Alberta Register of Historic Places

F.E. Algar General Store

Ponoka

Other Names:

Algar General Store
Algar Store
F. E. Algar Building
F. E. Algar General Limited Merchants
FE Algar General Store
Ponoka Bike and Swap Shop
Ponoka Swap Shop

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

The F.E. Algar General Store is a one-storey brick commercial building built on a rectangular plan. The primary storefront on the building’s east façade features large display windows and a central, recessed entrance. The north side features a secondary storefront at the western most corner with a single, large display window and recessed entry. The F.E. Algar General Store is situated on a corner lot on 51st Avenue and 50th Street in Ponoka’s main commercial district.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the F.E. Algar General Store lies in its strong representation of commercial architecture in small town Alberta from the early twentieth century.

The F.E. Algar General Store was built in 1914 by merchants Frederick Edward and Charles Duncan Algar to replace their grocery and dry goods store destroyed by fire earlier that year. The building’s rectangular plan and high degree of symmetry are strongly representative of many retail buildings found in rural communities in the early twentieth century, while the open interior space, recessed central doorway, retractable awning and large plate glass display windows clearly communicate the building’s historic retail function. The display windows wrap around the northeast corner and are surmounted by a band of fixed, translucent, multi-paned transom windows to maximize light. The brick construction at once represents a concern for fire protection and confidence in the owners’ (and town’s) future prospects, while design elements such as the brick parapets and classically-inspired pressed metal cornices on the east and north sides give the structure the impression of larger size and an air of prestige. The Algar General Store takes advantage of its corner lot through the inclusion of a secondary storefront at the rear of the building (out of which operated a drug store), which separates it somewhat from design norms. Overall, the F.E. Algar Store is an excellent example of the type of simple yet substantial masonry commercial buildings constructed across small-town Alberta in the years immediately prior to World War One.

Source: Alberta Culture, Historic Resources Management Branch (File: DES 1901)

Character-Defining Elements
Key elements that define the heritage value of the F. E. Algar General Store include such elements as its:
- Long and narrow rectangular footprint;
- brick construction of the exterior walls;
- symmetrical arrangement of the primary facade;
- arrangement of the street-level elements of the primary facade, consisting of a recessed doorway with concrete steps and transom window flanked by large plate glass display windows surmounted by a band of translucent transom windows and a pressed metal cornice;
- single plate glass window with a band of translucent transom windows and a pressed metal cornice at the front corner of the north side, extending the primary storefront around the corner;
- brick parapet on the primary façade and the north and south elevations, stepped on the north and south sides;
- pressed metal cornice on the primary and north parapets;
- roof, which slopes slightly to the rear, hidden behind the parapets;
- secondary store front located at the rear of the building on the north elevation;
- design elements of the secondary store front, which echo those of the primary store front, consisting of a single plate glass display window, recessed entry with concrete steps, band of translucent windows and pressed metal cornice;
- two small, semi-circular window openings on the north side;
- brick vousoirs on the semi-circular windows and the basement window openings;
- large open interior space;
- pressed metal ceiling;
- historic interior millwork, such as the ceiling mouldings;
- small office accessed by a short stairway at the rear of the store; and
- fur storage vault at the southwest corner of the main floor.

Location

Street Address:	5020 - 50 Street
Community:	Ponoka
Boundaries:	Plan RN7 (VII), Block 3, Lot 10
Contributing Resources:	Building

ATS Legal Description:

Mer	Rge	Twp	Sec	LSD
4 4	25 25	43 43	4 4	11 (ptn.) 12 (ptn.)

PBL Legal Description (Cadastral Reference):

Plan	Block	Lot	Parcel
RN7 (VII)	3	10

Latitude/Longitude:

Latitude	Longitude	CDT	Datum Type
52.676892	-113.576061	GPS	NAD 83

UTM Reference:

Northing	Easting	Zone	CDT	Datum Type

Recognition

Recognition Authority:	Province of Alberta
Designation Status:	Provincial Historic Resource
Date of Designation:	2024/05/06

Historical Information

Built:	1914/01/01
Period of Significance:	1914 - Present
Theme(s):	Expressing Intellectual and Cultural Life : Architecture and Design
Historic Function(s):	Commerce / Commercial Services : Shop or Wholesale Establishment
Current Function(s):
Architect:
Builder:
Context:	HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE Despite being located along the Calgary and Edmonton (C & E) Railway, Ponoka did not initially enjoy the same vigorous growth as the neighbouring communities of Lacombe, Red Deer, Wetaskiwin, Olds and Innisfail. Around the turn of the century, Ponoka evolved into an agricultural service centre and was later chosen by the provincial government as the site of the Alberta Hospital. Fredrick Edgar Algar was en route to Edmonton when he decided to settle in the area and began construction of a log cabin 1895 that he used as a trade post, general store, post office and residence. The first building was destroyed by fire in 1902. Algar replaced it with a wood frame store where he operated his general merchandising business until a major fire in 1913 destroyed the building and several others in town. The present Algar Building was constructed from 1914 to 1915. Located on Main Street, it is one of the oldest surviving buildings in the community. It boasts a brick exterior (materials made in Red Deer), a metal ceiling and a presses tin facade and has been used for commercial purposes since its construction. Algar continued to operate his business with the help of his son until 1944. By then Algar lived in Edmonton, and with his son serving in Europe, he opted to sell the business. The Algar family has long been prominent in the Ponoka area. Frederick's father, Charles, built the first house in town and Frederick was a leading businessman in the area. Frederick was elected to the town's first council in 1904, and the family was involved in many community projects.

Additional Information

Object Number:	4665-0442
Designation File:	DES 1901
Related Listing(s):
Heritage Survey File:	HS 21067
Website Link:
Data Source:	Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, Historic Resources Management Branch, Old St. Stephen's College, 8820 - 112 Street, Edmonton, AB T6G 2P8 (File: Des. 1901)