Description of Historic Place

Long Point Light Station Dwelling is a wooden, two and a half storey double dwelling. Built in 1876, it is located in the community of Crow Head, NL, along the northeast coast of the island portion of the province. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

Long Point Light Station Dwelling has been designated a Registered Heritage Structure because of its aesthetic, historic and cultural values.

Long Point Light Station Dwelling has great aesthetic value because of its environmental setting and landmark value. Long Point Light Station Dwelling is located on a prominent headland on the northeastern coast of the island of Newfoundland at the entrance to Notre Dame Bay. Its location provides an open view of the islands that dot this section of coast, of shipping activities and of icebergs that drift past in the spring. The dwelling has been well known to mariners and local residents since its construction and is perhaps the most prominent man-made landscape feature in the region.

Long Point Light Station Dwelling has value for its architectural features. Built in 1876 by Messrs Colman and Kelly, and possibly designed by Newfoundland Board of Works Official Inspector of Lighthouses and Public Buildings J.T. Neville, the double dwelling is an aesthetically pleasing example of a Newfoundland vernacular house form enlarged to accommodate two families, an unusual but not unknown house form in rural Newfoundland. Intricate external wood trim results in a bold yet elegant facade and elevates the aesthetic quality above contemporaneous vernacular houses. The depth and richness of the mouldings at the eaves line, the eave returns and window drip mouldings supported by Classically inspired consoles give the dwelling a sculptural quality. The simplicity of the overall form is based on functional considerations with an aesthetic preference for symmetry and balance.

Long Point Light Station Dwelling has historic value due to its ties with marine transportation along the northeast coast, particularly its association with the cod and seal fisheries based in nearby Twillingate, and is indicative of the development of Twillingate as one of the largest centres for the cod and seal fisheries in nineteenth century Newfoundland. From its prominent location, Long Point has provided navigational aid to countless ships navigating this busy shipping and fishing route. It is also a physical reminder of the development of early navigational aids along the coast of Newfoundland. During the second half of the nineteenth century, the Newfoundland colonial government, in cooperation with Britain and Canada, established numerous inexpensive but effective light stations around its coastline. Long Point was established not because it was crucial to overseas shipping but for the welfare of countless ordinary fishermen and coastal traders engaged along the northeast coast.

Long Point Light Station Dwelling has cultural and sentimental value for the residents of Crow Head and surrounding communities. Apart from its navigational role, Long Point was the base for life saving and weather reporting services. Fishermen, sealers and hunters relied heavily on the services provide at Long Point and consequently held light-keepers in great esteem. While men toiled on the water and ice floes or along the coast, light-keepers kept a constant vigil.

Source: Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador, Meeting 58, December 1, 2006.

Character-Defining Elements

All those environmental features that embody the purpose of the site, including:
-unobstructed view planes to and from dwelling;
-location and orientation of dwelling in respect to the surrounding environment;
-the geographical setting of the site on Long Point, and;
-the location at the edge of the Atlantic ocean.

All original features which relate to the age, style and purpose of the double dwelling including:
-simple, near-symmetrical facade and gabled volumes;
-cross gable roof;
-symmetrical alignment of roof-lines;
-mouldings at the eaves line and eave returns;
-wooden rain gutters;
-chimney style and placement;
-number of storeys;
-narrow wooden clapboard;
-corner boards;
-regular pattern of window and door openings on facade;
-window size, style, trim and placement;
-window drip mouldings supported by Classically inspired consoles;
-defined door openings for separate entrances as part of double dwelling;
-size, style, trim and placement of exterior doors;
-fineness of eave and window detailing to emphasize bold form;
-typical white main exterior colour, and;
-dimension, location and orientation of dwelling.