Imperial Bank of Canada (1907-1950) in Edmonton, Alberta. Included a separate room for women to make deposits without their husband’s knowing, while the rest of the building was occupied by legal firms and apartments for the bank clerks. Replaced by a larger modern classicist bank in 1954.
Streetview of the site and the current 1954 building which is now a World Trade Centre and home to the Chamber of Commerce. The Imperial Bank of Canada became the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) in 1961. You can still see the old painted billboard reading “Imperial Bank of Canada” on the right side of the current building, as well as the IBC monogram logo between each row of windows.
Unfortunately, the building also had a dark side; from 1931-1933 it was also home to the offices of “The Liberator”, the official newspaper for the Alberta branch of the Canadian Ku Klux Klan. The KKK were very active in Alberta in the early 30’s before going into decline after their leader John James Maloney was convicted of stealing legal documents from a lawyer who had opposed the KKK as well as insurance fraud in 1933. If I had to guess, the newspaper was probably located on the second floor or in the basement – the first floor was the bank itself, while the bank clerk apartments occupied the third. The second floor was where most of the offices were, while the basement was used by the Canada Permanent Mortgage Company until 1910.
bowlfullofjellosays
What street was this on?
Watery_1says
That architectural style looks so familiar. I know I’ve seen it somewhere else but I just can’t place it.
GeisterDrachensays
This isnt "lost" architecture, but there is an antiques building in Alexandria Minnesota with a very similar design to this. The building was formerly a bank, and has been converted to an antiques store. The vault door still stays in the basement, holding more antiques. (3 story)
cingallssays
The Canadian Bank of Commerce building façade is iconic of the Canadian west. Hard to believe looking at them, but that is actually a factory built, pre-fab building. Between 1905 and 1911 the bank had 70 of those buildings made in Vancouver and shipped by rail to towns all over the prairies.
Viscount1881 says
Streetview of the site and the current 1954 building which is now a World Trade Centre and home to the Chamber of Commerce. The Imperial Bank of Canada became the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) in 1961. You can still see the old painted billboard reading “Imperial Bank of Canada” on the right side of the current building, as well as the IBC monogram logo between each row of windows.
Only photo of the interior that I could find.
Unfortunately, the building also had a dark side; from 1931-1933 it was also home to the offices of “The Liberator”, the official newspaper for the Alberta branch of the Canadian Ku Klux Klan. The KKK were very active in Alberta in the early 30’s before going into decline after their leader John James Maloney was convicted of stealing legal documents from a lawyer who had opposed the KKK as well as insurance fraud in 1933. If I had to guess, the newspaper was probably located on the second floor or in the basement – the first floor was the bank itself, while the bank clerk apartments occupied the third. The second floor was where most of the offices were, while the basement was used by the Canada Permanent Mortgage Company until 1910.
bowlfullofjello says
What street was this on?
Watery_1 says
That architectural style looks so familiar. I know I’ve seen it somewhere else but I just can’t place it.
GeisterDrachen says
This isnt "lost" architecture, but there is an antiques building in Alexandria Minnesota with a very similar design to this. The building was formerly a bank, and has been converted to an antiques store. The vault door still stays in the basement, holding more antiques. (3 story)
cingalls says
The Canadian Bank of Commerce building façade is iconic of the Canadian west. Hard to believe looking at them, but that is actually a factory built, pre-fab building. Between 1905 and 1911 the bank had 70 of those buildings made in Vancouver and shipped by rail to towns all over the prairies.