Municipal Register of Local Historic Places

Connell Building

Woodstock, New Brunswick

Also known as Atherton's Harness Shop, Boutique de harnais Atherton's, Kiss and Make Up

View of the northern elevation

View of the northern elevation

Photo: Carleton County Historical Society

Built
1878
Recognized
2006
By
Local government

The register’s text, word for word

Description

The Connell Building is a two-storey brick commercial row building located on the corner of Main and Harvey Streets in Woodstock. The building presently houses retail shops on the street level and residential apartments upstairs.

Heritage value

The Connell Building is designated a Local Historic Place for its late 19th-century Italianate commercial architecture and for its significance as a part of Woodstock’s historic town centre.

The Connell Building is an especially good example of the Italianate row buildings erected in 1878 because it has retained completely its original red brick exterior. This building is an integral part of the line of brick row buildings that run along much of Main Street and some perpendicular streets. The southerly rear section of the building is attached to the northerly front section of the next ‘block.’

Connell Building’s value also lies in that it continues to serve the dual commercial/residential purpose for which it was originally constructed. Built as part of the reconstruction of downtown Woodstock after the disastrous fire of 1877, the original tenants are at present unknown. The building is most often referred to as the “Connell Building” or “Atherton’s Harness Shop” for two of its long-term owners.

SourceCarleton County Historical Society Places Files, “Connell Building”

Character‑defining elements

The character-defining elements that describe the location and context of the Connell Building include:

  • location on Main Street in the centre of the commercial district;
  • location in proximity to other late 19th-century brick commercial row buildings;
  • connection to adjacent southerly building by rear section being attached to the northern front section of the adjacent building.

The character-defining elements that describe the Italianate architecture of the Connell Building include:

  • rectangular two-storey massing with irregularly shaped rear;
  • typical storefront with recessed entrances, large display windows and decorative brickwork;
  • red brick exterior;
  • symmetrical placement of rectangular windows with segmented arch headers;
  • residential components on second floor with separate back and side entrances.

End of the register’s text

Location

616-620 Main Street; 106 Harvey Street, Woodstock, New Brunswick, E7M, Canada

46.14957° N, 67.57332° W

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Nearby

All 49 places in Woodstock

Similar places

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From the Canadian Register of Historic Places, as last updated on December 12, 2025. The register’s text is shown word for word.