Description of Historic Place

The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) Station is located at 121 Victoria Street, southeast of downtown, near the junction of the Madawaska and Saint John rivers in Edmundston.

Heritage Value

This architecturally significant station, the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) Station Provincial Historic Site, was built in 1929-1930 from plans supplied by the office of the CPR’s Chief Engineer in Montreal.

The building is associated with the bold plan to link the St. Lawrence valley to the port of Saint John, N.B. Built of red brick whereas most of the other stations are made of wood, the Edmundston station reflects the railway’s importance in this region in an era of great prosperity. With the line abandoned, this station is the last testament to railway activity on this site.

Source: New Brunswick Culture and Sport Secretariat, Heritage Branch, Site File # 79.

Character-Defining Elements

Character-Defining Elements of the Edmundston CPR Station include:
- balanced and elegant in its architectural composition, the station is a one-storey red brick construction measuring approximately 35 feet by 75 feet and erected on a concrete foundation with a basement;
- its main façade, facing south, looks over a railway line, now abandoned but still present. It is built on a long piece of land along the track;
- the hipped roof with black asphalt shingles has a wide overhang supported by decorative brackets. The roof features a central chimney on the main façade;
- the decorative brackets rest on granite supports attached to the brick walls;
- numerous windows and doors, characterized by a curved arch shape, provide abundant light inside. The delivery and freight doors slide. The doors are topped by transom windows, also in a curved arch shape;
- the interior walls are of plaster covered in painted canvas. The lovely simple trim creates a very attractive appearance;
- the interior dates back to the original date of construction. In addition to the original hot-water radiator heating system, it still has its period sales counter, hardware, and lighting fixture.