Description of Historic Place

The Morgan House is a one-and-a-half story house with a steeply-pitched gable roof. Built in 1840, this property was used by the Morgan family for farming. It is located in Seal Cove, Conception Bay, Newfoundland. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The Morgan House has been designated as a heritage building because of its architectural and historic value.
Architecturally, this small, sharp-peaked gable roofed house is a good surviving example of a mid-nineteenth century house type, and one of the few remaining examples of this type in the region. The house is a fine example of the typical dwellings built by fisherman and farmers in Newfoundland during the 1800s. Like so many others in Newfoundland, the Morgan house was moved from its original site in Bareneed and dragged across the ice to its current location in Seal Cove. As a result of the move the house was left without a foundation. Currently, the house still sits on rock and mud, making it a unique structure in Conception Bay. The overall decoration on the house is quite simple and the front facade is symmetrical, reflective of the outport building styles in the 1800s.

Historically this house has value to the people of Conception Bay South because of its associations with Henry Morgan, a well known citizen of the community. He contributed greatly to the community and was well known for his farming activities. Many generations of his family occupied the home over the years and it is well known in the community as the “Morgan House”.

Source: Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador unnumbered property designation file, 1 Springdale Street, St. John's, NL, A1C 5V5

Character-Defining Elements

All original features which relate to the age, simplicity and vernacular design of the home including:
- narrow clapboard;
- original windows and window placement;
- original wooden doors and door placement;
- steeply pitched gable roof;
- shed dormers;
- placement of dormers;
- corner boards;
- raincaps over windows;
- the absence of a foundation;
- simplicity of exterior decoration and detail; and,
- building height, massing, size and dimensions.