Whitney Block
23-27 Main Street South, Seaforth, Ontario
( Year built: 1877 )
W. Scott Robertson, in 1863, had a grocery and seed store in the north part of Duncan & Co.’s frame building which extended to the south corner of this lot. J. Duncan & Co. occupied the south part of the building. Both were in business here until 1871. Logan & Jamieson took over Robertson’s Italian Warehouse and William Ballantyne, also a shoe merchant, took over the south store, both until 1874.
At the time the building was razed by fire in 1876, Mrs. Whitney had her tinsmith shop in the north part, and a hardware store and her home, in the south part. J. Duncan, who owned Mrs. Whitney’s building and two adjoining stores, suffered a loss of $3,000 but was insured for $2,000. Next door to the north, Miss Leitch (Leach) had a millinery shop. She lost $500 in goods and had no insurance. Mrs. Whitney erected a temporary build-in while Miss Leach secured rooms over the block opposite the Commercial Hotel.
In its September 15, 1876 issue The Huron Expositor reported: “Mr. Duncan has disposed of the lot on the corner opposite the Expositor office, and facing on Main Street, to Mrs. Whitney, for the sum of $2,150. This is a good property and well worth the money. Mrs. Whitney is erecting a frame build-in for immediate use and has already commenced laying down material for two large brick stores.” In 1877, she let the contract to build a 3-store brick block to Walter Mullen.
Above Photo: The Whitney Block when newly built in June 1878. The “Sign of the Coffee Pot” distinguishes Whitney’s tinshop. Lumsden & Wilson, Druggists, had the middle store and Christopher Armstrong, stationer, was in the north store. Advertisement Above Right: Seen in the Huron Expositor, August 27, 1869 and Advertisement Below: Seen in the March 17, 1871 edition.
The Whitney brothers, William and Charles, opened their Seaforth Stove & Tin Emporium in the south store in 1877. They dissolved their partnership in 1883, and Charles Whitney continued in the business on his own. On August 21, 1891 The Huron Expositor reported: Business Change – Mr. C.M. Whitney, who has been in the stove and tin ware business here for many years, and who has grown up with the place, has disposed of his business to Messrs. Mullett & Jackson, of Toronto, who have already taken possession. We have pleasure in welcoming Messrs. Mullett & Jackson to Seaforth, and we hope their residence with us will be long and profitable. They are young men who come well recommended and having a thorough practical knowledge of the business they undertake will, we have no doubt, push it with energy and enterprise, and we predict for them success. We do not know what Mr. Whitney intends turning his attention to, but we hope he will remain in Seaforth, as we do not want to lose any of our good citizens, although we may get others equally as good in their place.” Sydney Mullet was 27 at the time and J.R. Jackson was 24. They were in business here until 1894.
Lumsden & Wilson had their drug store in the middle store from 1877 to 1879. J. McLoughlin opened a dry goods and groceries store with millinery department in 1881 and was here until 1885. In 1887, Harry J. Scott opened a grocery here. By August 1889, he had been replaced by John L. Smith’s clothing store. Smith stayed in business here until 1893.
The smaller north store was occupied by a series of photographer’s studios starting with Charles Moore in 1879. The Wade Bros., B.J. and Walter, opened Wade’s Photo Gallery & Music Store in 1880. They dissolved their partnership in October, 1884, and Walter continued business on his own until 1887. Allan Bauslaugh, age 33 when he opened his store in 1888, was here until 1895. The May 31, 1895 Huron Expositor announced: “Business Change – Mr. A. Bauslaugh, who has carried on a successful photographing business in town for a number of years, has disposed of his business to Mr. W.F. Tate, of North Bay. Mr. Tate has rented the residence of Mr. James Weir on Goderich Street east and will move his family here about the 10th of June when he will take possession of the business. He comes highly recommended and will be welcomed as a worthy citizen. Mr. Bauslaugh’s many friends in town will be sorry to learn of this change as it will in all probability necessitate his removal from Seaforth.” William F. Tate was in business here for only one year. Mr. Bauslaugh purchased a photograph gallery in Walkerton in 1896. He soon moved on to Winnipeg in 1897 where he continued his photographic art for many years.
