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Hick-Sehl Building
Lethbridge
Statement of Significance
Description of Historic Place
The Hick-Sehl Building, located at 618 – 3rd Avenue South is a three-storey, flat-roofed brick building. It is located on a city commercial lot, across the street from the Galt Gardens, in the heart of the Lethbridge downtown core.
Heritage Value
The Hick-Sehl Building is a significant for its association with the commercial development of Lethbridge and for its neo-baroque style of design uncommon in the area.
The Hick-Sehl Building is valuable for its association with the commercial development of the young City of Lethbridge. Fred Hick, a pioneer hardware merchant in Lethbridge and his partner, Edward J. Sehl, created the Hick-Sehl Hardware Company and constructed the building to house this venture in 1912. As it was the first retail hardware store in the City, the company quickly became a prominent business. It continued to operate successfully until 1947. The store catered to several markets, such as commercial and residential construction, and to the City’s vibrant agricultural sector.
The Hick-Sehl Building is significant as an example of neo-baroque style of design uncommon in Lethbridge. The prominent central bay windows on the front façade, the decorative neo-baroque elements, and the use of brick and stone detailing on the front façade contribute to the grand appearance of the bow shaped structure. The building was unique in its time for a commercial building in the City and was of noteworthy design, and today it remains so – both an unusual and an attractive building in the downtown core.
Character-Defining Elements
The character defining elements as expressed in the form, massing, and materials of the 1912 three-storey building such as:
- The brick and stone material
- The pattern, style and construction of all wooden windows, especially the large, central projecting bay windows on the second and third storey of the front façade
- The cast stone sills and lintels and decorative elements above the side windows on the front façade
- The cornice on the third storey façade and the arched, stone parapet above it
- The ghost signage on the third storey, on the west and south sides of the building
- Pressed metal ceilings
- Stepped roof line and parapet
Location
| Street Address: |
618 - 3 Avenue South |
| Community: |
Lethbridge |
| Boundaries: |
Lot 9, Block 33, Plan 4353S |
| Contributing Resources: |
Building: 1
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ATS Legal Description:
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Mer |
Rge |
Twp |
Sec |
LSD |
4
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21
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8
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31
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PBL Legal Description (Cadastral Reference):
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Plan |
Block |
Lot |
Parcel |
4353S
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33
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9
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Latitude/Longitude:
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Latitude |
Longitude |
CDT |
Datum Type |
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49.695599 |
-112.837571 |
Secondary Source |
NAD83 |
UTM Reference:
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Northing |
Easting |
Zone |
CDT |
Datum Type |
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Recognition
| Recognition Authority: |
Local Governments (AB) |
| Designation Status: |
Municipal Historic Resource |
| Date of Designation: |
2009/08/24 |
Historical Information
| Built: |
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| Period of Significance: |
N/A |
| Theme(s): |
Developing Economies : Trade and Commerce
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| Historic Function(s): |
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| Current Function(s): |
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| Architect: |
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| Builder: |
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| Context: |
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Additional Information
| Object Number: |
4664-0242 |
| Designation File: |
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| Related Listing(s): |
4665-0590
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| Heritage Survey File: |
HS 15297
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| Website Link: |
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| Data Source: |
Lethbridge City Hall
910 - 4th Avenue South
Lethbridge AB T1J 0P6 |
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