Newfoundland Heritage Web Site

Background and Construction

Historical background and construction of the Government House in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Civil Governors, 1825-1854

Newfoundland did not receive official colonial status until 1825, when the British government appointed the first civil governor, Sir Thomas Cochrane.
Disasters 1892-1929

Some of Newfoundland and Labrador's best-known and most destructive disasters occurred during the era of Responsible Government.
Government House: Introduction

A popular tourist attraction in St. John's, Government House represents the authority of the Crown through the office of the lieutenant-governor.
Setting and Influence

Information about the location chosen for the Government House, as well as the influences Government House had on St. John's.
The St. John's Fire of 1892

About the St. John's fire that started on 8 July 1892 in a stable after a lit pipe or match fell into a bundle of hay.
Architecture of St. John's, 1800-1892

Information about the architectural background of St. John's from 1800-1892.
Architecture of St. John's, 1892–1940

About the architectural style influences in St. John's from 1892-1940.
Rebuilding St. John's: Reconstruction after the 1892 Fire

Information about the St. John's 1892 fire with emphasis on the reconstruction of the city after the disaster.