Description of Historic Place

Lakeview is an imposing, two-and-one-half storey Newfoundland saltbox house nestled into the side of Thunderbolt Hill and overlooking Beaver Pond, Brigus, NL. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

Lakeview has aesthetic value because it is a wonderful example of Newfoundland saltbox architecture. The saltbox style is notable for its sharply peaked roof and dramatic rear slope that ends in a linhay (one or two storey rear room, traditionally a kitchen). Lakeview has primarily unadorned details such as returned eaves, plain moldings and regular window fenestration. Constructed over a stone underhouse (cellar) and made of wood, this nineteenth century house retains its original-style materials such as wooden clapboard and six over six windows. A single peaked dormer is located prominently in the center of the main facade. Lakeview has an enclosed, rounded-roof porch unique to the area, often called a Brigus Porch, that features panels and wooden multi-paned windows. Also unique are the crickets located on the rear roof. They resemble dormers, mimicking the main facade dormer, but their purpose is to support two tall chimneys that extend above the roof ridge. This building’s size and style together make it a visually striking house.

Lakeview is historically valuable because of its associations with former owner Jabez Thompson, who owned the house from 1896-1938, some twenty two years after it was built. Thompson was proprietor of the Twillingate Sun and MHA (Member of the House of Assembly) for Twillingate from 1882-1895. Surrendering his seat to allow Robert Bond (former Prime Minister of Newfoundland) to run in the 1895 election, Thompson was appointed magistrate at Brigus presumably as recompense for his sacrifice. Establishing himself in Brigus he started another newspaper, the Vindicator and Brigus Reporter (1898-1903), which was managed by his son H.W. Thompson. One of Jabez’s daughters married Wilfred Bartlett, brother of Captain Bob Bartlett, effecting a relationship with one of Brigus’ most prominent families.

Source: Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador property file “Brigus - Lakeview – FPT 3127”

Character-Defining Elements

All those elements of the Newfoundland saltbox style of architecture, including:
-steeply pitched roof with dramatic angle at rear;
-wooden construction;
-two-and-one-half storey massing;
-use of traditional materials, including narrow wooden clapboard and wooden windows;
-6/6 windows;
-stone underhouse foundation;
-returned eaves;
-wooden, peaked dormer with returned eaves and its location in the center of the main facade;
-crickets at rear of the roof, shaped like dormers and supporting tall chimneys;
-centrally placed wooden Brigus porch with rounded roof and traditional use of panels and multi-paned windows;
-simple, unadorned features; and
-general size, massing, dimensions and orientation.