Description of Historic Place

Building 35, also known as the Guard Post, is located in the village in the Grosse Île and the Irish Memorial National Historic Site of Canada. The small, picturesque, two-storey wooden building has a square-shaped ground-floor and an octagonal first floor. The roof is polygonal with bell-cast eaves. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

Building 35 is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental values.

Historical Value
Building 35 is closely associated with Canadian immigration and quarantine. Situated on the St Lawrence River 50 km from the Port of Québec, which it served, Grosse Île functioned as the most important quarantine station for immigrants arriving into Canada between 1832 and 1937. Immigrants were disembarked and passed health examinations at the station. In 1857, with the end of British control, the Canadian government became responsible for the Grosse Île quarantine station. Building 35 was used to isolate the healthy immigrants from the village inhabitants until the closure of the quarantine station in 1937.

Architectural Value
Valued for its very good aesthetic design, Building 35 shows the influence of the picturesque heritage of the nineteenth century and also of the Shingle style of New England. Its very good functional design permitted an unobstructed view thanks to its octagonal-shaped first floor, a configuration which made it possible to avoid the blind corners of the square plan, and by means of its eight windows that provide a 360-degree view. Very good craftsmanship and materials are evidenced in the woodwork construction techniques.

Environmental Value
Building 35 maintains an unchanged relationship to its site, reinforces the present historic character of its Grosse Île setting, and is a well-known local landmark.

Sources: The Guard Post (no.35), Grosse Île (Part 4 1901-1920), Quebec, Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office, Report 90-031; The Guard Post (No.35), Grosse Île, Quebec, Heritage Character Statement 90-031.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of Building 35 should be respected.

Its very good aesthetics, very good functional design and very good craftsmanship, for example: the two-storey massing on a square-shaped plan with a polygonal roof; the timber construction; the small pitched roofs on the corners of the lower level of the building; the regular placement of the doors and windows, four windows on the first floor and eight on the second floor; the exterior walls clad in clapboard, and the exterior treatment, including the touches of darker colour of the roofs and the corner posts; the interior spatial configuration and finishes, the staircase, the panelled front door, the casement windows and the panelling of the walls and ceilings.

The manner in which Building 35 reinforces the historic character of Grosse Île, and is a landmark on the St. Lawrence River, as evidenced by: its imposing scale, design and materials, which complement the related adjacent structures including the Vaccination and Medical Examination Office and the Guard’s Residence; its high visibility and familiarity within the local area, due to its location on a small rise at the entrance to the central sector on Grosse-Île.

Heritage Character Statement

Disclaimer - The heritage character statement was developed by FHBRO to explain the reasons for the designation of a federal heritage building and what it is about the building that makes it significant (the heritage character). It is a key reference document for anyone involved in planning interventions to federal heritage buildings and is used by FHBRO in their review of interventions.

The Grosse Île Guard Post dates from 1905. Its plans were possibly prepared by an architect from the Department of Public Works. The Guard Post continued to function in its original capacity until the closure of the quarantine station, in 1937, and during the military occupation. It was then used as a museum by Agriculture Canada. The Guard Post is the property of the Department of Canadian Heritage and is part of the Grosse Île and the Irish Memorial National Historic Site. The Guard Post is currently unoccupied. See FHBRO Building Report 90-31 (Part IV: 1901-1 920).

Reasons for Designation

The Grosse Île Guard Post was designated Recognized for its architectural qualities and its environmental significance.
The architecture of the Guard Post reveals aesthetic concerns marked by the picturesque heritage of the nineteenth century and influenced by the Shingle style of New England. Its functional design was particularly interesting since it permitted an unobstructed view on all sides, thanks to its polygon-shaped second storey. Its good state of preservation is evidence of the quality of the building materials and techniques used.

The Guard Post attests to the desire to isolate the healthy immigrants from the village inhabitants.

Character Defining Elements

The heritage value of the Guard Post resides in its distinctive architectural form and the choice of appropriate building materials and techniques. The understanding of this building is indissociable from its site on the isthmus which links the western and central sectors of Grosse Île.

The architectural form of the Guard Post creates a very picturesque appearance. The first floor, built on a square plan measuring barely 3.85 metres on each side, is topped by an octagonal-plan second storey. A polygonal roof, with bellcast eaves, adds height to this small building. The corners of the lower level of the building are protected by small pitched roofs.

The design of the Guard Post was not accidental. It stemmed from the need to provide a panoramic view of the sector to be monitored. Thus, the octagonal shape of the second story made it possible to avoid the blind corners of the square plan and to install eight windows providing a 360-degree view. These formal elements define the heritage value of the Guard Post.

Despite its small size, the Guard Post attracts attention because of its charming exterior treatment. The walls and small roofs are covered with wooden shingles, as was formerly the roof, which is now protected by tin-plate shingles. The overall effect is enhanced by the touches of darker colour of the roofs and the corner posts. The authenticity of this minimalist decor could be verified by research on the original colouring.

The heritage value of this building also resides in its interiors spaces and the staircase leading to the second storey. The panelled front door, the casement windows and the panelling of the walls and ceilings are elements characteristic of this composition. It is recommended that these elements be maintained.

Originally, a wooden gate and fence made it possible to control movements of persons coming and going.

For further guidance, please refer to the FHBRO Code of Practice. Translation