The Structures

In 1929, a new cash-and-carry grocery chain from the western United States arrived in Edmonton, bringing with it this Spanish Revival storefront.

This long, narrow building owed its shape to the high cost of land during Edmonton's first real estate boom.

The Alberta Hotel provided the last word in luxury in the early years of the twentieth century.

Among the most iconic buildings in Edmonton is the Legislature, which overlooks the river valley and is the seat of power for the provincial government.

Edmonton's first luxury apartment building.

The Armstrong Block is the only remaining heritage building specifically constructed for mixed use in Edmonton’s downtown.

The Ash Residence is a 1912 Foursquare home with Craftsman influences.

These three Collegiate Gothic buildings are an important fixture on the University of Alberta campus.

This early Moderne building was originally a fire hall before an extensive renovation in the 1930s.

This grand home was built by Indian Agent, entrepreneur and real estate speculator Delmar Bard and lived in by his family for three generations - over 80 years.

The unusual combination of clinker brick and Foursquare design makes this home unique in Edmonton. 

Beth Shalom Synogogue on Jasper Avenue is a prominent example of International style architecture in Edmonton.

The reconstructed Big House, originally built at Fort Edmonton in the 1840s, is now located at Fort Edmonton Park.

With its curved front facade and location on a busy downtown corner, the Birks Building is a prominent example of early Modern classicism.

The Bowker Building was the last Edmonton office buildings fashioned in the Beaux-Arts style of architecture.

This moderne dream home was built in 1950.

This beautiful example of a local Arts and Crafts home was built in 1912 as part of the designed community of Highlands developed by the Magrath-Holgate Company.

The C. W. Cross Residence was a 1912 Tudor Revival home located in Glenora.

This small jewel of a building holds its own nestled among downtown high-rises.

C.N.R. architect John Schofield situated this prominent railway station to be admired from Jasper Avenue, four blocks away.

This elegant Prairie railway station heralded the beginning of Edmonton’s connection to the world by rail in 1905.

The Capitol Theatre was Edmonton's first dedicated movie house.

The home of architect and University of Alberta professor Cecil Burgess is a well-preserved example of Craftsman style.

The Chown Residence was one of several Foursquares built in The Highlands before WWI.

This quaint Tudor style church has served the Anglican community since the 1920s.

The Churchill Wire Centre is located in the heart of downtown and was built to house equipment for Edmonton Telephones.

The "temporary" Civic Block served as Edmonton's City Hall longer than any other building to date.

Edmonton's first proper Court House was built in 1912 and demolished in the 1970s.

This straightforward Edwardian retail and apartment building had only three owners for the first 90 years or more of its existence.

Constructed in 1912, the Cristall House was home to Edmonton's first Jewish resident, Abraham Cristall.

“Along with the other heritage buildings in the area, this duplex helps to create a sense of the streetscape in a pre- First World War Edmonton neighbourhood.” ~ Edmonton Historical Board

The Dean-Kuperus Residence is an example of a fairly common International style house found throughout Edmonton.

The Post Office was Edmonton's tallest building when completed in 1910. It was demolished in 1972.

Dr. Allan Barton Cameron ran his practice from this residence, one of the earliest homes remaining in Calder.

This Tudor Revival home was built in 1914 and was the home of Dr. Eardley Allin.

“The J.J. Duggan residence embodies the kind of architecture favoured by Strathcona’s upper middle class residents during the early 1900s.” ~ David Murray, architect.

The Edmonton Art Gallery (now the Art Gallery of Alberta) was originally a textbook example of Brutalist architecture before its recent extensive renovation.

Occupying a half block on Whyte Avenue between a car dealership and a noodle shop is a significant and architecturally-intriguing piece of local religious history.

Edmonton’s oldest men’s club met in this three-storey brick building, once located on College Avenue and McDougall Street overlooking the river valley.

This four-storey brick cold-storage building is a relatively unadorned example of a building from what collectively became Edmonton's early warehouse district.

This sprawling building is a good example of Modern expressionist architecture.

This Classical Revival building featured prominently in the downtown skyline until its demolition in 1968.

The concrete construction, hard angles, heavy massing and lack of detail make this building a typical example of Brutalist architecture in Edmonton.

What is the purpose of a house of worship? For the adherent, it is a place for devotion, praise, learning, and community.

The El Mirador Apartments give a unique touch of Spanish Revival architecture to Edmonton's downtown.

Built in response to a request by local citizens, the Elm Park School was a good example of the Arts and Crafts style in Calder.

The home of pioneering white women's rights activist Emily Murphy has strong elements of the Craftsman style.

Edmontonians John A. McDougall and Richard Secord erected this four-storey office block in 1905 on the location that still bears its name over 100 years later.

This Edwardian style building housed the studio of Ernest Brown, one of Alberta's most famous early photographers.

