Formal Recognition Type

Registered Heritage Structure

Heritage Value

Union Electric Company Office was designated a Registered Heritage Structure by the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2009 due to its historic and aesthetic value.

Union Electric Company Office has historic value due to its associations with Sir William Coaker and the Fishermen’s Protective Union (FPU). Sir William Coaker founded the FPU in 1908 and in 1916 established Port Union, a rare example of a town intentionally built by a labour organization. Coaker’s vision for Port Union was that of a self-sufficient town. When completed a few years later, Port Union would boast facilities and services comparable in function and scale only to St. John’s, including community-wide electricity and running water. Port Union became a physical expression of the FPU’s efforts to achieve commercial independence from merchants through lessening outport fishermen’s dependency on the merchant controlled credit system.

In 1916 the FPU took advantage of the then new hydroelectric capabilities initially started by another company who failed to fulfill its franchise conditions. Coaker’s newly-formed Union Electric Light and Power Company was owned by the FPU and Coaker became president of this company, moving the operation’s headquarters to Port Union. Although Union Electric was established to provide power for the FPU’s various commercial and residential properties in Port Union, residents in nearby Catalina were soon anxious to have access to the luxury of electricity too. By February 1918 nearly every house in Catalina was wired for the service for a flat rate of one dollar per month. The company headquarters were destroyed by fire in 1945 – a fire that took many of Port Union’s early buildings. The rebuilding effort used many non-flammable materials such as asbestos shingles for exterior sheathing. Eventually the Union Electric Company was merged into Newfoundland Power.

Union Electric Company Office has aesthetic value as an example of mid-twentieth century industrial style construction in an outport context. Built with a boomtown false front, it has large storefront windows, a recessed doorway and a canopy. The false front speaks to the modern style of the structure and its original panelling details, along with an original canopy, gave this building a distinctive appearance. The use of asbestos shingles gives the building a unique texture and appearance and helps define the building’s style. The Union Electric Company Office stands as a physical reminder of the drive to diversity sponsored by the FPU in Port Union and the building is an important component of the built landscape of this intentionally built town.

Source: Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador property file “Port Union – Union Electric Company Office – FPT 267”

Character Defining Elements

All those elements of commercial vernacular architecture, including:
-number of storeys;
-low pitch roof;
-dentils under the eaves;
-boomtown false front with panelling details;
-asbestos shingles which cover the exterior or a reasonable facsimile which emulates very closely the style, size, shape and texture of original;
-corner boards;
-panelling details on the storefront;
-recessed main doorway with large side windows and a transom window;
-size, style, trim and placement of exterior doors;
-storefront windows size, style, trim and placement;
-2/2 windows with horizontal panes including size, style, trim and placement, and;
-dimension, location and orientation of building.

Community

Port Union

Municipality

Town of Trinity Bay North

Civic Address

Main Street

Construction (circa)

1945 - 1945

Style

Square