Madden Store

The Madden Store is one of the oldest remaining buildings in the Village of Newburgh and it contributes significantly to the visual quality of Main Street. Unlike the densely filled commercial cores of other Ontario towns, Main Street in Newburgh is characterized by its low density and comparably rural atmosphere.

Constructed in 1855, the Madden Store is historically significant for its association with the second generation of industrial and commercial growth that occurred in Newburgh in the 1850s. After originally being settled in 1822, Newburg was a thriving village of 1200 residents by the end of the 1850s and its prosperity lead to competition with the then Village of Napanee to become the county seat of Lennox and Addington. Development in Newburgh began to slow down in 1863 when Napanee was named as the county seat. In addition, a large burden was placed on the village when 84 buildings were lost to a fire in 1887. The village never fully recovered after the fire and only a handful of buildings were ever rebuilt. The survival of the Madden store is a testament to the quality of its stone construction, which proved to be fire resistant.

The building is also significant for its association with John Madden, an early settler and industrialist in the Village of Newburgh. In addition to building the store, Madden is credited with the construction of the village's second gristmill (1825) and its second sawmill (1831).

Constructed of local stone and garnished with well-executed details, the Madden Store is an example of a modest pre-Confederation commercial structure. The large ground floor windows on the main façade reinforce the building's commercial function, and the use of ashlar on this elevation is indicative of a commercial and civic pride. Topped with two imposing stone chimneys, stone corbels and eaves, dressed quoins on all four corners and overall symmetry on the main façade, the Madden store exemplify the structure's pre-Confederation style.