Designed in 1939 but not built until the 1950s, the Federal Building is the newest example of Art Deco influenced architecture in Edmonton.

This log house was built in 1934 on a quiet street in the Highlands neighbourhood.

This 1912 Gothic Revival building is the largest Presbyterian church in Edmonton. 

This clinker brick bungalow was built by expert mason Frederick Jones, who was also responsible for the clinker brick masterpiece Holy Trinity Anglican Church.

This home is located on 112 Avenue across from Commonwealth Stadium, and is a prominent example of Art Moderne residential design.

The Gariepy Block was fashioned in the Second Empire style of architecture.

Joseph Hormisdas Gariepy's home is a beautiful example of a style or architecture brought to Canada in the mid-1800s from the Second Empire in France of Napoleon III.

Loved by generations of Edmontonians, this Moderne theatre was designated and restored to its original glory in 2009.

The Gem Theatre was purpose built as a movie house in 1913. Orriginally constructed in the Classical Revival style, a 1940s renovation gave it a Moderne twist.

Located in the neighbourhood of Strathcona, the Gerolamy Residence is a good example of Foursquare design.

Built to house luxurious apartments, the Gibbard Block has been largely restored to showcase its original elegance.

Gibson Block is an icon in the Boyle Street neighbourhood and is the only flat iron building in Edmonton.

Glenora School was built in 1940 using the Tudor style in an effort to have it blend in to its residential surroundings. 

Located on Stony Plain Road, this substation is a prominent landmark in Glenora.

This grand building was constructed as a home for Alberta's Lieutenant Governor and was the location for many important political and social events.

The 1914 H.V. Shaw Building is one of the few examples of Chicago style in Edmonton.

This Edwardian commercial style building uniquely features two primary façades, north and west facing.

The Hecla Block is representative of Edmonton's first generation of apartment buildings built specifically for the works class.

Highlands School was designed by Edmonton Public School Board architect George E. Turner in the Collegiate Gothic style.

The 1926 Highlands United Church was designed by well-known Edmonton architect W. G. Blakey.

The Holgate Residence was built in 1912 by developer Bidwell Holgate as home and advertisement for life in The Highlands subdivision.

Holy Trinity Anglican Church is a clinker brick masterpeice.

Arguably Edmonton's most iconic building, the Hotel Macdonald has been a fixture on the city’s skyline since it was completed in 1915.

Significant in size and history, the Hudson’s Bay Building is a rare surviving representative of local Moderne architecture reaching back to original buildings of 1893.

Built in 1946, this home is a good example of the local use of the International style after the Second World War.

The classically designed Imperial Bank was demolished in 1950.

The Imperial Bank of Canada is located in the heart of downtown and is a strong local example of Modern classicist architecture.

The heavily ornamented John McNeill Residence stands out on 97 Street in the Alberta Avenue neighbourhood.

The three John Walter houses were built between 1875 and 1901 and now make up the John Walter Museum in the city's river valley.

Built at the peak of the economic boom prior to the First World War, ths apartment block retains much of its original Edwardian character inside and out.

The 1972 Law Courts building is an imposing landmark in downtown Edmonton due to its size and Brutalist design.

No expense was spared in the construction of this beuatiful building overlooking the river valley.

The decorative brickwork on this building is some of the most elaborate in Edmonton.

The MacLean Residence is among the largest examples of Tudor residential architecture in Edmonton.

The Magrath Mansion is an Edmonton landmark due to its size, location overlooking the river valley, and its Classical Revival architecture.

This unassuming house in The Highlands is an excellent example of the Arts and Crafts style.

This brick Foursquare style house in Strathcona belonged to Margaret Martin and is an important historical touchstone in the community.

Completed in 1931, this Freemasons Hall was designed by WIlliam G. Blakey in the Gothic Revival style.

These park buildings were built in what is now Hawrelak Park in 1968 and are an example of Organic Modernist architecture.

Built for John A. McDougall, the McDougall Mansion was designed in the Tudor architectural style.

The Chicago style McLeod Building was built in 1915 and became Edmonton's first skyscraper.

This home is a good example of a very common house plan in Edmonton's mature neighbourhoods.

John B. Mercer built this warehouse in 1911 to handle his growing liquor and cigar trade.

Built on what became known as 'bank corner', the Merchants Bank of Canada was Edmonton's second ever banking institution.

Four sisters and one nurse from Quebec arrived in Edmonton in 1900 to establish the Misericordia Hospital on 111th Street.

The 1911 Moser and Ryder Block was an excellent example of Edwardian architecture until it received a Moderne renovation after a fire in 1944.

Soaring demand for telephone lines made this telephone exchange essential in 1912.

The Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium was built to celebrate Alberta's 50th anniversary as a province.

The N.W.M.P. Barracks complex contains two important Gothic buildings, which are among Canada's few remaining major pre-1950 structures designed for police purposes.

