Description of Historic Place

Lanigan CPR Station is a Municipal Heritage Property consisting of a 1200 square metre lot located in the Town of Lanigan beside the Number 16 Yellowhead Highway at 75 Railway Avenue. The property features a long, one-storey, wood-frame train station constructed in 1908.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the Lanigan CPR Station lies in its architecture, which is representative of many Canadian Pacific Railway stations built during the period. The building is a Canadian Pacific Railroad type 14 station, a standardized plan designed for larger towns across the prairies. The station features a long one-storey design that maximized frontage along the track.

The heritage value of the property also lies in its historic role as a transportation hub for the community. The introduction of the railroad in 1908 linked the community to a transnational transportation network that made Lanigan a regional hub. The railway was the dominant mode of transportation for the area until all-weather highways were constructed after the Second World War.

The heritage value of the property also lies in its use as a museum. In 1995, the Lanigan and District Heritage Association acquired the station for use as a local museum and tourist information booth. The building has since been used to display artifacts of historical significance to the town and surrounding area and has established itself as a tourist stop on Number 16 Yellowhead Highway.

Source:

Town of Langin Bylaw 6/95.

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the Lanigan CPR Station resides in the following character-defining elements:
-those elements that reflect its architecture, including its regular massing, long rectangular form, wood siding, hip roof with crossing gable roof at the building’s centre, elongated eaves with wood brackets and the door and window pattern;
-those elements that reflect its historic role as a transportation hub for the community, including its location adjacent to its original location on the railway right-of-way;
-those elements that reflect the property’s status as a museum, including its open display spaces and accessibility for tourists.