The Drake House is a two-storey house with a low-pitched gable roof. It is located at 319 Main Road, Arnold’s Cove, NL. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.
Formal Recognition Type
Registered Heritage Structure
Heritage Value
The Drake House was designated a Registered Heritage Structure by the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2003 because of its historic and aesthetic values.
Drake House has historic value because it is representative of outport resettlement. Government-sponsored resettlement programmes implemented in Newfoundland and Labrador between 1954 and 1975 resulted in the resettlement of almost 260 communities and the relocation of 27,500 people. Drake House was built in the small fishing community of Haystack, located in a sheltered harbour on the northeast coast of Long Island, Placentia Bay, north of Harbour Buffett. In 1921, Haystack’s population peaked at 148 residents. Like other Long Island settlements, Haystack was dependent upon Harbour Buffett for supplies and the sale of their fish. When the larger community of Harbour Buffett agreed to resettle, it was only a matter of time before Haystack followed.
Drake House was constructed in the 1890s by George Drake and his brother John. Frank Drake, George’s son, inherited the property. When the three remaining families left in September of 1957, Frank Drake became Haystack’s lone resident. He remained there for the next 12 years. In 1969, with great reluctance, Frank had his house towed to Arnold’s Cove, thus ending nearly 150 years of permanent settlement at Haystack. Even though he officially moved to Arnold’s Cove, Frank continued to spend a great amount of time fishing at Haystack for another twenty years. Frank Drake passed away in 2002, and was buried at Haystack.
Drake House has aesthetic value because it is a visual reminder of vernacular, outport architecture. Built using local, traditional materials, Drake House typifies the style of house built in the late nineteenth century in a small fishing village. Of particular note is the narrow wood clapboard, wide cornerboards and mouldings surrounding a traditional wood door and two over two wooden windows. The sparse detailing is a statement about the occupants, who were a fishing family. Yet efforts were made to make this house attractive and unique by way of vernacular classical elements such as mouldings on the trim and elaborate corner eave brackets.
Source: Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador property file “Arnold’s Cove – Drake House – FPT 1748”
Character Defining Elements
All original features which relate to the age and style of the house including:
-use of local, traditional materials;
-low-pitched gable roof;
-narrow wood clapboard;
-two over two windows;
-decorative window and door trim on front facade;
-window and door placement on exterior;
-decorative eaves and cornerboards; and
-unimpeded view of harbour.