The Rorke Store, one of the few remaining examples of old mercantile premises in Newfoundland and Labrador Constructed in 1874, the building houses a collection of artifacts donated by Rorke family who had been in the merchantile and fish business for approximately 140 years. The founder John Rorke (1807-1896), who was born in Athlone, Count Caven, Ireland.
The original West store stands testament today to the industry and expertise of the builders of 1874, its “balloon” construction with its “ships knees” having withstood the storms of more than a century. The main floor houses an Exhibit called “Balancing the Scales.” Just recently installed on the second floor is the Exhibit called “Going Foreign”. This Exhibit is on loan from the Carbonear Heritage Society and further details the Salt Fish Trade and its many and varied journeys overseas.
