Cardigan Station - Cardigan, PEI
Posted by: 
T0SHEA
N 46° 13.804 W 062° 37.266
20T E 529217 N 5119679
Built in 1874, the Cardigan Railway Station could well be the oldest railway station to remain standing on Prince Edward Island.
Waymark Code: WMQ046
Location: Prince Edward Island, Canada
Date Posted: 11/20/2015
Views: 1
The Cardigan Station was built in sections, expanding as traffic and
customs increased in the area. The station contained a waiting room, office, and baggage rooms as well as freight sheds. Though freight trains passed by for several years after, the station was closed for operation in 1972. It had served the community of Cardigan for two years short of a century. The final passenger train on the railway had rolled to a stop on October 25, 1969.
In 1975 the station was moved across Station Road and a bit to the north and became a craft shop, owned by the Cardigan Craft Guild. Today it is home to a Farmers' Market, an ice cream shop and the craft shop.
The railway was built by the Prince Edward Island Railway, beginning in 1871 but, by 1873, construction of the railway had nearly bankrupted the province, forcing it to enter Confederation with Canada in exchange for the financial aid required to continue construction. At this time Canada took over ownership of the railway, operating it as the Canadian Government Railway (CGR). What this meant is that any railway depot still surviving was built by the CGR.
Pretty much every remaining railway station on Prince Edward Island has attained heritage status, with this station becoming a Heritage Place on December 9, 2008. At one time there was a railway depot of one description or another for, on average, every 2½ miles (4 km) of track on the Island. Most were small way stations, torn down in the latter part of the twentieth century as each fell into disuse, leaving only a handful of the larger stations still extant.
Cardigan Craft Centre
DESCRIPTION OF HISTORIC PLACE
This former railway station has been moved from its original location. The one-storey wooden shingled building has a gable roof with wide eaves supported by large brackets. A bay window facing north contains its original windows.
HERITAGE VALUE
The building is valued as an example of a former railway station in the province and for its contribution to the community of Cardigan.
The railway began being constructed in PEI in 1871. This station was completed in 1874 and Cardigan was part of the original line. It was originally located closer to the tracks (now part of the Confederation Trail system) southwest of its present location. The site then also had adjacent freight sheds.
The station closed in 1972 and was sold to John Doucette. In 1975, it was purchased by the Cardigan Craft Guild who moved the building and began operating a craft showroom and tea house. A new foundation was put under the building and some windows were changed. The interior still retains the intact waiting room and ticket office with their original woodwork.
Today, the building is home to the Cardigan Craft Centre and Olde Station Tea Room and is open annually to the public from early June until early October.
CHARACTER-DEFINING ELEMENTS
- the one-storey wood frame construction
- the wood shingle cladding
- the gable roof with wide eaves
- the large support brackets
- the brick chimney
- the bay window
From Historic Places PEI