Originally a bank building, the Houston Block was commissioned by John Houston and designed by architect A.E. Hodgins, not a stranger to these parts. Hodgins chose local brick and local marble as his building materials. Other than an abundance of marble at the entrance, including marble columns, the use of the material was kept to tasteful levels.
The Imperial Bank of Canada, which on June 1, 1961 merged with the Commerce Bank to become the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), remained in this building until some time after 1907 when a new Bank of Commerce building was erected one and a half blocks west on Baker Street. It's not known if the Imperial Bank remained in this building until the 1961 merger or whether it had relocated previously. Sometime after the bank vacated the premises
Robertson Realty Co. Ltd moved into the building and remains there today. With the addition of partners, Robertson Realty eventually became Robertson, Hilliard, Cattell Real Estate and Insurance, later shortened to RHC Real Estate and Insurance.
The building itself remains known as the
Houston Block as it was owned by
John "Truth" Houston, 'tramp printer', prospector, newspaperman, realtor, entrepreneur, Member of the BC Legislative Assembly and four term mayor of Nelson. He is remembered as the best known personality of his time, a champion of Nelson and of the "common man", and a vociferous and venomous opponent of big business, particularly the railroads of the time.
John Houston commissioned architect A.E. Hodgins to design and construct this Victorian block. Originally housing a bank, this building still contains two large concrete walk–in vaults. Notice the double arched entrance with its columns of locally quarried marble. The Houston Block received Nelson’s Heritage Building of the Year awarded for 1982.
From the Nelson Heritage Register
In 1898 he built The Houston Block on the same Josephine and Baker lot mentioned above and which he described in The Tribune as "one of the handsomest and most substantial buildings in the city" adding, "as to the style of architecture - well, it is Houstonian..." If he is to be believed when he claimed that the interior woodwork alone cost $13,000, he must have taken a considerable loss when he sold the 70' by 50' brick and marble structure just three years later for only $25,000. Today, The Houston Block is one of the heritage jewels of Baker St. and, fittingly, houses a real estate office.
From John "Truth" Houston
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