Description of Historic Place

The Old Carbonear Post Office is a two storey building with a central clock tower designed in the Second Empire style. Built in 1905, the Old Carbonear Post Office is a prominent landmark on the Carbonear landscape and is a good example of a turn-of-the-century government building. This designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The Old Carbonear Post Office is designated as a Registered Heritage Structure for its architectural, historical and environmental values:

Architectural Value:

The Old Carbonear Post Office is architecturally valuable as an excellent example of the Second Empire style employed in an early 20th century government building. The symmetrical shape of the building and the central tower are indicative of the use of Neoclassical motifs during this period. Furthermore, the size and comparitive scale of the building is indicative of its importance to the community of Carbonear.

Historical Value:

The Old Carbonear Post Office is historically valuable as a representation of the importance of the post office in the community during the early 20th century. Moreover, it represents the presence of government institutions in small communities in the early 20th century. This structure replaced the original post office that burned in a fire in 1904. That a new post office was built immediately after the fire is indicative of the importance of the post office in the community. The Old Carbonear Post Office served as a post office, welfare and customs office for 50 years and was an important hub of communication for the community of Carbonear.

Environmental Value:

The Old Carbonear Post Office is a highly visible landmark in the community of Carbonear and is an important component of the street scape. The prominence of the post office in the community of Carbonear is a further testament to its importance in the community.

Source: Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador unnumbered Property File: Carbonear: Old Carbonear Post Office.

Character-Defining Elements

-Prominent location in community;
-all those elements(pediments, wide wooden mouldings etc) that are representative of the Neo-Classical style;
-all those elements(dormers, cresting, mansard roof etc.) that are representative of the Second Empire style;
-clock tower;
-narrow clapboard;
-window position and style.