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WHITBY FREE PRESS, The Heritage Edition, SEPTEMBER 1, 1989, PAGE Ai Vol. 1. Whitby, Ontario Wednesday, September 13, 1989 No. 1. Serving Whitby, Brooklin, Ashburn and Myrtle FOUR CORNERS: Hub of trade and tradition By Jil Stock was built it its place called 'Dominion Warerooms.' Whitby's four corners are about as The Dominion Warerooms was openea familiar to us as the gold Christmas tree in 1867, the year of the Dominion of which crowns them each December. Canada. It was owned by John M. Lowes Most of us pass through the four corners and James B. Powell who operated it as every day on our way to work or to go a general store until 1893. Upstairs out. The four corners help to establish a varous lodges and fraternal meetings downtown, a focal point, and a feeling of took place. localization in Whitby that many towns Around 1900-1914, W.M. Pringle had lack without a four corners. a hardward store at the corner. In 1914 The four corners at Brock and the building was covered with stucco Dundas streets have always served as a and re-modelled inside. It became the central location in Whitby. They mark office of the 'Standard Bank of Canada. the 30-mile point measured from In 1929 this became the Bank of downtown Toronto. A tree on the north Commerce, as it remained until 1964 side of Hwy. 2, where the Lynde House when it was demolished. The eisting stood at DHillier St., marks the 29-mile Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce point. building opened in 1964. The four corners themselves were Beside the bank on the northeast established in 1836 because they formed corner once stood another building the intersection of two main roads. Hwy. composed of two stores, built between 2, called Kingston Rd., was the main 1873 and 1875. It was called the highway from Toronto to Kingston. 'Oddfellows Hall' after the lodge which Built in 1880, it was at that time the met on the third floor. only road in the area. A large store on the first floor was a Centre Rd., now called Brock St., was Mercantile Department Store from built in 1831 from Whitby harbor to the 1933-1963. Before this it had been a northern part of the County of Ontario, barbershop and the store of W.G. now Durham Region. The road reached Walters, clothing merchant. In 1964 the the four corners by 1831. It was the whole building was demolished to allow main road used for bringing produce more room for the new CIBC building from the north to Port Whitby. beside it. The four corners became the business On the southeast corner is the centre of Whitby when the town was Dominion Bank building, once called incorporated in 1855. The role of the 'Laings Corner'afrer William Laing downtown four corners as the who had a frame store on the corner commercial centre of Whitby has not until the 1850s called 'OId Number V changed in more than a century. This store was torn down to build the However, its appearance has cbanged Dominion Bank building which was the drastically. only building on the block to survive the The four corners were originally great fire of 0ctober, 1877. called "Perry's Corners" after Peter Today this building houses a real Perry, Whitby's founder. Peter Perry estate company. However, it still bears established a retail store on the the mark of its original use. Two northeast corner in 1836 called 'The rarkers on the roof have the following Red Store' because it was painted red. inscription «1874 -- Dominion Bank' There was a large sign over the door The building was constructed for the whicfrread 'Peter Perry at Home.'Whitby branch of the Dominion Bank The Red. Store ,was demolished in 1866 and a three-staryn brick dlrdiag i IN 1860 photo (above), the four corners, looking down Brock St. to the south before Gerrie's block, the post office and Cana- dian Bank of Commerce were built. Some of the brick strue- tures along Dundas St. W. are stili standing today. In 1918 photo below, Brock St., looking south from Colborne St. Many of the buildings remain today. Whitby Archives photo Olt ·INSIDE Ontario Bank Building pg A3 LACAC's Role pg A5 Old Methodist Church pg A4 Lasco's Ringwood Estate pg A lI Downtown Heritage Day pg A6-A9 Decorating a traditional home pg A12 lI~ P