Description of Historic Place

241 River Valley Drive is a Second Empire home that has been adapted for commercial use. Located in the business core of Grand Bay-Westfield, the two storey building stands out from the predominantly modern streetscape as a visible reminder of the town’s history.

Heritage Value

241 River Valley Drive is valued as a rare example of a Second Empire house in the town of Grand Bay-Westfield. Common in the nearby City of Saint John after the Saint John Fire of 1877, the style was not favoured in Grand Bay-Westfield even though many residences were built as summer homes by people from the city.

The home was likely erected in the 1870s, the height of Second Empire architecture, on a lot that was granted to Stephen Smith in 1816. Many Second Empire features are evident in the details of the structure, including the wood detailing of the façade, 3 dormers with original 2/2 windows, mansard roof (façade), bracketed eaves, and front double-door entrance with cut glass. A fire in the late 1980s necessitated the truncation of the cedar-shingled mansard roof.

The building is also important as an example of a repurposed historic building in the business core of the town.

Source: Grand Bay-Westfield Historic Place files: 241 River Valley Drive

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements of 241 River Valley Drive include:
- it is a rare example of Second Empire architecture in Grand Bay-Westfield;
- Second Empire architectural elements, including cedar-shingled mansard roof, three dormer windows with 2/2 panes, wooden detailing of the façade, front entrance with double doors and cut glass;
- commercial architectural elements.