| 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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