Norwood School is one of Edmonton's early brick schools and was designed in the Classical Revival style.

Glenora’s first school was a combination of two temporary school buildings transported from Westmount Community in 1918.

This building was built in the 1950s, and used log construction to evoke idealized images of pioneers in Alberta.

The original Oliver School is an example of one of Edmonton's early brick schools. Its later additions have architectural value of their own, and combined they make for a very interesting site.

Built in 1914, this two and half storey Foursquare house is located in the Cromdale neighbourhood. 

The Pantages Theatre was part of an international chain of vaudeville houses built by Alexander Pantages.

Built in the 1860s, the Peter Erasmus House, now located in Fort Edmonton Park, is the oldest building in Edmonton.

This award-winning pool was built as a Centennial project, and is located in Coronation Park.

Located in Coronation Park, the Queen Elizabeth Planetarium is a showpiece of Modern Expressionist design. 

Ornate examples of the Arts and Crafts style such as the R. W. McKinnell Residence are uncommon in Edmonton.

The one and one-half storey Craftsman style Richard Wallace Residence was built in 1923 in the neighbourhood of Cromdale. 

Robertson-Wesley United Church was built in 1913 in the Gothic Revival style.

The Ross Flats Apartments are a large Edwardian style building and serve as an important historical landmark in Rossdale.

When it opened in 1938 the Roxy was the only theatre in the city west of 104 Street.

The residence is an excellent example of upper-class Edwardian era architecture in the Scottish Baronial style.

This simple two-storey structure is an example of the type of wood frame house built by early Edmontonians.

Active in the city since 1893, the Salvation Army built this for their sixth home in Edmonton; it later became the first home of the Citadel Theatre.

This is a classic example of a Prairie Four Square with four areas – the entrance, kitchen, front room, and dining room – arranged as a square.

Originally the home of Richard and Annie Secord and their family, this elegant Queen Anne style mansion also house the Edmonton Art Gallery for 15 years.

This two storey Windsor Park home is an excellent example of the Prairie style. 

Designed by architect Alfred Marigon Calderon, the home expresses the elegant, simple, and natural aesthetic of the Prairie style. 

Although it is difficult to find a corner grocery store like this one nowadays, they once were a community staple.

St. Barbara's Russian Orthodox Cathedral is one of several Byzantine style churches in Edmonton.

St. Basil the Great Ukrainian Catholic Church is an interesting fusion of Byzantine and Modern architecture.

Built in 1899 this Gothic Revival style church was the heart of Edmonton's early francophone community.

Because of its size, detailing and impressive profile, St. Josaphat's is the best known of Edmonton's Byzantine style churches.

This modern hospital, designed by prominent Edmonton architect George Heath Macdonald, was opened in January 1948 by the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul. 

St. Stephen's College on the University of Alberta Campus is a classic example of the Collegiate Gothic style.

The Stocks Residence is one of the few Queen Anne style homes to survive in Edmonton.

The Edwardian style Strathcona Public Building is an important landmark along Whyte Avenue, one of Edmonton's most popular streets. 

The Students' Union Building, more commonly known as SUB, is a three storey, pre-cast clad concrete podium structure with a six floor tower on the University of Alberta campus. 

To battle and deter sickness, ceremonialists would participate in a Thirst or Sundance. This event has foundations in sacrifice and is held in a traditional lodge with its execution varying from Nation to Nation.

Within the Edmonton River Valley, in present day and historically, one can see the remnants of sweatlodges in ceremonial spaces. Constructed to allow participants to reconnect with Mother Earth and cleanse one's body, these ceremonies remain part of everyday life for First Nations people.

This magnificent mansion was designed by its owner, former Edmonton mayor Harry Marshall Erskine Evans.

For seventy years the Tegler Building represented the hub of Edmonton's downtown. Its controversial demolition in 1982 precipitated a civic preservation strategy.

When one pictures the early West and First Nations people, one cannot help but imagine a traditional Tipi. This multi-use structure was a perfect balance of ease of construction and rigidity to withstand prairie life.

Built in 1928, the Trudel Residence is a single storey bungalow, and one of the few residential works by Richard Palin Blakey, who was the provincial architect from 1912 to 1924. 

Completed in 1961, Valleyview Manor is one of the first examples of a high-rise International style apartment building in Edmonton. 

The 1940 Varscona Theatre was one of Edmonton's first theatre's to be built in the Moderne Style.

The West Residence is one of Edmonton's few surviving Queen Anne homes.

The Westminster Apartments building is a well-maintained example of an elegant pre-First World War apartment building. 

The William Blakey Residence is an excellent example of the International style as applied to a modest home.

This 1927 Craftsman style house, located on a corner lot in The Highlands, uses clinker bricks to create a very pleasing look.

The William Paskins Residence is the earliest surviving example of the Queen Anne style in Edmonton.