Description of Historic Place

The Butler House is a two storey house with a mid-pitched gable roof. Built in 1905, this property was used by the Butler family as a year around residence. It is located in Cupids, Conception Bay, Newfoundland. The designation is confined to the property, including the house, hayloft, carriage house and outhouse.

Heritage Value

The Butler House has been designated as a Registered Heritage Structure because of its architectural, social and cultural value.

Architecturally, this small, mid-pitched gable roofed house is a good surviving example of a classical revival style house, and one of the few remaining examples of this type in the region. The house is a fine demonstration of the typical dwellings built by fisherman in Newfoundland during the early 1900s. The windows in the house are mostly original and many of them include blue and yellow panes, a rather unique feature in Cupids. Above the side door there is a small porch and located on the other side of the house, extending down from the dormer is a larger, two storey porch, giving the house added visual interest. Large double corner boards, simple mouldings and rain caps on both the windows and doors are reflective of the carpenter’s interpretation of the classical revival style in the outport context. Also located on the property are a number of outbuildings. Though they are of all different sizes, each resemble one another, having a shed roof and plain flat moulding around doors and windows.

Within a social context, this property is important because it exists in a traditional Newfoundland setting, with its associated outbuildings and fencing. Though it was common for houses to have a number of out buildings on their property years ago, it is now becoming a rarity throughout Newfoundland. The Butler property is uncommon and very significant to the community because it serves as a reminder of the days when people depended on the fishery for survival.

Culturally, this house is an important landmark in the community because of the attention it receives from so many in and outside of the region. The property has been popularized by local artist Donna Clousten in her painting “Apple Blossom Time in Cupids”, and people often visit the community to see the actual property. The Butler house has also been featured on local crafts in the community such as aprons and cushion covers.

Source: Heritage Foundation of Newfounland and Labrador, file M-043-001, Cupids - Butler Property.

Character-Defining Elements

All original features which relate to the age and vernacular design of the home including:
- narrow clapboard;
- original windows and window placement;
- coloured panes in windows;
- original wooden doors and door placement;
- mid pitched gable roof;
- return along eaves;
- front dormer;
- placement of dormer;
- corner boards;
- raincaps over windows;
- location of porches;
- all existing interior features of the building that reflects the age, context and use of the building.

All features relating to the design, construction, and placement of the outbuildings, including;
- original roof line of outbuildings;
- narrow clapboard on outbuildings;
- original windows and doors in outbuildings;
- original window and door placement in outbuildings; and,
- simplicity of exterior decoration and detail on all buildings on property.

All those features that speak to the environmental quality of the place, including:
- fence surrounding property;
- location of all buildings on property in regards to one another; and,
- landscape around property.