Community Heritage Register
1896 Building
Kaslo, British Columbia
Also known as The Book Store, R & K Block
331 Front Street front view
Photo: Village of Kaslo, 2012
- Built
- 1896
- Recognized
- 2011
- By
- Local government
The register’s text, word for word
Description
The 1896 building is a two-storey classical style brick building with two wooden pillars framing the front entrance. This historic place includes the building on its lot, located at the eastern end of downtown Kaslo, British Columbia.
Heritage value
The primary value of this historic place lies in its architecture and construction materials. It is an example of a classical two-story brick building in Kaslo, with a tie-bar, bullnose detailing and brick arched windows. There is historical value in the fact that this was one of the first buildings to be made of brick from the Kaslo-based Millington Brothers Brick and Tile Yard, which demonstrates the early citizens' commitment to make a living on Kootenay Lake.
Built in 1896 for Riedel and Kuester, Bakers and Grocers, this historic place also has value because it exemplifies an important stage in the economic development of Kaslo and evokes an era when early businesses took a foothold. Having housed a church as well as various commercial uses over the years, the 1896 Building is also valued for its role in the continuum of economic and spiritual development within its community.
SourceVillage of Kaslo
Character‑defining elements
Key elements that define the heritage character of the 1896 Building include:
- the late nineteenth-century architectural detailing of the building, as seen in such elements as the tie-bar, the arched window openings, the corbelled bullnose brick detail and front pillars
- all material dating to the time of construction, including bricks, window frames, and '1896' sign
- the two-story scale
- two large street-level windows
- separate street-level entrance to second floor, with glass door and transom window
- use as commercial space
End of the register’s text
Location
331 Front Street, Kaslo, British Columbia, Canada
49.91134° N, 116.90296° W
Get directions (opens in a new tab)Being on the register doesn’t make a place open to visitors. Many are private homes or businesses; please view them from the street.
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Nearby
All 12 places in Kaslo
Similar places
Places whose register descriptions are closest to this one.
From the Canadian Register of Historic Places, as last updated on December 12, 2025. The register’s text is shown word for word.