Gilbert H. Grosvenor Hall is a historic building in

Baddeck, Nova Scotia Baddeck () is a village on Cape Breton Island in northeastern Nova Scotia, Canada. It is situated in the center of Cape Breton, approximately 6 km east of where the Baddeck River empties into Bras d'Or Lake. Baddeck is the shire-town of th ...

, Canada. The 19th-century building has served as a post office, library, and interpretive centre.

History

The building was originally built as the Baddeck Post Office and Custom House, Opening in 1886. The post office was located on the main floor with the custom house on the upper floor. The post office relocated in 1956, and the building was sold to Samuel Gayley who gave it to his wife Gertrude Gayley—the granddaughter of

Alexander Graham Bell Alexander Graham Bell (; born Alexander Bell; March 3, 1847 – August 2, 1922) was a Scottish-born Canadian Americans, Canadian-American inventor, scientist, and engineer who is credited with patenting the first practical telephone. He als ...

. Gertrude Gayley named the building after her father,

Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor ( ; October 28, 1875 – February 4, 1966) was an American magazine editor who was the first full-time editor of the ''National Geographic'' magazine from 1899 to 1954, and is credited with having consolidated the nascent ...

, a former editor of

National Geographic Magazine ''National Geographic'' (formerly ''The National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as ''Nat Geo'') is an American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. The magazine was founded in 1888 as a scholarly journal, nine ...

. The building was given to the Baddeck Library Board and housed the Baddeck Library until the 1980s. The property was recognized as an historic property by Nova Scotia's Heritage Property Act in 1983. In 1999 the building became home to the Bras d'Or Lakes and Watershed Interpretive Centre.

Design

The building is three storeys tall and built of red sandstone excavated from Boularderie, Nova Scotia. It was designed by

Thomas Fuller Thomas Fuller (baptised 19 June 1608 – 16 August 1661) was an English churchman and historian. He is now remembered for his writings, particularly his ''Worthies of England'', published in 1662, after his death. He was a prolific author, and ...

, Chief Architect of Canada and co-designer of Ottawa's first Parliament buildings. Its design is typical of 19th-century Canadian post offices, featuring

Romanesque Revival Romanesque Revival (or Neo-Romanesque) is a style of building employed beginning in the mid-19th century inspired by the 11th- and 12th-century Romanesque architecture. Unlike the historic Romanesque style, Romanesque Revival buildings tended t ...

elements. The face of former local Member of Parliament Charles J. Campbell is carved into the stone above the entrance. The clock, located on the west gable, was added in 1912.

References

{{Baddeck Buildings and structures in Victoria County, Nova Scotia Tourist attractions in Victoria County, Nova Scotia Historic buildings and structures in Nova Scotia Government buildings completed in 1886 Post office buildings in Canada Romanesque Revival architecture in Canada Thomas Fuller buildings Federal government buildings in Nova Scotia

History

Design

See also

References