Description of Historic Place

The Stone Block, also known as the Bank of Toronto Building, is located on the southeast corner of the intersection of Columbia Avenue and Queen Street, in Rossland, British Columbia. It is a two storey building, 30' by 50' with a flat roof. Rubble stone material is visible on the west and east walls of the building.

There are two entrances to the building from Columbia Avenue - one to the main floor commercial space and one providing access to the second floor. There is an additional entrance at the rear of the building on the ground level.

Heritage Value

The Stone Block is unique in Rossland's downtown core as the only building ever constructed of rubble stone masonry instead of the more common wood construction methods. Exposed brick was used as the finishing material to cap the top of the exterior walls and also to define the openings for doors and windows.

Rossland's downtown never expanded beyond the area defined by the rapid construction boom of the late 1890s when buildings filled both sides of Columbia Avenue and Washington and Spokane Streets. The Stone Block, built in 1897, is one of 23 remaining historic buildings in the Downtown never lost to devastating fires. It is valued as a visual reminder of the time when Rossland was emerging as the pre-eminent gold mining center of Canada.

The Stone Block, with its distinctive appearance, anchors the eastern block of the downtown that escaped the fires of 1927 and 1929 and that inclues five of the original, pre-1900 buildings.

SOURCE: City of Rossland - Heritage Commission

Character-Defining Elements

Elements which define the heritage character of the Stone Block include the following:
- Original location, footprint, height and size of building
- Visible rubble stone masonry and brick construction of exterior walls
- Original window and door openings
- Plaque on exterior identifying this building as one of Rossland's significant heritage buildings