Home / Accueil

Elgin Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building

131 Main Street, Whitewater, Manitoba, R0K, Canada

Formally Recognized: 1998/06/15

Primary elevation, from the southeast, of the Elgin Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Elgin, 2005; Historic Resources Branch, Manitoba Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Sport, 2005
Primary Elevation
Contextual view, from the southeast, of the Elgin Canadia Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Elgin, 2005; Historic Resources Branch, Manitoba Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Sport, 2005
Contextual View
No Image

Other Name(s)

n/a

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

1904/01/01 to 1904/12/31

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2006/03/23

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

The Elgin Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, completed in ca. 1904, is a small brick commercial structure on Main Street in Elgin. The municipal designation applies to the building, now a museum, and its grounds.

Heritage Value

The Elgin Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce is representative of the functional bank branches established in rural service centres across the Prairies in the early 1900s. The building's prominent corner location, solid brick construction, restrained detailing and well-lit banking hall were typical of the features employed by chartered banks to woo customers and convey an image of quiet corporate strength and reliability. As the village's only bank, the CIBC held an important place in the financial life of local residents and surrounding farm community until its closure in 1995. It is now the only structure that remains from the many commercial buildings erected in Elgin's business district in the early twentieth century.

Source: Rural Municipality of Whitewater By-law No. 411, June 15, 1998

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements that define the heritage character of the Elgin Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building site include:
- its corner location on Elgin's Main Street and placement, facing south, flush with the sidewalk

Key elements that define the building's exterior character include:
- the compact rectangular massing, with a flat roof and a vault at the rear (north)
- the brick construction featuring a series of connected drip mouldings along the front and east sides that mimic the segmental arches over the windows and main entrance
- the practical fenestration, including a wide rectangular front window and tall rectangular openings on the east side
- the recessed entrance set above street level, with a double-paned transom window above the door, a wood plank platform, tongue-and-groove wood panels and a window in the east wall

Key elements that define the building's interior heritage character and banking function include:
- the front office space delineated by walls of oak with glass panels, including some panes of pebbled glass
- the spacious vault with its heavy black iron door
- features such as the painted wood trim and solid wood doors and the basement staircase with wooden stairs and wood-panelled walls

Recognition

Jurisdiction

Manitoba

Recognition Authority

Local Governments (MB)

Recognition Statute

Manitoba Historic Resources Act

Recognition Type

Municipal Heritage Site

Recognition Date

1998/06/15

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

n/a

Theme - Category and Type

Developing Economies
Trade and Commerce

Function - Category and Type

Current

Leisure
Museum

Historic

Commerce / Commercial Services
Bank or Stock Exchange

Architect / Designer

n/a

Builder

n/a

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

RM of Whitewater 201 South Railway Box 53 Minto MB R0K 1M0

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

M0167

Status

Published

Related Places

n/a

SEARCH THE CANADIAN REGISTER

Advanced SearchAdvanced Search
Find Nearby PlacesFIND NEARBY PLACES PrintPRINT
Nearby Places