Description of Historic Place

The Queen Hotel is a three-and-a-half storey brick Second Empire building with gable dormers along a mansard roof. It is located on Princess Street within the Trinity Royal Preservation Area of the City of Saint John.

Heritage Value

The Queen Hotel is designated a Local Historic Place for its architecture, for its role in the hospitality industry and for its association with John E. Flood.

The Queen Hotel is one of a collection of Second Empire buildings that were built between 1877 and 1881 after two thirds of the City of Saint John was destroyed by fire in 1877. As a vibrant commercial district, Princess Street served as the location for several prominent businesses and industries of Saint John. Built in 1879, the Queen Hotel is a good example of Second Empire architecture from the rebuilding period in Saint John. This style is evident in the mansard roof with gable dormers and the shaped window treatments. The use of brick and the quality of the workmanship in this building represent the will for the city to rebuild, as well or better, after the fire.

The Queen Hotel is also recognized for its long established position in the city as a locally owned hotel and boarding place for over 125 years. Constructed for John E. and Mary Ganong, it was first established as the “New Victoria Hotel” in 1879. By 1884, the name had changed to the “Clarendon”. In 1889, however, it acquired its most enduring name of the “Queen Hotel”. Although not as prestigious as the Victoria Hotel or Clifton House, it outlived the majority of Saint John hotels that appeared throughout the late 19th century and early 20th century.

The Queen Hotel is also recognized for its association with the person and business of John E. Flood. Long known as the oldest construction firm in Canada, this enduring business was initially founded in the early 1870’s by John Flood’s father, Michael Flood. By 1888, John Flood had taken over as sole proprietor and the firm continued under the name of “John Flood, builder”. The business quickly grew and took on a number of prominent contracts. The company built residences for at least two senators, in addition to constructing the Union Club, Oland’s Brewery, the Beaverbrook House, St. Vincent’s High School and St. Mary's Church. When Flood Reality Co., Ltd. took over the ownership of the Queen Hotel in 1920, it was a highly prominent and prosperous business. Although the business operated here for the following 37 years, they continued to run the hostelry in the upper half of the building. Even after the company moved on in 1957, the hostelry remained.

Source: Department of Planning and Development - City of Saint John

Character-Defining Elements

The character defining elements that describe the Second Empire architecture of the Queen Hotel include:
- rectangular three-and-a-half storey rectangular massing;
- brick exterior walls;
- mansard roof with gable dormers;
- cornice ornamented by brick corbel bands;
- rectangular vertical sliding, 2/2, wooden windows with shaped sandstone lintels and simple sandstone sills;
- street-level storefront with a moulded wooden cornice and fascia, wooden and brick pilasters, rectangular transom windows, sidelights on either side of the east entrance and wooden bulkheads.