178 Water Street

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.