Heart's Content Cable Station

Heart's Content Cable Station was designated a Provincial Historic Site due to its historical and architectural value.

Constructed in 1876 by J.J.Southcott, a prominent St. John’s architect, the Heart’s Content Cable Station is important from an historical perspective because it functioned as the main cable station used by the Anglo-American Telegraph Company and later Western Union. In 1918, in response to increased traffic, the building was renovated and an extension was added onto the original structure. The exterior of the 1876 section still retains its distinctly Gothic bargeboard which reflected the very popular features of English gatehouses and stables of the time. This style of architecture and its accompanying decorative features was very unusual for 19th century industrial buildings constructed in the outports of Newfoundland and Labrador.

While there remains no equipment from the period the 1876 section does retain the much of the original layout and the distinctive wainscoting. The interior layout, which is primarily intact, also reflected the close relationship between the social and work world of the staff with space for the library made available in the original 1876 section of the building.

With the extension in 1918 a whole new section, reflecting the changing technology, was added to the structure. In addition a second washroom for the female staff, the only tangible evidence of a female presence and role in the history of the site, was also added. This section still retains much of the equipment, lighting and hardware used by the company for its operations up to the time the site closed in the 1960s.