Cardno Block
39-47 Main Street South, Seaforth, Ontario
( Year built: 1877 )
Cardno Block was built in 1877, at a time when Seaforth was at an economic peak, and soon after the fire of 1876 had destroyed much of Main Street to the north and east. Alexander Cardno already owned the adjacent lot to the south when he bought this property from Simon Powell. Powell, an inn keeper, had a hotel here from 1873 to 1877. In 1873, in the hotel or in a separate store on the same lot, was William Newman’s barbershop and William Ault’s grocery store. Cardno tore down the hotel and adjacent building to make way for his block of “five large commodious stores.” With the building of Cardno Block there was to be a complete and unbroken brick row from John to Market Streets.
Cardno Block is the largest block in the town, built in an eclectic Second Empire style. Belden’s 1879 Illustrated Historical Atlas of the County of Huron describes Cardno Block: “In it is located the celebrated Cardno Music Hall. The building is of white brick, two full storeys, besides basement and mansard; it is of very handsome design with brown stone trimmings, and slate-covered. The central part is surmounted by a beautiful tower of rectangular superficies, with truncated roof in two courses, in the upper one of which are circular openings for clock-dial, and the whole is crowned by wrought iron cresting resting on an ornate cornice, adding materially to the general effect. Mr. Cardno has placed, at great expense, a public clock in this tower, and a handsome or more conspicuous one is not seen in any city or town in the country. The works are from a celebrated Boston manufacturer, and cost about $1,000, packed and ready for shipment; and the adjusting and other necessary works in connection with its erection cost an additional $1,000. The whole structure cost over $30,000 and is lighted throughout with gas manufactured on the premises.” Cardno Music Hall had its grand opening on the evening of December 15, 1877.
The Huron Expositor of January 25, 1878 reported on “The New Scenery for the New Hall” saying that Mr. L.F. Wheeler of Tecumseh, Michigan had been engaged for several weeks to paint eight different scenes, and “with exquisite skill and taste” had produced a landscape, rocks, woods, a street, parlor, kitchen, bedroom, and prison. Will Clarke, a scenic artist from Clipper, New York, was hired to handpaint the stage curtain with a central scene of a fisherman and a castle, bordered by advertisements for local businesses.
Above Photo: When this picture was taken in 1880 Hoffman Bros. sold cloth and clothing from the two north stores; Laidlaw & Fairley ran The Central Grocery from the centre store under the clock tower; A.G. McDougall & Co.’s Dry Goods store was next under the sign of the three 7s; and, at the south end, was A. Cardno’s grocery store.
The large main ballroom has a 23’ (7.7 m) ceiling with a stage at one end and a balcony at the opposite end. There are also dressing rooms and a banquet hall. The long wooden benches used to seat the audience made set-up easy for a variety of functions.
Advertisements in local newspapers announced such enter-tainments as “a grand dramatic comedy,” a vaudeville show, an opera company performance, a dance, or a lecture. The Hall was “crowded to excess on the occasion of the ex-Monk preaching …. Every available seat, including the steps to the stage, was occupied” one Sunday in January 1878.
Seaforth Collegiate Institute held its graduation ceremonies here. Cardno Hall was a gathering place for events sponsored by local service groups and a forum from which politicians could address their platforms. Patriotic concerts were given during World War I, some led by Grace McFaul Mullen, a Seaforth native and singer who lived in the Lorne Villa mansion.
The first tenants in the five Cardno Block stores, starting with the north store, were Alex Cardno’s clothing store, Hoffman Bros., Laidlaw & Fairley, McDougall & Halley, and Alex Cardno’s bakery. Alex Cardno vacated the north store and Hoffman Bros., William and Samuel, expanded their store into this space in 1880. W.W. Hoffman was operating the store by 1887 and was in business here until 1897. Laidlaw & Fairley ran The Central Grocery in the middle store until 1886. J.C. Laidlaw took over and was here until 1894. (John Fairley opened his own store in Sam Dickson’s Block in 1889.) McDougall & Halley operated under the banner of A.G. McDougall & Co. until 1880. C.W. Papst opened his bookstore in this space in 1881 and was in business here until 1891. Alex Cardno had his bakery in the south store until 1889. Cardno had a bakery in a frame building on part of this lot in the early 1870s.
In 1880, the Hoffman Bros. expanded their business into the north store. Cardno also maintained an office in this store. In the February 28, 1890 issue of the Seaforth Sun, he advertised “Ordered Clothing.” J.S. Roberts moved his drug store into Store No. 1, or north store, in 1888 and was here until 1893. W.W. Hoffman was still in business in Store No. 2 until 1897 when Leonard Smith opened a boot and shoe store here.
