The headquarters of the railway were, naturally enough, located in the Island's largest city, also its capital, Charlottetown. All the attendant facilities were also located there, including the railway station, which still stands nearby, switching yards, now gone, repair shops, still standing nearby, and this small brick building, which was first employed as the office of the mechanical branch of the Prince Edward Island Railway.
Built in 1876 of bright red Island sandstone, the building later became known as the "
Brass Shop". The bronze plaque affixed to the building indicates that brass parts were fabricated in the Brass Shop, and we surmise that it housed a small foundry which produced brass bearings which were used on the axles of all railway cars. The bearings required periodic replacement as the result of wear so the ability to manufacture replacements on site would have been a definite advantage for any railway.
As well, given that 1876 was the era of the steam locomotive, which also employed brass parts in the engine, it's quite possible that brass engine parts were manufactured in the shop. For a time the building housed the Charlottetown Visitor Information Centre but appears to be vacant as of the spring of 2015.
Text from the bronze plaque affixed to the front of the Brass Shop appears below.
Railway Brass Shop
Built in 1876, this Island sandstone building was originally the office of the mechanical branch of the Prince Edward Island Railway. Later, it became the brass shop where brass parts required by the railway were fabricated. The large windows at the east end of the building were originally doors which allowed narrow gauge cars to enter the building for maintenance and repair. A disastrous 1905 fire destroyed a number of buildings in the rail yard and damaged this one. Renovated after the blaze, the current building is approximately half the size of the original structure. In later years it served as offices for the railway locomotive foreman and supervisors.
From the building's plaque
CNR Brass House
DESCRIPTION OF HISTORIC PLACE
The Canadian National Railway brass house is located at 178 Water Street near the Charlottetown waterfront. It is one of only two railway buildings left on a block that was almost entirely dominated by the railway and industry. The building was renovated and for a period of time served as a provincial Visitor Information Centre in Charlottetown. This is now located in the Founder's Hall building nearby. The designation encompasses the building's exterior and parcel; it does not include the building's interior.
HERITAGE VALUE
The historic value of the CNR brass house lies in its association with the railway on Prince Edward Island and its architectural detailing.
Built in 1876, the small sandstone building served as the office of the mechanical branch of the Prince Edward Island Railway and later became what is known as the brass house. The railway played an integral role in the transportation needs of Islanders throughout the 19th and a large portion of the 20th century. It was also one of the largest employers on the Island. However, due to declining passenger traffic in the 1960s, the railway passenger service ceased, with only the freight service remaining. The railway's freight service was finally terminated on 31 December 1989. Soon after, all railway tracks were removed and the land was turned over to the Province. The rail beds were eventually converted to a large trail system running throughout the entire Province known as the Confederation Trail.
The Island sandstone building is a small, simple building with good detailing. Examples of this detailing are the sculpted rope design above the date stone, the roundel window and the arched trim around the windows. The building's façade is symmetrical with two large windows on either side of a centrally placed door with a four paned transom light.
CHARACTER-DEFINING ELEMENTS
- The location of the building in the former rail yard
- The Island sandstone materials used to construct the building's exterior
- The stone detailing, including the sculpted rope design above the date stone and the trim around the windows and doors
- The window placement, including the roundel window
- The placement of the doors, including the door on the north side with its transom light
- The pitch of the roof with its raised parapet gable ends
- The overall symmetry of the facade
From Historic Places Canada