Description of Historic Place

The Bourque-Robichaud House is a two-storey American Foursquare dwelling with strong Craftsman influences that has a front veranda that extends to the north side. It is located on Main Street in Richibucto.

Heritage Value

The Bourque-Robichaud House is designated as a Local Historic Place for its architecture, for its association with Dr. Thomas J. Bourque and for its association with the Honourable Louis J. Robichaud.

This two-storey house is a fine example of the American Foursquare style with a strong influence of the Craftsman style. The American Foursquare style is evident notably in its cubic form and its Dutch hipped roof. The Craftsman style influence is evident in its pronounced eaves with decorative brackets as well as its front veranda with its square pillars. Certain windows are original and still retain their muntins. The front door is located inside a glassed-in porch that still maintains its original windows. The building is covered in shingles.

The house was built by Dr. Thomas J. Bourque between 1906 and 1923. Born in Memramcook, N. B., in 1864, Thomas Bourque studied at Saint Joseph’s College and continued his studies in medicine in Detroit, Michigan. He settled in Richibucto around 1890 where he practised his profession. He later had his office in this house which also served as his residence. Thomas Bourque was also a politician, having been elected to the provincial Legislature in 1908. He was senator for nearly 35 years, from 1917 until his death in 1952.

In 1953, the property was acquired by the lawyer Louis J. Robichaud who lived in the house and in which he had his law office. Born in Saint-Antoine, N. B., in 1925, Louis J. Robichaud played a defining role in New Brunswick’s history. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of N. B. in 1952 and was re-elected in 1956. He was elected Premier of New Brunswick in 1960, becoming the first Acadian elected to that office – a post he maintained until 1970. It was his government that introduced the “Equal Opportunity Program” as well as the Official Languages Act. He played a key role in the creation of the Université de Moncton. He settled in Ottawa in 1971 where he was named Senator in 1981. He was a Companion of the Order of Canada, a member of the Order of New Brunswick and Commandeur de l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur de France. He died in 2005.

The building later housed the offices of the weekly newspaper Pro-Kent in the 1980's and 1990's.

Source: Town of Richibucto - Centre d'études acadiennes Anselme-Chiasson, files on Heritage Sites of Richibucto

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Bourque-Robichaud House include:
- the two-storey square plan;
- the Dutch hipped roof;
- the shingled sheathing;
- the veranda, of which a part was enclosed in a renovation;
- the square pillars of the veranda;
- the enclosed and glassed-in porch on the veranda;
- the original asymmetrical fenestration of the side walls, including certain original windows;
- the pronounced eaves with decorative brackets.