Description of Historic Place

Built in 1943, the Darrah’s Insurance Ltd. Building is a two-storey brick commercial building with a glass storefront erected in 1943, located on Main Street in the Village of Chipman.

Heritage Value

The Darrah’s Insurance Ltd. Building is designated a Local Historic Place for its architectural features and its association with 20th century commercial life in Chipman.

Constructed in 1943 to replace the former wood-frame Darrah’s Store building on the same site that was destroyed by fire in February 1943, the new two-storey brick structure was built for Kenneth Darrah to house his grocery store and insurance business. Following the closure of Darrah’s store, the main floor contained a Stedman’s until 1993, followed by a video store, and an outdoor goods shop. The upper floor housed offices and, later, apartments

The Darrah’s Insurance Ltd. Building is a good example of a simple and well-designed commercial structure that formed part of the main street’s business core in Chipman.

Source: Chipman Village Office, Historic Places File, “Darrah’s Insurance Ltd. Building”

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe the Darrah’s Insurance Ltd. Building include:
- the overall two-storey volume and spatial relationship of the building, located tight to the main business street;
- the functional architectural design with a low-slope roof and unadorned front façade, typical of many early- to mid-20th century unassuming commercial structures throughout smaller Canadian towns and villages; the symmetrical design of the main façade is offset by the side door which provides access to the upper floor;
- the external material treatment of the building: a brick front façade of balanced design with its staggered parapet and two pairs of single-hung windows at the upper level, and a large plate glass storefront at the main level; the simple brick side and rear façades with few openings and a former delivery bay;
- the open interior commercial space at the main floor, and the horizontally-clad wood siding and wood doors of the upper floor hallway.