Four more Fredericton buildings added to Local Historic Places Register

Fredericton (November 28) – Fredericton City Council approved the recommendation of the Preservation Review Board to include four historic places onto the Local Historic Places Register. The historic places include:

• 36 - 38 Waterloo Row;
• 335 Queen Street;
• 342 University Avenue; and,
• 350 Saunders Street.

36- 38 Waterloo Row is a significant structure of Loyalist origin, originally known at the Royal Oak Inn. The heritage value of the building resides not only in the early development of Waterloo Row but in its reflection of the commercial identity of the eastern end of Fredericton’s town plat during the Loyalist settlement phase.

335 Queen Street is a late 19th century brick building associated with successful business man, James Hodge, and the commercial development of the west end of the Fredericton town plat. It is currently used as a municipal office building and is known by the name of Sutton House, one of the last retail operations in the building.

342 University Avenue is associated with the life and career of Dr. Loring W. Bailey, and with its builder, Thomas Allen. Loring W. Bailey was recommended in 1861, at the age of 21, as professor of Natural Science at UNB. He shared his scientific knowledge with the community, even collaborating with local inventor, John Babbitt. Together Bailey and Babbitt constructed the first telephone in Fredericton and illuminated the first electric light. Bailey hired Thomas Allen, a building contractor and one-time member of Fredericton City Council, in 1904 to build him new house on University Avenue.

350 Saunders Street is associated with the significance of the builder, William J. Scarr, and the imprint he left on the Fredericton housing stock. Labouring under the competitive tender system, Scarr won his building contracts by underbidding the competition. Scarr created his own housing template, building ten similarly styled cottages on Westmorland and Saunders Streets between 1896 and 1901.

“The placement of these significant properties on the Register presents an opportunity for us to learn more about the Frederictonians who faced challenges and opportunities while making a mark on this city,” said Councillor Stephen Chase, City Council member on the Preservation Review Board.

About the Register

Council approved the establishment of the Local Historic Places Register on July 21, 2003. The Local Historic Places Register is a list of places (buildings, archaeological sites, and areas or spaces) deemed to be of local historical significance and placed on a list with the permission of the property owner. The Local Historic Places Register was established as a result of a Federal Government Program called the “Historic Places Initiative” and designed to raise awareness of historic places and encourage conservation. For more information of the Local Historic Places Register visit www.fredericton.ca.