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.
Though a municipal heritage site and 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.
See more of the news story below.
Fate of historic Cox Warehouse in question
Amy Woolvett
Published on February 03, 2011
One of the Town of Shelburne’s most recognizable landmarks along the historic waterfront could someday be considered for demolition.
While no major decisions have been made at this time for the future of the Cox Warehouse, the Shelburne Historical Society has submitted an application to demolish or have substantial alterations done to the building.
The Shelburne Historic Society does not have the capacity or capability of looking after the huge, 16,000 square foot structure and as it further deteriorates it becomes less safe.
The Society recently sent out a Request for Information to try to come up with a solution for the aging structure.
They only received one response.
“While restoration of the Cox Building is preferred,” read the RFI. “It is understood that for some uses, this may not be practical or cost effective. It has been resolved by the SHS and the town that proposals will be considered that include taking the Cox Building down and rebuilding in a fashion that is compatible with the historic neighbourhood.”
In the RFI, the Bowling Green and Guild Hall were also offered up for development to the right project.
“They may be creatively utilized in the development including the modification or taking down of the Guild Hall,” stated the RFI.
“We are hoping someone will take over the building,” said Gloria Buree, director of the Historic Society. “The society just doesn’t have the money to keep it up.”
The Cox building was deemed unsafe for human occupation after it was inspected in recent years.
“We were hoping to save it or to put up a similar structure,” said Buree. “But it could be that we tear the building down and use the materials to rebuild.”
The RFI stated that if the building were torn down that 25 per cent of the material be used to rebuild a structure.
Read more at the Shelburne Coast Guard