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Paradise School

10307 Highway 1, Paradise, Nova Scotia, B0S, Canada

Formally Recognized: 1997/07/15

The Paradise School, Paradise, N.S., concave mansard roof, 2009.; Heritage Division, NS Dept. of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, 2009
Concave Mansard Roof
The Paradise School, Paradise, N.S., segmented dormer with paired round-headed window, 2009.; Heritage Division, NS Dept. of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, 2009
Segmented Dormer with Paired Round-Headed Window
The Paradise School, Paradise, N.S., southwest elevation, 2009.; Heritage Division, NS Dept. of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, 2009
Southwest Elevation

Other Name(s)

Paradise School
Jack & Jill Nursery School

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

1894/01/01 to 1894/12/31

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2009/10/09

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

The Paradise School, built in 1894, is a two-storey wooden building set back from the road at the north side of the highway which runs east-west through Paradise, Nova Scotia. Both the building and the property are included in the municipal heritage designation.

Heritage Value

The Paradise School is valued as an impressive example of the Second Empire style in Paradise, NS.

Ernest and Charles Balcom, brothers, built this structure in 1894. The two-storey wooden building originally accommodated eighty to one hundred and five students, grades Primary through Twelve. The unique building conveys a dramatic presence and exhibits a classical setting, located some distance from the main road, adjacent to its semi-circular driveway. The Paradise School closed in 1979. The Paradise Women’s Institute took over ownership of the building and later the structure was to house a nursery school.

From the concave mansard roof down to the large double hung windows on the main storey and entrance door at the front right corner, the front elevation of this building conveys a stately appearance. Segmented dormers on the second storey each have paired round-headed windows. The tall, narrow French-style main storey windows have flat hoods. An unusual ornamental element is the decorative shingling halfway up the façade. There is a two-storey shed roof addition in the rear. The structure sits on a brick foundation.

The building is a valued testament to the integrity of the builders’ craftsmanship and to the community’s commitment to heritage preservation through the creative practice of adaptive reuse of the property.

Source: Heritage Property File no. OIBNS01207, Municipality of the County of Annapolis, 752 St. George Street, Annapolis Royal, N. S., B0S 1A0

Character-Defining Elements

Character-defining elements of the Paradise School are associated with its Second Empire style and include:

-two-storey construction;
-wood-frame construction;
-concave mansard roof;
-double hung, tall, narrow French style windows with flat hoods;
-decorative shingling halfway up the façade;
-brick foundation;
-building is set back and strategically located in respect to its semi-circular driveway.

Recognition

Jurisdiction

Nova Scotia

Recognition Authority

Local Governments (NS)

Recognition Statute

Heritage Property Act

Recognition Type

Municipally Registered Property

Recognition Date

1997/07/15

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

n/a

Theme - Category and Type

Expressing Intellectual and Cultural Life
Learning and the Arts

Function - Category and Type

Current

Education
Primary or Secondary School

Historic

Education
Composite School

Architect / Designer

n/a

Builder

Charles Balcom

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

Municipality of the County of Annapolis, Municipal Administration Building, 752 St. George Street, Annapolis Royal, N. S., B0S 1A0

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

01MNS0008

Status

Published

Related Places

n/a

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