How to Research and Evaluate Government and Commercial Buildings
Download PDF versions of the Heritage Notes at the Community Development website:
Heritage Notes #9 (pdf)
Janet Wright
The buildings of government and
business form an important part of Alberta’s built
heritage. They dot the rural countryside and, more
importantly, they shape our towns and cities and define
the unique character and history of those communities.
Town halls, post offices, courthouses, schools,
firehalls and hospitals represent key landmarks within
the community and they stand as symbols of those basic
institutions and services of government. The buildings
of business and commerce—the office buildings, banks,
shops, theatres, warehouses and gas stations—are the
building blocks of our main streets and our urban cores.
The architectural legacy of government and commerce
provides tangible links with our past. In these
buildings we can trace the history of our changing
cultural values, political structures, public
institutions and our social and economic development.
The following Heritage Note is
intended to provide guidance and suggestions on
researching government and commercial buildings in
Alberta and evaluating their historical significance.
Major subjects in this Heritage Note:
- What is Evaluation?
- Documenting the Building
- Evaluating Historical Significance
- Historical Associations
- Architectural Significance
- Structure
- Materials and Craftsmanship
- Site
- Environment
- Guide to Research Resources
- Government Records:
- Federal
- Provincial
- Municipal
- Primary Published Sources
- The Visual Record
- Archival Photographs
- Architectural Drawings
- Municipal Plans
- Fire Insurance Plans
- A Note on Secondary Sources
;)
