Description of Historic Place

The Burns Block is a brick, two-storey building located at 1973 Columbia Avenue on the south side of the street in the downtown of Rossland, B.C. A sign, "Associate Medical Clinic" extends across the front of the building, between the first and second floors. The two windows on the top floor facing Columbia Avenue are partially fronted with grill work. The entrances to the main floor and to the top floor are side by side, under a recessed portion of the front facade.

Heritage Value

The Burns Block has historic and social value for its brick construction, its historic use as a butcher shop and its connection to Pat Burns.

Built in 1905, the Burns Block has historic and aesthetic value as one of the few brick buildings built in the Rossland downtown area after the City by-law of 1902 was enacted requiring all commercial buildings to be constructed of brick. The By-law came about because of the disastrous fire of 25 August 1902 that destroyed all the wooden commercial buildings along Spokane Street between Columbia Avenue and First Avenue.

This building also has historic and social value for its association with Pat Burns, the man who established a string of commercial meat markets in many West Kootenay communities and mining camps of the 1890s, supplied with meat from his Alberta ranches and his local slaughterhouses. He went on to found the Burns Meat Packing Company - a firm that was well known throughout Western Canada in the 20th century. The Burns Block contained a butcher shop for over 70 years - from 1905 to 1977.

In 1977 the Burns Block became the Associate Medical Clinic of Rossland which has occupied the main floor since, with residential use on the top floor.

SOURCE: City of Rossland - Heritage Commission

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of Burns Block include its:
- original location and footprint
- Brick construction - visible under layers of paint
- Heritage Plaque beside entrance, identifying this building as one of Rossland's significant heritage buildings.