Description of Historic Place

The A.Y. Young Drug Store is a two-storey commercial brick building which is situated on a single lot on the main street in Fort Macleod.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the A.Y. Young Drug Store lies in its contribution to the historical and architectural character of Fort Macleod's commercial district.

In 1874, the North West Mounted Police (N.W.M.P.) arrived in western Canada and set up the first police post in present-day Alberta at Fort Macleod. By the end of the nineteenth century, Fort Macleod's original function as a centre for policing the whisky trade had been superseded by its rise as a distribution and service centre for the large ranching hinterland in the region. This transformation in function was embodied in the growth of Fort Macleod's commercial district. The A.Y. Young Drug Store was built in 1903 and reflects this change. Young opened his drugstore on the ground floor and leased the second floor to two physicians. Over the years, several businesses have operated in it, including dry goods, bakery, men's wear and ladies' wear.

With elements of classical revival architecture on its front facade, including cornices, entablature with consoles, brackets, circular window and voussoirs in the parapet, it is typical of the more sophisticated buildings erected during the early part of the twentieth century in Alberta's secondary centres. It once possessed a symmetrical front facade typical of this kind of commercial building, although changes to the building have altered its original visual identity. Nonetheless, the A.Y. Young Drug Store is a contributor to the distinctive architectural character of the Fort Macleod Provincial Historic Area.

Source: Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, Historic Resources Management Branch (File: Des. 2027)

Character-Defining Elements

Character-defining elements of the A.Y. Young Drug Store include the following elements:
- metal cornice and sign band above the main entrance;
-original double-hung windows on the south elevation and masonry wall;
- double hung windows and voussoirs in the parapet;
- fine brickwork (stretcher bond pattern) and detailing;
- main floor storefront;
- interior detailing in the front retail area, including original tongue-in-groove maple flooring, exposed masonry walls, and decorative pressed-tin ceiling, with metal edge cornice moulding.