Key Number:	HS 6959
Site Name:	Alberta Hotel Building
Other Names:	Mappins
Site Type:	0405 - Mercantile/Commercial: Hotel or Inn

Location

ATS Legal Description:

			Twp	Rge	Mer
			23	1	5

Address:	804 - 1 Street SW
Number:	4
Street:	1 SW
Avenue:	8 SW
Other:
Town:	Calgary
Near Town:

Media

Type	Number	Date	View
Digital scan of Negative Digital scan of Negative Digital scan of Negative	68-R0077-13 68-R0077-14 68-R0077-25	1973/06/01 1973/06/01 1973/06/01	The type-setter The Printer's devil The Editor

Architectural

Style:
Plan Shape:	Rectangular Long Facade
Storeys:	Storeys: 3
Foundation:	Basement/Foundation Wall Material: Stone
Superstructure:	Brick
Superstructure Cover:
Roof Structure:	Flat
Roof Cover:
Exterior Codes:	Massing of Units: Row, Related, End Wings: None Number of Bays - Facade: First or Ground Floor, 9 Bays or more Wall Design and Detail: Pier or Pilaster Wall Design and Detail: Corbelling Wall Design and Detail: String or Belt Course Wall Design and Detail: Entablature Wall Design and Detail: Plain Parapet Wall Design and Detail: Inscription or Date Stone Plain Eaves Roof Trim Material - Verges: Unknown Dormer Type: None Chimney Location - Side to Side: Side Right Chimney Location - Front to Rear: Centre Chimney Stack Material: Brick Chimney Stack Massing: Single Roof Trim - Special Features: Other Window - Structural Opening Shape: Semi-Circular Window - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Head: Voussoirs Window - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Sides: Plain Window - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Material: Stone Window - Sill Type: Plain Lug Sill Window - Sill Material: Stone Window - Number of Sashes: Two, Double Hung Window - Opening Mechanism: Single or Double Hung Window - Special Types: None Main Entrance - Location: Centre (Facade) Main Entrance - Structural Opening Shape: Flat Main Entrance - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Head: Moulded Flat Main Entrance - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Sides: Moulded Main Entrance - Trim Outside Structural Opening Material: Concrete Main Entrance - Trim Within Structural Opening - Head: Decorated Main Entrance - Trim Within Structural Opening - Head: Flat Transom, Single Light Main Entrance - Trim Within Structural Opening - Sides: Decorated Main Entrance - Trim Within Structural Opening - Sides: Side Light, One Side Only Main Entrance - Number of Leaves: 1 Main Entrance - Number of Panels Per Leaf: 1 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:	Foundation: cut sandstone, broken coursed and natural faced. Structure: cut sandstone, broken coursed and natural faced. Covering: tile and metal on north and east elevations, first storey. North and east elevations: large segmental store front windows and entrance; semi-circular windows with radiating voussoirs and decorated metal fans; first storey cornice and frieze; moulded metal parapet entablature with brackets. North elevation: decorative extensions of parapet with small doric columns; balustrade between first and second storeys; name in relief.
Interior:	N/A
Environment:	Figure from Herald Building and arch detail on window.
Condition:	Good (1978).
Alterations:	First storey on north and east elevations.

Historical

Construction:	Construction Date:
Construction Started Construction Ended	1888/01/01 1889/01/01
Usage:	Usage Date:
Mercantile/Commercial: Hotel or Inn Mercantile/Commercial: Specialty Store or Shop Jewelery Store/offices	1888/01/01 1968/03/10 1978/06/01
Owner:	Owner Date:
N/A

Architect:	Abugow and Sunderland
Builder:	Lee
Craftsman:	N/A
History:	1888 - established as first Alberta Hotel with longest bar in the west. 1916-1973 - various commercial uses. 1973 - restored present condition. * * * The hotel was host to many famous Calgarians, including Bob Edwards, Paddy Nolan and R.B. Bennett. 1888-1889 - construction of hotel and bar. 1916 - with prohibition, the ground floor was converted to commercial use and the building reopened and named the Alberta Hotel building. 1973 - Stewart Green properties renovated it again as the owners: Trojan Industrial Properties were responsible for the actual renovation. Abugow and Sunderland - architects. The original cost of the hotel was $36,000. Furnishings cost an additional $9,000. * * * CALGARY - IN SANDSTONE - Built in 1888 by 2 Englishmen, Lee and Breal. - At that time, was one of largest blocks in Calgary. - Hotel boasted longest bar west of Winnipeg. - 1916: with prohibition in Alta., building converted to office use and never used again as bar. - The long bar was installed (eventually) in the old Noble Hotel on 1st Street SW, when old Noble torn down, 1965, the bar went to Calgary brewery. - 1929: Alta Hotel, by this time re-named Alta Corner sold to United Cigar Stores Ltd. for $575,000. - Builders' names on North Wall. - 1 of 3 original buildings remaining on corner. * * * ALBERTA HOTEL (ALBERTA CORNER), CALGARY. The Alta. Hotel was erected in 1888 and opened 1889. It was built by two Englishmen, Lee and Brealy for $36,000 and furnished for $9,000. The site, prior to construction was bought by Lee and Brealy from an ex-mayor, D.W. Marsh, for $5,000. The 3-storey structure was built of Calgary sandstone. A 1903 article (North-Western Journal of Progress) describes the hotel as having 75 rooms, electricity, steam-heat, call bells in every room: 1st. flr. - office and reading rooms, telegraph offices, bar-room, and a dining room with a seating capacity of 72. 2nd flr. - ladies parlours and reception rooms. Basement - barber shop and bathrooms. Also, baths on every floor. The hotel employed 30. The original owners, Lee and Brealy, leased the building to Henry Perly, and later sold it to Norman Perly, who later sold it to Norman Jackson, who leased it to C.D. Taprell, who then sold it to G.S. Kilborn Co. of Owen Sound in 1910. (Taprell retained lease until 1916.) The Alta Hotel enjoyed a colourful life until 1916. It was as a 'male mecca' and was the meeting place of both ranchers and businessmen. Among the more famous patrons was R.B. Bennett, later Prime Minister of Canada, who lived in the hotel for years and had his own special table in the bar. The bar was perhaps the most famous (infamous) part of the hotel and at one time was said to be the longest, open bar west of Winnipeg (125'). The bar was of polished wood with plate glass and bevelled mirrors. It was later used in the Home Dainties Ltd. Restaurant in the same building, then the Noble hotel, and in 1965, was moved to the Brewery Museum. In July 21, 1916, the evening before prohibition, the staff held a nostalgic supper for their patrons and the next day, Charles Taprell, owner, dramatically locked the doors of the hotel, never to be opened again for the purpose. The Alberta Hotel, except for wooden beams was entirely built of sandstone. While under the ownership of Norman Jackson the building was extended to take in the adjoining property to the east. After prohibition began, 1916, George Fordyce, architect, remodeled the structure for the owner for use as stores and office space. In 1929, the property was sold to United Cigar Store Ltd. (575,000) and had already been known for several years as Alberta Corner. The next time the property changed hands was Oct., 1972, when United Cigar Stores Ltd. sold to Stewart, Green Properties Ltd. ($1 million). They remodeled the old building. Today the Alberta Corner is one of three original buildings still standing on the corner.

Internal

Designation Status:	Designation Date:
Municipal A List

Register:	01-163

Links

Internet:
Alberta Register of Historic Places: