Old Customs House was built circa 1873 according to designs by Halifax architects Stirling and Dewar for the Federal Government. The building is located on what was originally a spit of land in close proximity to the major wharves. The Second Empire structure features a double façade looking out to the harbour and in to the town. The massive building was a forceful statement made by the federal government of a young country, an indelible imprint on the town’s streetscape. Prior to a 1956 hurricane, there was an enclosed light at the top of the tower on the harbour side.