Description of Historic Place

The 1896 building is a two-storey classical style brick building with two wooden pillars framing the front entrance. This historic place includes the building on its lot, located at the eastern end of downtown Kaslo, British Columbia.

Heritage Value

The primary value of this historic place lies in its architecture and construction materials. It is an example of a classical two-story brick building in Kaslo, with a tie-bar, bullnose detailing and brick arched windows. There is historical value in the fact that this was one of the first buildings to be made of brick from the Kaslo-based Millington Brothers Brick and Tile Yard, which demonstrates the early citizens' commitment to make a living on Kootenay Lake.

Built in 1896 for Riedel and Kuester, Bakers and Grocers, this historic place also has value because it exemplifies an important stage in the economic development of Kaslo and evokes an era when early businesses took a foothold. Having housed a church as well as various commercial uses over the years, the 1896 Building is also valued for its role in the continuum of economic and spiritual development within its community.

Source: Village of Kaslo

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements that define the heritage character of the 1896 Building include:

- the late nineteenth-century architectural detailing of the building, as seen in such elements as the tie-bar, the arched window openings, the corbelled bullnose brick detail and front pillars
- all material dating to the time of construction, including bricks, window frames, and '1896' sign
- the two-story scale
- two large street-level windows
- separate street-level entrance to second floor, with glass door and transom window
- use as commercial space