Description of Historic Place

P. Martin Liquors Building is a three storey wooden building located on Upper Water Street in Downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia. It is across from Historic Properties, a group of landmark heritage buildings associated with the early economy of the city. The heritage designation applies to the building and the lot it occupies.

Heritage Value

P. Martin Liquors Building is valued for its association with the early commercial activities in Halifax during the nineteenth century. Like many of the buildings in the section of Downtown Halifax, known as Historic Properties, the P. Martin Liquors Building is named for an historic tenant, P. Martin, who sold alcohol from this location. This building compliments the many other heritage buildings in the area that are relics from the ‘Age of Sail’ when traders, wholesalers, and merchants clustered along the waterfront to better tend to their commercial activities. These businesses played an important role in the settlement and economic development of Halifax.

Architecturally, P. Martin Liquors Building is valued as an example of one of the few remaining wood constructed buildings in an area where most of the commercial buildings are of stone or brick. This three storey wood shingle clad building provides contrast to the surrounding older stone and brick structures. The façade includes two rows of three windows on the second and third floor. A string course is evident between the first and second floors. At ground level, the building has two double windows with double glazed doors featuring fanlights.

Source: HRM Heritage Property File: 1870 Upper Water Street, P. Martin Liquors, found at 6960 Mumford Road, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of P. Martin Liquors Building include:

- three storey wood frame construction with wood shingle cladding;
- slightly pitched gable roof;
- two double six-over-twelve windows at ground level;
- two rows of three six-over-six windows on second floor on front elevation;
- roofline cornice;
- double glazed door with fanlight;
- string course between first and second floor;
- glazed panel door on side elevation;
- six-over-six window at ground level;
- one window on the second and third floor.