Kempthorne Block

Description of the Historic Place

The Kempthorne Block (shown on the left) is a rectangular three-story building located at 157 2nd Avenue South in Saskatoon’s downtown area. The Kempthorne Block building shares a common façade and wall with the adjacent Bottomley Block (located at 155 2nd Avenue South). 

Heritage Value

Designed by the architectural firm of Webster and Noel, the Kempthorne Block features a large painted brick building with Tyndall stone accents. The building features a parapet roofline with corniced square pillars. The parapet roof is stepped in the centre of the building, and features a name panel reading 'KEMPTHORNE'. Arched windows with Tyndall stone keystones, corner blocks and sills are located along the building’s second and third storeys.

The Kempthorne Block and the neighbouring Bottomley Block are the only buildings known to have been designed by the Webster and Noel architectural firm before David Webster went on to a very successful and prolific solo career. Today, the building’s storefront which covers the entire main floor as well as the 2nd floor up to the bottom of the window keystones has been considerably altered since its construction. During the boom year of 1929 a large addition was built on the back of the building, doubling it in size.

In addition to its architectural features and association with architect David Webster, the heritage value of the Kempthorne Block also lies in its association with Samuel Kempthorne, who arrived in Saskatoon in 1903 from Whitby, Ontario. Kempthorne’s hardware business was one of the oldest and largest at the time and was housed on one side of the building, while the Bank of British North America occupied the other half of the main floor.  The Saskatoon Business College was on the third floor for over fifty years. The second floor was divided up into a series of small offices.  A number of notable Saskatoon citizens had office space on this floor including Ralph Dill, Saskatoon’s first photographer, Dr. Malloy, physician and coroner, and David Webster, architect. In 1912, Kempthorne sold his hardware business to Fawcett Hardware. The president of Fawcett Hardware, T. Wesley Fawcett, was a City Councillor and an active member of the community. Fawcett and his brothers operated the hardware business until 1922. 

Over the years, the main floor of the Kempthorne Block has been occupied by a number of businesses including: Saskatoon Hardware, Gloeckler Pianos, the Paragon Café, an O.K. Economy Store, and Moores. The building continues to be a prominent building along 2nd Avenue South today.

Source: City of Saskatoon Built Heritage Database

Character Defining Elements

Key elements which contribute to the heritage value of this historic resource include:

• Its architectural style, evident in: its brick façade with stone trim, its parapet roofline with corniced square pillars, the entablature with a large cornice, frieze and modillions, the arched windows with Tyndall stone keystones, corner blocks and sills; and
• Those features that relate to its historical significance, such as the building’s name panel reading 'KEMPTHORNE' located along its roofline.