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Marathon Inn

19 Marathon Lane, Grand Manan, New Brunswick, Canada

Formally Recognized: 2010/01/11

Image of the Marathon Inn showing the three buildings that make up the complex - the main inn, the Annex, and the Captain's Quarters. ; Grand Manan Historical Society 2010
Marathon Inn, winter 2010
Image of the Marathon Inn taken from the western side looking east. The Captains Quarters are attached to the Annex and the Main Inn by a large boardwalk.  ; Grand Manan Archives Photo Collection
Marathon Inn, circa 1920
This image of the Captain's Quarters of the Marathon Inn shows its mansard roof and the boardwalk with attaches it to the main building. ; Grand Manan Historical Society 2010
Marathon Inn, Captains Quarters, 2010

Other Name(s)

Marathon Hotel Ltd.
Marathon Hotel Ltd.
Marathon Inn

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

1871/01/01

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2010/03/30

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

The Marathon Inn is located on the very top of Marathon Lane overlooking the North Head Harbour in Grand Manan. Marathon Lane is a hidden drive between the North Head Post Office and the seasonal Island Arts gift shop. The inn proper is made up of three large buildings joined together with covered walkways. The view of the harbour from this vantage point is spectacular. There is a large barn located behind the inn.

Heritage Value

The Marathon Inn in Grand Manan is designated a Local Historic Place for being one of the oldest purpose-built continually-operated hotels in Eastern Canada. It has been owned only by nine people since its opening and is still fully operational. James Pettes, who built the most easterly part, was connected with ‘The Flushing’, the first Grand Manan ferry to run on a schedule. In 1898, the former Marble Ridge Inn was moved to its present site beside the main building from its original location in the Moses Lane area. The story goes that Capt. Pettes won it in a poker game. This is now known as the Annex. On the sill under this building are written the names of three men who died in 1898, reputedly when the building was being moved. Many local stories are connected with it. The last building making up the Marathon Inn is the Captain’s Quarters - originally Captain Pettes home – which was relocated here from Pettes Cove.

Architecturally, the buildings that comprise the Marathon Inn are among the more eclectic on the island. The main building, located on the eastern end of the complex, has a mansard roof and is in the Second Empire Style. The three-storey mid-section or Annex building has a shallow Dutch Colonial Revival gambrel roof with a belvedere and is of ‘balloon’ construction with 4x5 inch studs running from the foundation to the roof. The most westerly section, the two-storey Captain’s Quarters, is of board and batten construction and also has characteristics of the Dutch Colonial Revival style which was fairly common in throughout New Brunswick.

Source: Grand Manan Archives – Local Historic Places files

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe the Marathon Inn include:
- three separate buildings joined together through raised wooden walkways;
- excellent sightlines to North Head Harbour;
- some original furniture in the guest rooms.

The character-defining elements that describe the Main House include:
- square three-storey massing;
- straight mansard roof;
- shed-roof dormers;
- central projecting frontispiece that towers above the roof-line;
- paired Roman arch windows on the second storey of the frontispiece;
- original sash windows;
- clapboard siding;
- interior spatial arrangement;
- some original interior woodwork.

The character-defining elements relating to the Annex include:
- lateral rectangular three-storey massing;
- gambrel roof with belvedere;
- symmetrical fenestration;
- full-width veranda with a shed roof;
- original sash windows;
- sitting room with the original wall fireplace;
- interior stairway to the cupola with many graffiti signatures of former guests;
- flying baluster staircase.

The character-defining elements relating to the Captain’s House include:
- two-storey rectangular massing;
- front-facing gambrel roof;
- original sash windows;
- ornate window headers on the front façade;
- covered wrap-around veranda.

Recognition

Jurisdiction

New Brunswick

Recognition Authority

Local Governments (NB)

Recognition Statute

Local Historic Places Program

Recognition Type

Municipal Register of Local Historic Places

Recognition Date

2010/01/11

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

1898/01/01 to 1898/01/01

Theme - Category and Type

Developing Economies
Trade and Commerce
Expressing Intellectual and Cultural Life
Architecture and Design

Function - Category and Type

Current

Historic

Commerce / Commercial Services
Hotel, Motel or Inn

Architect / Designer

n/a

Builder

n/a

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

Grand Manan Archives, 1141 Route 776, Grand Manan, NB

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

2028

Status

Published

Related Places

n/a

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