The middle store, Store No. 3, was occupied by William Saddler from 1895-96. In 1897, William Pickard opened another branch of his clothing and dry goods business in this space. In 1892, Julius Duncan and J.H. Pyper had taken over C.W. Papst’s bookstore, in Store No. 4, and had a dry goods business here. A.E. Pentecost succeeded them, and, from 1895 to 1899, William Pickard was the proprietor of this store and J.C. Abell was the manager. This store was the ladies’ department of Pickard’s business. His men’s wear store was in Thomas Kidd Block across from the Town Hall. By 1900, Pickard had moved “The Ladies’ Store” branch to the Kidd Block location. Abell joined with J.W. Ortwein who had a clothing and dress goods store in Store No. 3 once Pickard vacated. He was here until 1901.
Above Photo: James C. Laidlaw was one of the first merchants to move shop from Harpurhey into Seaforth. His first store in town was in Samuel Dickson’s block. Laidlaw, the centre man in the photo, partnered with John Fairley, the man to the left. They were in business in the Cardno Block store until 1886. Fairley moved back to the original store location and Laidlaw carried on here until 1894. The man on the right is Mr. Haxby. Advertisement Below: The Huron Expositor, September 21, 1877.
There were a few short-lived businesses here in the middle store, in the 1900s, until 1907 when John Staples opened his barbershop. Staples served his customers here into the early 1910s. After Pentecost left the fourth store, Alex Cardno had his clothing store here. Cardno brothers grocery was also here, from 1902 into the early 1920s.
Store No. 5, which started out as Cardno’s Bakery, became Isaac V. Fear’s Drug Store in 1894. Charles Aberhart worked with Fear from 1902-07. By 1914, W.H. Hayes ran the drug store here. Advertisement Lower Left: appeared in the April 4, 1899 Huron Expositor.
Sarah Dorrance had a business in Store No. 1 from 1896 to 1899. Mrs. Rudolph replaced her in 1900 and was here until 1902. J.F. Daly had his jewellery store here from 1904 to about 1910. There were a number of barbers in business here in the 1910s. H.R. Scott moved his store south from the Whitney Block location and into this space in 1920. J.L. Smith followed suit in 1923. By 1927, this store was a shoe store operated by Sproat & Willis which was changed the next year to Russell Sproat’s shoe store. Sproat was here until 1934. The store sat vacant for a year then C.M. Smith opened a restaurant here in 1936 and it continued to be a restaurant into the early 1990s.
J.F. Daly had his jewellery store in Store No. 2 from 1901-03. Speare & Page, Merchant Tailors, were here in 1904, then the store appears to have been vacant for a couple of years before Goldoff & Isaacson opened shop in 1907. It was again vacant in 1909 and 1910. The Bell Telephone Company open-ed an office in this store some time in the early 1910s and was here for decades, into the early 1960s.
John Beattie opened his new 5¢-$1 store in Store No. 3 in June of 1935. He had the space “specially rebuilt and refitted to receive him.” At the time, Beattie could boast of having been in business in Seaforth for 45 years. He continued in business here for another 20 years. In 1944, Beattie’s 5¢-$1 store expanded into Store No. 4. Stedman Bros. bought the business in 1949 and was still in business as Stedman Bros. Variety Store in 2000.
Above Photo: When this picture was taken in 1900, J.W. Ortwein’s Cash Store occupied the centre section, L. Smith’s Boots & Shoes was next door to the north and Alex Cardno’s Grocery next door to the south. I.V Fear’s Drug store occupied the southernmost section. Sarah Dorrance is listed as tenant of the northernmost store.
Above Left Advertisement: The sign is one of a collection of store signs displayed in the Seaforth & Area Museum, housed in the Town Hall. The advertisement, Above Right: is from The Huron Expositor, July 24, 1940 Carnival issue.
Walter Robinson had a business in Store No. 5 in the early 1920s. By 1923, Fred Savauge had a jewellery store here. This space has housed a jewellery store since then, becoming Ross Savauge Jewellers in 1951, Seaforth Jewellers by 1970, operated first by K.A. Lingelbach and then, by 1990, by Ray Anstett.
Advertisements - Above Left: Appeared in The Huron Expositor on July 12, 1889 and Above Right: clipping from the August 2, 1895 issue. Lower Left: Appeared in The Huron Expositor November 6, 1904 and Lower Right: clipping from the March 10, 1893 issue.
Advertisements - Above Left: Appeared in The Huron Expositor on December 2, 1904 and Above Right: clipping from the Queen's Hotel Register circa 1890-1892. Lower Left: Appeared in The Huron Expositor dated March 2, 1900.
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