George W. Crawford House

The George W. Crawford House is designated a local historic place for its association with the history of industry in Grand Bay-Westfield. A thriving sawmill, the largest industry in what was known primarily as a summer community for well-to-do residents of nearby Saint John, was located at the base of Brundage Point Road. The sawmill once dominated the shoreline. The mill was integral to the area as an employer and as an influence on the rhythm of life for residents: local history recalls that many kept time by the mill’s whistles

The home has historic significance for its association with the Crawford family, who number among the early residents of Grand Bay-Westfield. William Crawford, a cabinetmaker from Londonderry, Ireland, acquired a farm of 200 acres in 1810, which stayed in his family for many years. George W. Crawford was one of his grandsons.

The heritage value of the house also resides in its distinct architectural features. Gambrel-roofed homes are uncommon in Grand Bay-Westfield. The roof of the George W. Crawford House is particularly distinctive due to the pronounced curve of the lower rafters, which are broken by flat-roofed dormers (two on each side). When the house Crawford lived in burned ca. 1913, the lot was sold to James Baxter, who constructed the current structure on the original granite foundation. A section of the foundation, partially covered by red brick and other material, is a visible remnant of the building’s history.

Although members of the Baxter family have resided at here since ca. 1913, many still refer to the historic place as “the Crawford Home” atop “Crawford Hill.”