Description du lieu patrimonial

Cape Anguille Lightkeeper’s Residence is a one and a half storey rectangular wood frame building with a hipped roof. Built in 1907, the Lightkeeper’s Residence sits among other light station buildings, facing west towards the Gulf of St. Lawrence. This designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Valeur patrimoniale

The Cape Anguille Lightkeeper’s Residence is designated as a Registered Heritage Structure due to its architectural, historical and environmental value.

Cape Anguille Lightkeeper’s Residence is architecturally valuable for its unique design. While there were many double dwellings built by the Department of Marine and Fisheries around this time it appears that there were no others built in this style. Though the Residence at Cape Anguille bears some resemblance to other departmental dwellings, this particular style may be one of a kind. Built as a double dwelling, the building is entirely symmetrical. The front façade features a main entrance hall at both ends of the building, and two large pedimented dormers. The cedar shingle clad hip roof features identical chimneys on both ends of the house and the rear of the house features two small pedimented dormers flanking a large central dormer.

Located in the Wreckhouse area of Newfoundland, a region notorious for its extreme winds and harsh weather conditions, the Cape Anguille Lightkeeper’s Residence has withstood the elements of the Newfoundland climate reasonably well. Constructed of wood, the Residence stands as a testament to the quality of craftsmanship and construction during this period.

The Lightkeeper’s Residence at Cape Anguille is historically valuable as an example of a lightkeeper’s dwelling built during this period. Built in 1907, the house was originally a double dwelling intended to house the lightkeeper as well as the engineer for the light station at Cape Anguille. This type of dwelling was typical during the early 20th century. The Residence also has local historical value for its association with the Patry family. Alfred Patry was appointed Lightkeeper at Cape Anguille in 1908. Local history states that the relationship between Patry and the Engineer at Cape Anguille quickly deteriorated and the engineer soon moved to nearby Codroy. After the engineer left, Patry opened up the house and made it into a single dwelling for his family. The Patry family has a long standing association with the light station at Cape Anguille; Alfred Patry held the lightkeeper’s position from 1980 until 1943 when his son Laurier Patry took over the position until 1982.

The Lightkeeper’s Residence at Cape Anguille is also historically valuable as the last remaining building of the original lightstation complex at Cape Anguille. The Cape Anguille lightstation was established in 1905 as a coastal station to serve fishermen and marine traffic travelling along the Gulf of St. Lawrence up to the Strait of Belle Isle. The Lightkeeper’s Residence remains as a testament to this early 20th century lightstation.

The Lightkeeper’s Residence at Cape Anguille is environmentally valuable for its location. Lightstations are landmarks by nature and thus the location of the lightkeeper’s house as a part of the lightstation complex is important. Facing west to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the lighkeeper’s residence and the lightstation itself serves as a landmark to passing ships as well as a passing cars on the Trans Canada Highway.

Source : Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador, unnumbered property file, "Cape Anguille - Lightkeeper's Residence."

Éléments caractéristiques

All those architectural features which relate to the design and function of the building as a lightkeeper's dwelling, including:
-Wooden construction;
-symmetrical façade;
-hipped roof with chimneys and cedar shingles on roof;
-pedimented dormers;
-porch;
-window style and position;
-window and door trim;
-stone foundation; and
-building dimensions, size, height, and number of storeys.

All those features which relate to the building's environmental and landmark value, including:
-location and context;
-positioning relative to coastline and light tower.