Buildings at St. Paul Island, NS

Comments and photo by Duane Traver: - With reference to the Daily Dairy entry of 5th October 1944 "Ward and self" would have been in the building on the left. It was built as a duplex, both halves the same. It originally was for the rescue station, also referred to as the "Governor's House", or "Governor's Mansion". Back then the "Governor" was the sole authority in control of everything on the island. The wireless station was started in 1924. Three additional buildings were built then, one for radio equipment, the Officer in Charge House, and the Power Plant {Generator Building which would be to the right and farther back from the two buildings in the photo, presumably the same as where radar personnel were temporarily housed}. The smaller building on right in the photo the Officer in Charge House. With lighthouses and a radio station the lifesaving crew left and the lifesaving station was closed forever in December 1925.

Comments by Rick Holmes: - This hip roofed duplex house was built about 1912 to house the wireless operators who played a vital role at the lighthouse stations on St. Paul Island. The island eventually received two lighthouses, a lifesaving station and a wireless post. The wireless operator's dwelling, located in Atlantic Cove, was a handsome building with classical carpenters features. It represented a keeper's dwelling type once common but now very rare. Later used for rescue training before abandonment, it is now faces serious decay from open windows and a collapsing roof. Repairs have been carried out by a committed group of shipwreck divers and eco tourism operators who would like to take over and preserve the house but have been prevented by federal government policy.