Not built until 1902, this is also the newest building along Dock Street, many of the houses here dating from the eighteenth century. The old Dory Shop, across Dock Street and to the north of Cox's Warehouse, was built in 1883, while the Shelburne County Museum, immediately north, dates from 1784.
Three and a half storeys in height, the building is one hundred and sixty feet in length, occupying the entire block between Ann Street and Maiden Lane.
The steeple and bell tower atop the warehouse, an obvious incongruity on such a building, is not original to the structure. It was added to make the building appear as a meeting house for the shooting of the movie
A, The Scarlet Letter, filmed in 1995. It does add a certain something to the building, though.
Now owned by the Shelburne Historic Society, the building may not be with us much longer, unfortunately. "The Shelburne Historic Society does not have the capacity or capability of looking after the huge, 16,000 square foot structure" and may have to demolish the building as it is deteriorating and becoming unsafe.
Quote is from the Shelburne Coast Guard.
Cox's Warehouse
DESCRIPTION OF HISTORIC PLACE
Cox's Warehouse is located on the east side of Dock Street between Ann Street and Maiden Lane in Shelburne, Nova Scotia, extending the entire side of the block. This three-and-a-half storey wooden Greek Revival style building was built in 1902. The building and property are included in the municipal designation.
HERITAGE VALUE
Cox's Warehouse is valued for its historical association with local businessman, George A. Cox, its architecture and for its contribution to the streetscape along Shelburne’s historic Dock Street.
Cox's Warehouse was built for local businessman George A. Cox in 1902. This store, one hundred and sixty feet in length, served as a place of supply for the many American fishermen who came into this port, as well as supplying the shipyards around town. The office was headquarters for shipping, lumbering, fishing and shipbuilding. There was also a retail store in the building with a mail-order department included.
George A. Cox also owned, or had interest in, at least nineteen ships during the period from 1866 to 1917. Some of the vessels were used for fishing and some carried freight to Barbados, Cuba, Santo Domingo and various other ports.
Cox's Warehouse is a three-and-a-half storey wooden Greek Revival style building. It sits on a granite block foundation and has a medium pitch gable roof. This building was the setting for the movie, "A, The Scarlet Letter" and was modified at that time to portray a meeting house on the outside by adding a steeple. The steeple still remains.
This large building is set directly on Dock Street, facing south. This was a convenient location on the waterfront as it was close to the fishing and shipbuilding activities that were conducted there. The building is presently owned by the Shelburne Historical Society.
CHARACTER-DEFINING ELEMENTS
- three-and-a-half storey wood frame construction;
- granite block foundation;
- symmetrical three bay front façade;
- medium pitched gable roof;
- return eaves with support brackets;
- moderate cornerboards;
- window display area flanked by decorative moulded panels;
- recessed entry;
- Doric capitals support front entablature;
- additional gable and two gabled dormers on the west side;
- three gabled dormers on the east side;
- prominent location on Dock Street.
From Historic Places Canada