;TYus
rh.-
Tk1
Md-e
t-4+ Nes
Dcvkir S,
.o
&'.- c4."-i t)
Hull Block, now Gaslight Plaza, has
had long history in city's downtown
built the Bow Valley Ranche house in
Who remembers "The Glump?" A
1896 before selling out to Pat Burns in
slightly scary (to small children) red vel1902. Hull moved into real estate,
veteen monster character, he handed
building the Hull Opera House in
out balloons arid announced limited
Calgary and commercial blocks in
time specials on his bullhorn in various
Edmonton, Calgary and Lethbridge,
departments of the Eaton's store in the
similar to his building in Medicine Hat
early 1980s. Maybe his ghost roams
but not of the same scale.
there still?
The T. Eaton Co. opened a groceteria
Some Hatters still think of Gaslight
in the building in 1927,
Plaza as "the Eaton's
and purchased it in 1941.
buildiiig" but the imposThe Hull Block housed
ing three-storey office and
the city's first department
retail block at the corner
store and for 64 years, it
of Third Street arid Sixth
was the pre-eminent
Avenue actually started
retail establishment in
life as the Hull Block. Built
the city. An adjacent
in 1912-1913 during the
warehouse was conpre-war Edwardian boom,
structed in 1945 and
it was the only large-scale,
eventually housed the Toy
purpose-built commercial
Department, every child's
building in the downdream world (now The
town. It originally conHeritage in the Hat Local).
tained nine bays on the
After Eaton's closed in
ground floor, each with its
1991, it was purchased by local entreown entrance and basement access
preneur Walter Mueller, who renovated
plus 36 offices on upper floors. When
it and named it "Gaslight Plaza."
first occupied, businesses included the
Now owned by EBT Chartered
Dominion Bank, two music stores, a
Accountants, the bufidlifig has been
jeweller, a drugstore and a millinery
designated a Municipal Historic
Developer William Roper Hull emiResource.
grated to Canada from England as a
Mayor Clugston will unveil the
teenager in 1873 to work on his uncle's
plaque at 3:45 p.m. on Thursday, Dec.
ranch near Kamloops. In the early
10, with refreshments to follow. The
1880s, he and his brother established
public is welcome.
their own ranch and expanded into
Malcolm Sissons is the chair oft/ic
meat packing. Hull leased land in Bow
Heritage Resources Committee of the
Valley (Fish Creek) south of Calgary in
City ofMççJjçjjzIat.
1887, then purchased it in 18922 He
Malcolm Sissos
i.I
s
Ceremony Dec. 10 to mark historic
significance of the Hull Block
Medicine Hat ews
SUBMITtED PHOTO
The Hull Block housed Eaton's for 64 years. It's now home to Gaslight Plaza. A ceremony to designate it a Municipal Historic Resource is planned for Thursday, 3:45 p.m.
)De
A plaque unveiling in
recognition of the historic significance of the Hull Block, for
many years known as Eaton's
department store, will take
place Dec. 10, at 3:45 p.m.
The public is invited to
attend.
The imveffing ceremony
will take place at 579 Third St.
SE.
It will be an opportunity to
learn more about the cultural
and heritage value of the Hull
Block. Gaslight Properties Ltd.
has installed a permanent display outlining the history
Hull Block was constructed
for William Roper Hull, a pioneer rancher, who operated a
slaughter-house and retail
butcher shops. Hull also had
business interests in real
estate development in the
early 1890s with the construction of a number of buildings
throughout Alberta.
In Medicine Hat the Hull
Block was purchased by the T.
Eaton Company in 1941. The
building became a focal point
downtown as Eaton's department store.
In 1992, the building was
extensively renovated and
became Gaslight Plaza.
See Heritage in the Hat,
Page B4