Heritage Building Highlights / Scarth Block - 408 7th Avenue

Building Code 574.D.11
Construction
Date
ca. 1890
Origins Retail
Description
The Scarth Block occupies a prominent corner location at the a strip of brick-fronted buildings, most constructed in the 1890’s, that line the west side of Seventh Avenue at the heart of Virden’s Heritage District.
Heritage Value
The Scarth Block is valued for its connection to pioneer businessman W.F. Scarth, who opened a post office and general store in the new village of Gopher Creek in 1882.With the arrival of the railway line that year Virden became the new townsite and Mr. Scarth became storekeeper and postmaster. The Romanesque-Revival-style building he erected in 1890 is also valued as one of Virden’s older commercial structures. It was built to house Mr. Scarth’s general store and post office but soon became Pineo & Merricks’ Mens’ Wear, and through a succession of owners has been a men’s wear store since the mid - 1890’s.


Character Defining
Elements
Key elements that define the exterior heritage character of the Scarth Block include:

- its substantial rectangular form on its corner lot
-  its brick façade with a complex corbel table corner pilasters
-  the window treatment that includes round-arched windows with artfully constructed brick dripmoulds and capstones.
- the exposed stone on the north side

Key elements that define the heritage character of the Higginbotham Drug Store Building interior include:
- some interior materials such as a wood paneled staircase, and a layout that includes a mezzanine level
Site History Formerly on This Site:

Randy' Men's Wear
Brown’s Men’s Wear – Guy Longman
Brown’s Men’s Wear – Frank Browqn & Glen Fowler
Donaldson’s Men’s Wear
Bain’s Men’s Wear
H.D. Crowe’s Busy Corner Men’s Wear
Pineo and Merrick Men’s Wear


It was originally a general store and post office built by W.F. Scarth, the first postmaster at Gopher Creek.

Appears in 1891 photo.
Additional Information

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