Recognized Federal Heritage Building

Storehouse, Lock Office

Rideau Canal National Historic Site of Canada / Lieu historique national du Canada du Canal-Rideau, Ontario

View of the Storehouse, Lock Office at the Davis Lockstation, 1905.

View of the Storehouse, Lock Office at the Davis Lockstation, 1905.

Photo: Parks Canada Agency / Agence Parcs Canada, 1905

Built
1874–1875
Recognized
1990
By
Government of Canada

The register’s text, word for word

Description

Located on the Rideau Canal, the Storehouse, Lock Office stands on an artificial island overlooking the canal and the area around Davis Lockstation. It is a rectangular, one-and-a-half storey dwelling clad in vertical board-and-batten siding with a gable roof. The upper storey is reached by an exterior wooden staircase. Two windows flank the main entrance on the front elevation. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage value

The Storehouse, Lock Office is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental values.

Historical Value

The Storehouse, Lock Office is a very good example of a building associated with the construction and operation of the Rideau Canal, which illustrates the theme of military defence strategy for the Upper and Lower Canada in the second quarter of the 19th century, and the evolution and transformation of the waterway as a federal public work. The Storehouse, Lock Office illustrates the lockstation development in the late-19th century and is associated with the growth of the nearby resort community on Sand Lake.

Architectural Value

Valued for its good aesthetic design, the Storehouse, Lock Office is an early example of a building type associated with the post-Confederation operation of the Rideau Canal by the federal government. The building is clad in the vertical board-and-batten wood siding characteristic of late 19th-century examples as opposed to the later method of clapboarding. Good craftsmanship can be seen in the post and beam construction with pegged connecting beams. This type of construction is atypical, as most examples on the canal have conventional stud framing.

Environmental Value

The Storehouse, Lock Office reinforces the historic character of Davis Lockstation and is a familiar landmark to local residents and visitors.

SourceJames De Jonge, Fifteen Buildings, Southern Area, Rideau Canal, Ontario, Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office, Building Reports 89-155, 89-156, 89-157, 89-158,89-159, and 89-160; Storehouse / Lock Office, Davis Lockstation, Rideau Canal, Ontario, Heritage Character Statement 89-157.

Character‑defining elements

The character-defining elements of the Storehouse, Lock Office should be respected.

Its good aesthetic, functional design and good quality materials and craftsmanship, for example:

  • the simple, one-and-a-half storey massing;
  • the gable roof;
  • the exterior walls constructed using board-and-batten wood siding;
  • the position of the windows and doors;
  • the exterior wooden staircase;
  • the dry stone foundation that has been subsequently mortared;
  • the interior configuration.

The manner in which the Storehouse, Lock Office reinforces the historic character of the Davis Lockstation and is a familiar local landmark, as evidenced by:

  • its overall scale, design and materials which harmonize with the landscaped surroundings of the lockstation;
  • its visibility due to its exposed and prominent position adjacent to the lock chamber, which makes it familiar to local residents and visitors.

End of the register’s text

Location

Rideau Canal National Historic Site of Canada / Lieu historique national du Canada du Canal-Rideau, Ontario, Canada

44.56300° N, 76.29100° W

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Nearby

All 8 places in Rideau Canal National Historic Site of Canada / Lieu historique national du Canada du Canal-Rideau

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.