Description of Historic Place

The Dominion School House is located on the main thorough fare in the coastal community of Dominion, six km northwest of Glace Bay, on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. Its bright red colour makes it easily recognizable. Municipal designation applies to the building and land.

Heritage Value

The Dominion School House is valued for its age, historical associations, and as one of the few remaining one-room school houses in the province.

The Dominion School House was built in 1888 as Mitchell School 9 ½ (referring to the school district). The majority of students in attendance were the children of coal miners who worked for the Dominion Coal Company. During this period, industrialization in Cape Breton was on the rise and shortly after the turn of the twentieth century, Cape Breton was producing close to forty percent of Canada’s coal. As industries grew, so did the population of Dominion and the small school house became too small for its growing student body. In 1896 a new four-room school was built and the old one-room school house was closed. Since that time the building has been used for many purposes. In 1985 it was restored to its original appearance and is used as a community museum highlighting Dominion’s economic and social history.

Source: Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Municipal Heritage Files

Character-Defining Elements

Character-defining elements of the Dominion School House relate to its original use as a school and include:

- wood frame construction;
- wood shingle cladding;
- six-over-six wooden windows with shutters;
- one-and-one-half storeys;
- gable roof;
- corner boards;
- wooden door;
- gable end facing away from road;
- white picket fence.