Description of Historic Place

McAdam Railway Station, built in 1900-1901, is a magnificent three-storey Chateauesque granite building. This former Canadian Pacific railway station and hotel is situated on an elevated portion of land on Saunders Road in McAdam.

Heritage Value

McAdam Railway Station is designated a Local Historic Place for its architectural grandeur and for its symbolism with respect to a past era when railroading was predominant in McAdam.

At the time of the construction of the McAdam Railway Station, McAdam was a thriving and prosperous railway junction centre and a gateway to Atlantic Canada. The station is one of the few remaining structures showing the importance of the railroad and its significance to the history of Canada. Commissioned by Sir William Cornelius Van Horne, it was designed by Edward Maxwell and W. S. Painter and built by Joseph McVey in 1900-1901 (original central section). It was expanded in 1910-11 during a time of rapid expansion and prosperity of the Canadian Pacific Railroad. It was one of only three and the last surviving station that included a first-class five-star hotel. It maintains all of its Chateauesque architecture from this era. Serving 16-18 passenger trains a day, it immediately became the showpiece of a thriving railroad industrial village, whose very existence was the result of rail and whose history mirrored the rise and fall of railroading in Canada.

Source: McAdam Historical Restoration Commission c/o McAdam Village Office, Historic Places File “McAdam Railway Station”

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements relating to the architecture of the McAdam Railway Station include:
- pavillion three-storey massing;
- locally-quarried massive granite exterior;
- steeply pitched multi-levelled Chateau-style roof with 18 stone dormers;
- wide overhanging eaves over the walkway and entrances.

The character-defining elements relating to the original interior and spatial arrangement of the building include:
- former first-class five-star hotel;
- functioning original dining room and lunch counter, currently used for community events;
- general waiting room and separate ladies waiting display area;
- former Canadian customs and immigration offices;
- express, baggage and mail rooms;
- railway police office and jail;
- ticket and telegraph office;
- carmen, yard and road-master offices;
- third floor dormitories for male and female staff.

The character-defining elements relating to the location of the station include:
- adjacent to working freight rail line;
- adjacent to 6 acre man-made lake used to water steam engines.