Description of Historic Place

The old Waverley Hotel, a three-storey Second Empire building whose main section was built circa 1865, is located at 30 Victoria Street.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the old Waverley Hotel as a local historic place resides in its association with a tragic event that took place there. On October 12, 1877, Tim McCarthy, a client and horse trader, was robbed and assassinated by Harry Osborne, the son of the hotel owner. The latter was tried and acquitted of the charges. The trial caused a sensation in the province, and the murder is far from forgotten, because there is a song about the tragedy that is known in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and the Gaspé.

This site also has heritage value because of its original architectural style. It bears witness to the predominance of the Second Empire style in Shediac, where a number of hotels were built in that style at the time.

Source: Shediac Town Hall - Registrar's Office - File #11

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the old Waverley Hotel include:
- original square massing;
- mansard roof;
- shed dormers located in the lower slope of the roof;
- façade typical of the period in which it was built.