Description of Historic Place

The former Cape Traverse Methodist, later United, Church is a wood-shingle Carpenter Gothic styled church building which has been modified with the addition of a copper-coloured metal roof, and operates as an antique shop located in Cape Traverse, Prince Edward Island.

Heritage Value

The former Cape Traverse Methodist Church is valued for its age, as an example of Carpenter Gothic architecture, and for its importance to the community of Cape Traverse, Prince Edward Island.

The church was built in 1889 possibly by local builder John Montague Clark who was responsible for construction of Trinity United (former Methodist) Church in Summerside around the same time.

This building is the third church building on this site, the original being a log structure. George Muttart donated land for the chapel and cemetery. Muttart, a Roman Catholic, converted to Methodism after hearing Nathaniel Wright's preaching. The Muttart family were long associated with providing Northumberland Strait crossings with ice boats until 1917 when the ferry service was established at Borden.

The second church structure was built on this site in 1831. When the congregation outgrew it, the building was sold to Montague Muttart and relocated nearby. In the mid-1920s, artist Mary Allison Doull (1866-1953), whose family were members of the church, purchased it for use as a painting and pottery studio she called Rolling Bank Cottage. Samples of Doull's work are found in collections of the PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation and the Confederation Centre Art Gallery. Sadly, the cottage was demolished about 2006.

The current structure was built in 1889 and dedicated in 1890. Initially part of the Tryon circuit of Methodist churches, in 1893 the congregation joined, along with Borden, to form the Bedeque Pastoral Charge. With church union in 1925, the church became known as Cape Traverse United. Additions were made to the structure in about 1900 and the 1960s.

Like so many rural churches, it closed in 2017, due to dwindling membership. Ownership was transferred from the Trustees of the United Church of Cape Traverse to Landale Services Inc. who has renovated the church in a manner sympathetic to its historic character and operates it as an antique shop.

The former Cape Traverse Methodist, later United Church, continues to be an asset to its community's landscape and contributes to the economy as a commercial enterprise.

Source: Heritage Places Files, Dept. of Fisheries, Tourism, Sport & Culture, Charlottetown, PE
File #: 4310-20/17

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the former Cape Traverse Methodist Church is shown in the following character-defining elements:

- the scale and massing of the building
- the pitch and slope of the rooflines, and steeple
- the wood shingle cladding
- the square entrance tower with arched casement windows
- the large, multi-paned stained-glass window on the front facing gable
- the large, multi-paned stained-glass windows on the side elevations
- the lead glass lancet window in the rear addition

Further heritage character-defining elements:

- the location of the building near two national historic event plaques commemorating the laying of the first major submarine cable (telegraphic) in North America in 1852 and the winter mail service between PEI and New Brunswick by ice boat crossings from 1827 until 1917 when the first ice breaker ferry began service