City of St. John's Heritage Building, Structure, Land or Area
261 Duckworth Street
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

Exterior photo of 261 Duckworth Street front facade, St. John's. Taken March 2005.
Photo: HFNL 2005.
- Built
- 1864
- Recognized
- 1989
- By
- City of St. John's
The register’s text, word for word
Description
261 Duckworth Street,is a two storey concrete semi-detached building located in the downtown core of St. John's, NL. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building
Heritage value
261 Duckworth Street has been designated for its aesthetic and historical values.
261 Duckworth Street is aesthetically valuable because it is a good example of Classical Revival style architecture. Constructed of concrete this 19th century building is solid-looking with heavy square pilasters along the front façade. The classical arch surrounding the front door has decorative pilasters and a heavy entablature. There is a keystone feature in the main entranceway and the front door is original, with glass and wood. The front façade features large square windows, which add to the overall solid massing of the building. A heavy entablature graces the eaves of the building and at the capitals of the pilasters are double eaves brackets with a circle motif between each bracket. This building is solid and stark, with severe classical elements.
261 Duckworth Street is historically valuable because it was once the offices of the Reid Newfoundland Company. The company is best known as the operator of the railway across the island from 1901 to 1923, but was also for many years the largest landowner in Newfoundland, a promoter in the development of the pulp and paper and mining industries, as well as owner and operator of the coastal boat service, a telegraph line and electrical services in St. John's.
SourceCity of St. John’s Archives municipal designation file.
Character‑defining elements
All original elements of the Classical Revivial style of architecture, including:
-exterior architectural details such as square pilasters, eaves brackets, circle motif, heavy entablatures, keystone feature;
-original wood and glass doors;
-height, form and massing;
-size, shape and fenestration of all windows;
-size, shape and fenestration of all doors; and -recessed doorway with triumphal arch.
End of the register’s text
Location
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1C, Canada
47.56604° N, 52.70572° W
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Former Bank of British North America National Historic Site of Canadawithin 100 m · 1848
Longshoremen's Protective Union (LSPU) Hallwithin 100 m · 1923
271-275 Duckworth Streetwithin 100 m · 1910
Anna Templeton Centre (former Bank of British North America) Municipal Heritage Buildingwithin 100 m · 1849
Bank of British North Americawithin 100 m
Delgado Building Municipal Heritage Building100 m · 1892
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Places whose register descriptions are closest to this one.
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333 Duckworth StreetSt. John's, Newfoundland And Labrador
187-189 Water StreetSt. John's, Newfoundland And Labrador
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From the Canadian Register of Historic Places, as last updated on December 12, 2025. The register’s text is shown word for word.