John William Roberts House
(Woody Point, Bonne Bay)
Located on the waterfront overlooking Bonne Bay, the John William Roberts House is a wooden, single front peak roofed house. It is a good example of the style of housing employed by early settlers to Woody Point. Constructed in 1898, it was home to three generations of the Roberts family. Built next to the family home of the Haliburton merchant firm, John William Roberts reportedly said that while Haliburton built his rich man's house, he would have to build a poor man's home.
The Roberts were among the first settlers in Woody Point. John William's father John arrived in the community in 1849 with his wife Emma (Decker) and four children. Nine more children followed and many residents today in Woody Point can trace their ancestry back to these pioneers.
Woody Point was considered the capital of the Bonne Bay region until the mid 1920s. Around this time the community was recovering from a fire which destroyed much of the harbour front in 1922. The John William Roberts House was one of the structures saved.
The building is currently used as a visitor information centre by the Town of Woody Point. The John William Roberts House was declared a Registered Heritage Structure by the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador in October 2003.
Also view the John William Roberts House Registered Heritage Structure on the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador web site. The Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage Web Site has on its site only a portion of the registered heritage structures in Newfoundland and Labrador. To view a complete list or search for a particular structure visit the Heritage Foundation's Property Search page.