Description of Historic Place

The Jacob A. Crocker House, built circa 1898, is a two storey biscuit box style house located along the waterfront in Trout River, NL. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The Jacob A. Crocker House was designated as a Registered Heritage Structure because of its aesthetic and cultural value.

The building has aesthetic value as it is a representative example of an early twentieth century fisherman’s dwelling on the west coast of the province. This vernacular house type was built by fishermen in the Bonne Bay region in the late 1800s and early 1900s and few unaltered examples presently exist in the area.

The building has cultural value as it is symbolic of a particular time, place and occupation. The home was built by Jacob A. Crocker, Sr, grandson of George Crocker of Dorsetshire, England, one of the first settlers in Trout River. From the days of early settlement, life in this community was orientated to the sea and generations made a living from it. Residents of the Jake Crocker House were participants in this tradition and the building stands as a testament to this way of life.

Source: Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador property designation file M-041-009, Trout River - Jake Crocker House

Character-Defining Elements

All those features that speak to the age and simplicity of the building's vernacular design, including:
-flat roof;
-number of storeys;
-narrow clapboard;
-corner boards;
-asymmetrical placement of bays on front facade;
-window size, style, trim and placement;
-size, style, trim and placement of exterior doors;
-chimney style and placement;
-dimension, location and orientation of building; and,
-location of building near the waterfront.