It’s Wayback Wednesday, sponsored by Jamie Lockwood, broker/owner of Sutton Group Muskoka Realty!
The Bettes block, which was constructed in 1901 near the corner of Main St. E and King St, was considered one of the finest buildings in Huntsville at the time. It was technically the second Bettes block. The first, which was named for its owner Sherriff Bettes, burned in the fire of 1894.
This undated image of the second Bettes block shows the Dominion Bank, the offices of W. Rumsey, auctioneer, Huntsville Syndicate Lumber, and White Brothers Furniture.
Shortly after the building was constructed, the post office relocated to the eastern part of the block. The library was housed upstairs.
The west end of the block later held the Dominion Bank, which took charge of that space in 1907, and guaranteed the security of all of the money on deposit, when the former Sovereign Bank declared bankruptcy. The Dominion Bank purchased the Bettes block in 1921, but in 1925 decided it needed more space and planned a building at the corner of King and Main St. E., which opened in 1926. TD Canada Trust closed that ‘new’ location in 2018, after more than 120 years of operating a Main Street branch. The TD building was purchased later that year by Tracy Powell, who renovated the space and recently opened Wolfe Co. there.
As for the former Dominion Bank, it later became a doctor’s office, then retail space, and today holds The Hudson Salon and Spa. Next door is now The Great Vine.
(Photo courtesy of Glen Duffield, from the 1967 Old Home Week centennial souvenir program. Details from Huntsville: With Spirit and Resolve)
See more Wayback Wednesday photos here.
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