Attachment 4
Heritage Planner’s Summary of Historical and Architectural Information
HERITAGE PLANNER’S SUMMARY OF HISTORICAL
AND ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
BUILDING NAME AND ADDRESS -
First Presbyterian Church (1911)
10025 - 105 Street, Edmonton
Register of Historic Buildings in Edmonton - “A” List
RECOMMENDATION
The First Presbyterian Church is recommended for designation as a Municipal Historic Resource
because of its historical and architectural significance.
ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY
Style/Type
The First Presbyterian Church is a typical example of the Presbyterian style of architecture of the
time, known as the Late Victorian Gothic Revival, featuring a corner bell tower and transepts.
Design
This large rectangular brick church with transepts and 114-foot corner bell is quite heavy and
austere in its design giving it a solid look and relatively unfussy feeling
Predominately English-inspired, the style also incorporates some French Gothic elements, such
as the triple-arch motif of the main porch. As well, the large pointed ached windows on the sides
and front facade, are filled with French Gothic flamboyant tracery, characterized by its flowing
and flame-like motif. Building features include stone tracery, corbelling, buttress piers, numerous
large gothic windows, stained glass, etc. The interior features a sanctuary with a U-shaped
gallery, a semi-dome housing the organ, a double vestibule, oak and fir woodwork, gothic stained
glass windows, vaulted ceiling, original pipe organ
Front elevation (west)
The gabled facades principal feature is the large stained glass window with stone tracery
detailing and two larger stone mullions and a strong hooded stone archivolt feature. A flight of
stairs rises from street level to the front doors which are set back in a sort of colonnade/porch
whose openings feature strong stone archivolt features. The three wooden front doors have
arched stained glass fanlights. The other principal feature is the bell tower with diagonal
buttresses that sits on a stone plinth (as does the whole building visually). The buttresses and
stone courses cleverly give the appearance of splitting the tower into 4 ‘sections’, though
actually being the same width for the full height. The tower’s parapet features very loose or
minimal embattled features. The tower has 3 arched windows and two louvered openings at the
belfry level.
South elevation
This elevation can be broken in to 3 feature components, 1. The Bell tower, with matching
features to that described on the front elevation, except with only 2 windows and a larged arched
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Heritage Planner’s Summary of Historical and Architectural Information
wooden door at ground level. 2. The central nave area features a central large stained glass
window with stone tracery detailing stone archivolt feature flanked by two buttresses and full
height gothic arched stained glass windows. 3. The south transept gable with a large central
stained glass window with simplified tracery features. The larger window is flanked either side
by smaller recessed stained arched windows and an arched window below with a strong mullion
feature. Plinths on the corners frame the elevation. The transept does not ‘sit’ on a stone plinth.
There are 2 wooden doors with steps at the base of the bell tower, one faces south and the eastern
door access the elevator area. A westerly facing door also accesses the transept. The roof is
visible at this point and was originally cedar shingle and still is.
East elevation
The rear of the building is plain and has no architectural features and uses a utilitarian brick. At the
first floor level there are 4 larger window whose use of mullions give it an appearance of being
more gothic. The remaining windows are sash (26) with a few smaller casement windows. 2
smaller windows are located on the lower northern portion. At the ground level a door access the
building at the southern end.
North elevation
This elevation matches the South elevation except that the east end features a buttressed extension
with a narrow single arched stained glass window and a strong arched brick corbel table feature at
the parapet level, almost giving it a fortress look. There is a wooden door that faces west
Construction
First Presbyterian was built of Redcliffe pressed brick with Bedford stone trim, and erected on a
concrete basement on a stone foundation. The interior structure uses cast iron columns.
Designer/Builder
Architect: Arthur G. Wilson and D. Easton Herrald
They designed many early Strathcona structures, including the Strathcona Public Library and the
university home of Alberta's first premier, Alexander Rutherford.
