship of their daughter Alice, wife of Sir Leonard Tilley. In 1905, a son-in-law of Zachariah Chipman donated funds to build the Florence Jones Memorial Ward in memory of his wife. The name was changed in 1950 to the Charlotte County Hospital. The old building, under the new name, served the public until October 1953, when the new hospital opened. The current family park that occupies the site was dedicated on August 24, 1969 in memory of Stanley Granville, former owner and Editor of the Saint Croix Courier. It is a public park designed for family use, as is evident in the playground within the green space.

Sources: St. Stephen Town Hall, Historic Places File "Granville Park"

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe Granville Park include:
- well manicured green area with playground for the children;
- raised circular flowerbed located in the centre of the park;
- the location, reflecting that of the former Chipman Memorial Hospital;
- the dimensions and extent of the park as reflecting the original hospital grounds;
- the function as a community park, continuing the association with the community health and well-being.