62-66 King Street West

Constructed in 1856, 62-66 King Street West is a three-storey brick commercial building located on the north side of King Street East in downtown Bowmanville in the Municipality of Clarington.

62-66 King Street West has been recognized for its heritage value by the Municipality of Clarington, By-law 98-34.

Also known as the Canadian Statesman building, 62-66 King Street West was originally built to house a branch of the Bank of Montreal in 1856. It was constructed for John Simpson, who was the manager of the branch. Simpson, emigrated from Scotland in 1825, and was a prominent figure in the area, serving as president of the Port Harbour Co., magistrate, municipal councillor and, following confederation, a member of Canada's Senate. The building would later contain the law offices of Sr. John Hutcheson and Samuel Bradshaw's shoe store.

Sometime after 1870, the building became the home of the Canadian Statesman newspaper, a local newspaper published in the area since 1855. The paper was owned by Rev. John Climie, who had founded it in 1855 to promote his beliefs. The newspaper was purchased by Moses James in 1878, and the building, 62-66 King Street West, from the Simpson estate, in 1902. Moses James' two sons joined him at the Canadian Statesman in 1919 and the paper continues to be published at this location by the James family today.

Constructed by builder, John Fee, 62-66 King Street West is an early example of a building utilizing local construction materials; brick from a brick works on Liberty Street and limestone from the Baseline quarry.

Sources: Municipality of Clarington By-law 98-34 and Planning Department Report PD-102-96

Key character defining elements that reflect the heritage values include the:

- original red brick facade

- limestone lintels, window sills and foundation

- blind arcades of the first storey

- roof line parapets