Description of Historic Place

The Bower House is located directly on the main road running through Upper Port La Tour, NS. It is a large, two-storey wood frame house. Municipal heritage designation was given to the house and land on June 6, 1984.

Heritage Value

The Bower House is valued for its role in the community of Port La Tour and its associations with the Port La Tour Telephone Company and the Port La Tour post office.

The Bower House is a long and narrow, wood frame house located directly beside the road. Its asymmetrical front façade with two front entrances gives it the appearance of a double house. It was constructed in the 1880s for members of the Snow family and was a hub of activity for the community of Port La Tour well into the twentieth century. In 1880 the Port La Tour post office was established in one section of the house. As the house already served a public function, the Port La Tour Telephone Company installed its only telephone in the area in the building in 1891. This phone connected to the Barrington Telephone Company in Barrington, several kilometres away.

Source: Municipality of the District of Barrington, Municipal Heritage Files, Bower House.

Character-Defining Elements

Character-defining elements of the Bower Houser include:

- long and narrow massing;
- two-and-one-half storeys;
- two enclosed porches on front elevation;
- wooden clapboard siding;
- gabled roof;
- six-over-six windows
- two chimneys;
- location directly beside road;
- asymmetrical front elevation.