Description of Historic Place

The McNaughton Building is a Municipal Heritage Property situated on two large lots at 608 Carleton Street in the Town of Moosomin. The property features a two storey brick and fieldstone commercial building constructed between 1886 and 1890.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the building lies in its status as one of the oldest commercial buildings in Saskatchewan. Constructed in 1886, with a major addition in 1890, the McNaughton Building is one of a handful of pre-1890 commercial buildings in the province. The building also represents an early example of the second wave of commercial architecture in Saskatchewan which replaced the temporary wood frame structures initially used.

The heritage value of the building also lies in its architecture. The oldest part of the building was constructed of field stone in the Second Empire style, signified by the mansard roof with inset dormer windows bordered by intricate woodwork. The 1890 brick and fieldstone addition was designed in an elaborate rendition of boomtown commercial architecture. Reflecting the prosperity of the company, the building features ornamentation such as decorative pressed metal moldings above the store front, windows topped by rounded arches, decorative brickwork and a series of four brick towers spaced evenly across the front façade.

The heritage value of the building lies in its association with the McNaughton family. The McNaughton’s were a prominent Moosomin family. From the time R.D. McNaughton established his original wholesale and retail store in 1882. The business was the main wholesale supplier for towns across southeastern Saskatchewan. The large 1890 addition to the south of the original building underscores the degree to which the R.D. McNaughton and his company prospered in its early years. Although the R.D. McNaughton sold the business in 1909, successive owners continued to use the McNaughton name until the closure of the store in 1956.

Source:

Town of Moosomin Bylaw 2004-1.

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the McNaughton Building resides in the following character-defining elements:

-those elements that reflect the building original use as R.D McNaughton Store including the exterior signage, plate glass windows, and large entrance ways;
-those element that reflect its Second Empire influenced architecture including the mansard roof, pressed metal shingles and dormer windows;
-those elements that reflect the boomtown commercial building style of architecture including the rounded archways above the windows and doors, brick detailing and cornice;
-the elaborate façade on the 1890 addition including the pressed metal moldings, and brick towers.