Key Number:	HS 10527
Site Name:	M & J Hardware
Other Names:
Site Type:	0412 - Mercantile/Commercial: General Retail Store

Location

ATS Legal Description:

			Twp	Rge	Mer
			40	26	4

Address:	4912 - 50 Avenue
Number:	12
Street:	49
Avenue:	50
Other:
Town:	Lacombe
Near Town:

Media

Type	Number	Date	View	Source

Architectural

Style:
Plan Shape:	Rectangular Long Facade
Storeys:	Storeys: 2
Foundation:	Basement/Foundation Wall Material: Concrete
Superstructure:	Brick
Superstructure Cover:
Roof Structure:	Flat
Roof Cover:
Exterior Codes:	Massing of Units: Row, Non-Related, End Wings: None Number of Bays - Facade: First or Ground Floor, 5 Bays Wall Design and Detail: Pier or Pilaster Wall Design and Detail: Entablature Wall Design and Detail: Plain Parapet Wall Design and Detail: Carving Wall Design and Detail: Inscription or Date Stone Plain Eaves Roof Trim - Verges: Not Applicable Dormer Type: None Chimney Location - Side to Side: Side Left Chimney Location - Front to Rear: Rear Chimney Stack Material: Brick Chimney Stack Massing: Single Roof Trim - Special Features: Finial Roof Trim - Special Features: Monumental Pediment Window - Structural Opening Shape: Segmental Window - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Head: Voussoirs Window - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Head: Keystone Window - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Sides: None Window - Sill Type: Plain Lug Sill Window - Sill Material: Stone Window - Trim Within Structural Opening - Head: Flat Transom, Single Light Window - Number of Sashes: One Window - Opening Mechanism: Unknown Window - Special Types: None Main Entrance - Location: Centre (Facade) Main Entrance - Structural Opening Shape: Flat Main Entrance - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Head: None Main Entrance - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Sides: None Main Entrance - Trim Outside Structural Opening Material: None Main Entrance - Trim Within Structural Opening - Head: Plain Main Entrance - Trim Within Structural Opening - Head: Flat Transom, Single Light Main Entrance - Trim Within Structural Opening - Sides: Plain Main Entrance - Number of Leaves: Other Main Entrance - Leaves - Special Feature: Glass Main Stairs - Location and Design: None Main Stairs - Direction: None Main Porch - Type: None Main Porch - Special Features: None Main Porch - Material: None Main Porch - Height: None
Exterior:	Pediment with date indicated, piers, plain frieze and cornice, two urns, tin trim, entablature, architrave, voussoirs with keystones, three large piers, decorative concave brackets, sandstone lugsills, segmental arch windows, new big windows on lower front, metal tile facing, stretcher bond brick, multilight windows on rear, moulded frames (segmental arch), painted advertisement on side face.
Interior:	N/A
Environment:	Property Features: None
Condition:	Structure - Good Repair - Good
Alterations:	Apparent Alterations and/or Additions: Wall Apparent Alterations and/or Additions: Window Apparent Alterations and/or Additions: Door Apparent Alterations and/or Additions: Other Site: Original

Historical

Construction:	Construction Date:
Construction Started	1906/01/01
Usage:	Usage Date:
Mercantile/Commercial: General Retail Store Mercantile/Commercial: General Retail Store	1906/01/01 1980/03/28
Owner:	Owner Date:
N. Morrison Henry Ruhl W. Norman Morrison & James Johnston Jack Morrison	1906/01/01 1980/03/28

Architect:	N/A
Builder:	N/A
Craftsman:	N/A
History:	Mr. W. Norman Morrison and Mr. James Johnston were original owners/tenants. Present owner is Henry Ruhl. In September 1912 Morrison and Johnston built a brick building behind the hardware store to be used as a Ford garage and repair shop. In October 1915 gasoline pumps were installed outside store front. Circa 1920 Johnston sold out his share of partnership to N. Morrison. Son Jack Morrison was manager and principal owner for many years. RESOURCE M & J Hardware Building ADDRESS 4910 to 12 - 50 Avenue, Lacombe BUILT 1906 DESIGNATION STATUS Provincial Historic Resource HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE Lacombe’s first hardware store was built on this site for George A. Reid in about 1894. The business was purchased, first by Morris and Taylor in 1897 or 1898, and then by W. Norman Morrison and James Johnston in 1901. By 1905 the operations of Morrison and Johnston Hardware Ltd. had outgrown the original wood frame store, and it became necessary to replace it. The building was moved one block north on 51 st Avenue, where it later served as Lacombe’s first hospital (number 10). The new brick M. and J. Hardware Limited building was constructed in 1906. The two storey structure had a two store fronts, presumably to allow for two businesses to occupy the space, but from the start the entire lower floor was taken up by M. and J. Hardware. In 1912 the business was expanded with the addition of a Ford motorcar garage and workshop at the rear of the building. Gas pumps in front of the store followed in 1915; both of these features have since been removed. Though the lower floor has been altered over the years, the upper part of M. and J. Hardware Limited’s building remains in almost original condition, and is evocative of its period of construction.

Internal

Designation Status:	Designation Date:
Provincial Historic Resource	2001/11/15

Register:	N/A

Links

Internet:
Alberta Register of Historic Places:	4665-0935