The Society of United Fishermen Lodge #1 has been designated as a heritage structure because of its historical associations, cultural value and aesthetic value.
The building is historically important because of its association with the Society of United Fishermen in the region. In 1862 Rev. George Gardner, a Church of England minister, formed a support group called Heart’s Content Fisherman’s Society. The society later began to expand its membership into other outports and became known as the Society of United Fishermen (SUF). The fraternal organisation provided fellowship and established a mutual support system for its members at a time when few services were available to fishermen and their families.
The building has cultural value considering the use of SUF symbolism on its exterior. A triangle surrounding a Maltese Cross was chosen as the symbol of the SUF. The triangle represents Newfoundland’s approximate shape, with Cape Bauld, Cape Race and Cape Ray being the points of the triangle. The Maltese Cross represents the eight Beatitudes that members are taught to learn and observe. The mass of the building establishes its place in community life and speaks to a tradition of institutional use of the structure.