J.P. Henderson, age 28 in 1896, took over Tate’s photograph gallery and proved more successful in the photography business, staying until 1902. Jackson Bros. replaced Henderson in 1903, L.C. Jackson becoming the sole proprietor by 1904. By 1913, J.T. Fell had taken over from Jackson and captured photographic likenesses until 1916. D.F. Buck was snapped photos here from 1917 until 1926. Samuel Jackson was the next photographer to take up business here in 1927. Isabella Jackson managed the shop on her own from 1935-39.
After Mullett & Jackson left the south store in 1894, Hugh Greive had a seed store here for a year or two. Then, Richardson & McGinnis moved in. On November 20, 1896 The Huron Expositor reported: “Richardson & McGinnis, of town, will shortly remove their stock of boots and shoes to the corner store in the Whitney Block, lately vacated by Mr. Broderick. The store is to be fitted up with plate-glass front and otherwise made up-to-date.” Richardson & McGinnis were here until 1907.
Harry R. Scott Shoes took over the south store from 1908 to 1918. Then, the store was vacant for a while before Marshall Stewart expanded his business into this store thus occupying both the south and middle parts of the store block.
Above Photographs: Photos taken by Wade’s Photo Gallery, A. Bauslaugh’s Photograph Gallery, and the Photograph Below: was taken at Jackson Bros. Photograph Gallery.
The middle store was a jewellery store for a while. C.A. Humber & Son ran it from 1897-99, and W.R. Counter was here until 1903. The store then remained vacant until John and William Sproat opened their grocery store in 1909. Henry Levins took over from them in about 1914 and G.F.S. Garden succeeded Levins in 1918. Garden was here only two years when Marshall Stewart moved in. Stewart was here for most of the 1920s. Jeffrey Arch was in business here briefly. Nelley Price was the next grocer in business here for many years, from 1930 to 1941. William A. Wright was the merchant here for the rest of the 1940s and most of the 1950s until the United Dairy & Poultry Co-op moved in 1958 and was a tenant here until 1964. The store was vacant for a time then Moore’s Bulk Food had moved in by 1985. It was replaced by The Seaforth Meat Market, run by William Laverty, had re-located here by 1990.
In 1926, after Marshall Stewart went out of business, Thomas Dickson had a seed store in the south part of the block. He was in business here into the early 1940s. H.R. Spence & Sons, Produce Merchants, took over the space in 1942. It was Bailey’s Florist shop by 1947. Then, Garfield and William Smith purchased the store in 1953 and operated a grocery here until 1965.
Above Right Photo: Belden’s 1879 Illustrated Historical Atlas of Huron County shows this sketch of Mrs. E. Whitney’s Tinshop and Stove Store.
The north store was John Pullman’s Barbershop in the 1940s and 1950s. The Canadian Tire Store occupied the middle and north stores in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Roth’s Food Market was here by 1975. Later, by 1985, Larivee Auctions had a business in the space. Seaforth Grocer was the tenant of the middle and north stores in 1995.
Above Left Photo: In 1900, Richardson & McGinnis had their boots and shoes store in the corner space and W.R. Counter, a jeweller, had the middle store.
Whitney’s Block is a long 2½-storey brick block with a handsome upper façade distinguished by five bays of varying widths within which are rounded arch windows surmounted by a decorative brick frieze. Above the windows are corbelled brick arches with keystones. The overall effect is very beautifully proportioned and detailed. The storefront façade has been completely remodeled using metal siding for the sign fascia and old brick for the window walls.
Below: A selection of advertisements representing some of the businesses in Whitney’s Block over the years: Tip: Hover your mouse over the advertisement for it's publication date.
Photo Below: The interior of W.R. Counter’s jewellery store in 1902. Advertisement Above: Huron Expositor, December 31, 1886.
 |
|
Click here to download a printer friendly version of the Historic Seaforth - Whitney Block web page in Adobe PDF format. The PDF file size is: (869 kb)
Adobe Acrobat Reader 6.0 (or higher) is required to open and view any Adobe PDF files. Please visit the link to obtain your free copy of this software.
