Description of Historic Place

The Stanley Bridge School is a wood shingle clad, two storey vernacular former school house, located in the rural community of Stanley Bridge, Prince Edward Island.

Heritage Value

The historic value of the Stanley Bridge School lies in its association with the educational history of its community. The school was built in 1911 by Charles Ramsay of Malpeque and opened its doors for classes in January 1912. Few schools in Prince Edward Island were built with a second floor. Classes were held on each level.

The Stanley Bridge School house was built at a cost of $1,000.00 and replaced the previous school for the area which was lost to fire in 1911. The school house served the community of Stanley Bridge from 1912 until 1976 when it closed due to the consolidation of small rural schools. In approximately 1947-1948 the school house was relocated close to its current location on a one acre lot next to the Masonic Hall, now the Stanley Bridge Hall, operated by the local Sterling Women's Institute group.

Some notable Prince Edward Islanders are associated with this school. Cardinal James C. McGuigan (1894-1974) from Hunter River, PEI was a teacher and principal at Stanley Bridge School in 1912. Marion L. Reid of North Rustico, Prince Edward Island's 37th Lieutenant Governor, and the first women to hold this position in the province, taught at Stanley Bridge School in the 1950s.

In June of 1976 following the closure of the school, it was purchased and used as a gift and craft store for many years. In 2011, the school became part of The Gables of PEI Resort. The building was relocated 500 metres from the road to its current location, and renovations were undertaken including some replacement windows and interior updates. The former Stanley Bridge School now operates as the School House Cafe, and continues to be a landmark in its community as a reminder of its past educational history.

Source: Heritage Places files, Department of Education, Early Learning & Culture
Charlottetown, PE
File Number: 4310-20/S51

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the building is shown in the following character-defining elements:

- the overall massing of the building
- the wood frame construction
- the wood shingle cladding
- the simple gabled roof with dormers on the east and west side of building
- the eight-over-eight sash windows in each of the dormers
- the four-over-four paned windows on either side of the front door
- the row of six six-over-six paned windows on the north elevation
- the stringcourse on the front elevation under the eave and roof line
- the wide eaves