Builders were McMillan and Brown
CULTURAL HISTORY
Historical Importance
The building was declared a Provincial Historic Resource in 1978
The historical importance of this building derives from its association with the growth of the
Presbyterian Church in Edmonton and Northern Alberta, but more so for its association with
Rev. D.G. McQueen. He gives it national importance as he was the first Moderator of the Alberta
Synod of the Presbyterian Church, moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Canada (1912-13)
and later the first national leader of those Presbyterian Churches of Canada who did not join
other Canadian Presbyterian, Methodist and Congregationalist churches in 1925 to create the
United Church of Canada. His association with this church is also significant since he served
only at the First Presbyterian during his 47-year ministry (1883 to 1930).
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Heritage Planner’s Summary of Historical and Architectural Information
The congregation of Edmonton Presbyterian Church, NWT came into being in 1881 and changed
its name to First Presbyterian Church in 1905 when Alberta became a province. It is the second
oldest Presbyterian Church building in Edmonton (after the Knox Presbyterian Church in
Strathcona).
The structure traces its roots to 1881 when Reverend Andrew Browning Baird established the
faith's first city church. Those first services were held a room above a grain warehouse at 98th
Street and Jasper Avenue in 1881, where the Convention Centre now stands. In 1882, the
Hudson's Bay Company granted the church four lots at 104th Street and Jasper Avenue.
Reverend D.G. McQueen succeeded the Reverend Baird as pastor in 1887, though he was not
officially inducted as minister until 1893 as members were initially upset at not having any say in
his appointment. He served as inspector of schools until that time. He married Catherine
Robertson in 1890, and they had three sons and four daughters. A second church was
constructed in 1902, but as Edmonton was booming at the time and they were on prime Jasper
Avenue real estate, they eventually sold the land to speculators for $195,000. In December
1910 plans were drawn up to develop the current Church building to seat 1,250 and on July 26,
1911 the cornerstone was laid. On June 2, 1912 Rev. McQueen, Rev. A.B. Baird & Rev. G.M.
Milligan officially opened the church. The present structure was built at a cost of $175,455.54
(original estimates were $85,000).
The Carillion organ (a stationary set of chromatically tuned bells in a tower, usually played from
a keyboard) features 20 tubular chimes in the tower (cast by Harrington & Latham, Coventry,
England), a gift in 1913 from John A. McDougall, a pioneer city businessman. Casavant Freres
of St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, built the Organ in 1909 initially for the 103 Street location and it was
later moved to the 105 Street building. It has 1,572 pipes ranging from three-eighths of an inch
to 16 feet in length, this was enlarged in 1951. The colours of the 138th Battalion of the
Canadian Army, presented to McQueen by Lieutenant Colonel Belcherin 1916, the same year his
son Alex was killed in France are displayed at the back of the Church. A silver trowel, a mallet,
and plumb line, all presented to McQueen at the cornerstone ceremony in 1911, are encased in
the church's social room, as is a 100-year-old desk, once used by Baird. The first pulpit used in
the 1882 church is found in a hall at the rear of the church.
CONTEXT
Site
The Church sits mid block between 100 Avenue and Jasper Avenue facing 105 Street with
pedestrian access on either side of it. To the north is a commercial tower block and to the south is
surface car parking. Lot size - 100 feet by 150 feet
Neighbourhood
Downtown
Visual/Symbolic
The Building is one of Edmonton’s early Churches developed by the City’s pioneers and a
testament to their faith and belief in the City’s future prosperity. Typical of many earlier civic
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Heritage Planner’s Summary of Historical and Architectural Information
structures or large masonry churches, the church is a monumental building (for Edmonton). This
major inner city church is a highly prominent landmark on 105 Street, though now somewhat
overshadowed by the neighbouring high-rise office block.
The Church has increasingly become an important cultural facility for the community, especially
for cultural and musical occasions.
INTEGRITY
The building has maintained its original exterior and interior appearance, and has been in
continuous use as a church since 1912 with very few modifications.
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