Description of Historic Place

The Weyburn Security Bank is a Provincial Heritage Property consisting of one city lot at 76-3rd Street in the City of Weyburn. The property features a two-storey building with a glazed terracotta façade constructed in 1910, and situated on a prominent corner location in Weyburn's downtown core.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the Weyburn Security Bank lies in its status as the head office for the first chartered bank based in Saskatchewan. Constructed in 1910, the Weyburn Security Bank was commissioned by a group of American investors to serve as offices for their private banking and land development operations in southern Saskatchewan. The financial operations of the company were so successful the company owners and directors applied for, and received a Canadian bank charter in 1911. During the succeeding 20 years, the Weyburn Security Bank aggressively expanded its operations in the Weyburn area. During its lifespan, the Bank managed outlets in 33 communities and, in 1928, had assets in excess of $6 million. However, the onset of the Depression was devastating to the small, rural-based institution and in May, 1931, the Weyburn Security Bank was purchased by the Imperial Bank of Canada.

The heritage value also lies in its architecture. Designed by the Minneapolis-based architectural firm Long, Lamoureux and Long, the Weyburn Security Bank features a mix of Classical Revival and Chicago School architectural styles. The use of the Classical Revival style, witnessed in the double-storey pilasters with the Ionic order, decorative motifs on the façade, and prominent cornice reflects the traditional architecture of Canadian banking establishments of the period, and serves to project the image of conservatism, stability and wealth desired by the institutions. The use of terracotta and the vertical orientation of the façade, typical of the Chicago School style, are elements more commonly seen on the financial institutional buildings located in the mid-west United States and reflects the Weyburn Security Bank's desire to project a western image in its bank architecture.

Source:

Province of Saskatchewan, Notice of Intention to Designate as Provincial Heritage Property under the Heritage Property Act, July 30, 1982.

Province of Saskatchewan: Order to Designate as Provincial Heritage Property under the Heritage Property Act,, November 24, 1982.

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the Weyburn Security Bank resides in the following character-defining elements:
-the location of the bank on a prominent corner lot in the heart of Weyburn's business district;
-those elements that reflect the Classical Revival style, including the Ionic order pilasters, decorative ornamentation such as the gargoyles, prominent cornice and the pediment above the main entryway;
-those elements that reflect the Chicago-influenced architectural style, including the glazed terracotta façade, vertically-oriented windows set in recessed bays and metal spandrels;
-those elements that reflect the association with the Weyburn Security Bank, including the signage above the main entryway.