Description of Historic Place

The Charlotte Lane Café is a two-and-a-half storey Greek Revival style, wooden frame building located on Charlotte Lane in Shelburne, Nova Scotia. The building and its spatial relationship with other built heritage on the lane remains a fine example of the original layout and design of the Town of Shelburne. The building and property are included in the municipal designation.

Heritage Value

The Charlotte Lane Café is valued for its contribution to the historic Charlotte Lane streetscape which runs from the waterfront to the main street of Shelburne.

Fronting on the lane, the building retains and maintains the sense of space and feel of the lane as it was when the United Empire Loyalists settled in Shelburne. The waterfront area, and its accompanying lanes that service it from Water Street, were set aside as a business district, and this business remains as one of only a handful of businesses to retain and enforce this characteristic. Used for a variety of functions throughout its history, including as a bowling alley, butcher shop, a laundry and a pool hall, the building was, and remains, a vital source of recreation and leisure for the residents of Shelburne.

This two-and-a-half storey, Greek Revival style building, built circa 1850, has a steeply pitched roof with wide cornerboards, pronounced return boards and lentils with decorative supports. It has a low granite block foundation and a three bay symmetrical front façade. The second storey windows come to the eave line and the front doorway is recessed. The cornerboards have moulded trim at the tops.

Charlotte Lane Café is quite typical of what was seen on Charlotte Lane during the nineteenth century. Along with other shop fronts and storage facilities, it formed one of the most travelled thoroughfares in Shelburne. Currently the building is used as a restaurant and residence.

Source: Town of Shelburne Heritage Property files, no. 7.

Character-Defining Elements

Character-defining elements of Charlotte Lane Café include:

- spatial relationship with other buildings and the streetscape on Charlotte Lane;
- two-and-a-half storey wood construction;
- wooden cladding and widows;
- steeply pitched gable roof;
- all Greek Revival elements including cornerboards and pronounced return boards and lentils with decorative supports;
- low granite block foundation;
- three bay symmetrical front façade;
- prominent location within the business district and waterfront area.