D.A. Gillies Building National Historic Site
© Credit unknown / Collection of Reverend Woodhouse / Library and Archives Canada / C-002996
The D. A. Gillies Building was designated as a national historic site in 2024.
Commemorative plaque: no plaque installedFootnote 1
D. A. Gillies Building
Constructed between 1896 and 1898 to a design by Chief Dominion Architect Thomas Fuller, the building first served as the post office and customs house for Arnprior, Ontario. The D. A. Gillies Building is representative of the federal program of this period that created new government buildings in communities across the country in attractive and prominently located structures. With its two-and-a-half-storey height, use of high-quality materials, free eclectic historical revival and picturesque design, conspicuous siting, and interior layout, it is an excellent example of Fuller’s body of work and of late Victorian design, as well as a symbol of the aspirations of the Dominion. D. A. Gillies, a local heritage advocate, saved this building from demolition and it was repurposed by a 1967 Centennial project, an example of the emerging heritage conservation movement of that decade.
Situated at 35 Madawaska Street in the heart of Arnprior, on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe people, the D. A. Gillies Building is a prominent local landmark. The building features a lively silhouette and roof line, including an octagonal clock tower rising from its southwest corner. This tower is flanked by almost symmetrical façades, each with a large gabled wall dormer. The building’s walls are composed of a colourful array of limestone and sandstone and bring together such details as arched openings, corbelling, stringcourses, and carved lettering to create a dynamic and engaging impression.
© Library and Archives Canada / PA-057549
Fuller, who was born and trained in England, was a key figure in the development of Canadian architecture in the 19th century. From its foundation of local limestone to the use of red sandstone from Nova Scotia for decorative details, to its lofty clock tower, this building embodies the architectural approach that Fuller also applied to similar government buildings across the country. They were designed to host a post office and customs house on the ground floor, other federal offices on the second floor, and residential space in the attic. The fusion of various types of European medieval revival styles marks the building as an example of the so-called “Dominion Style,” an early attempt at creating a distinctly Canadian architectural approach that was largely a result of Fuller’s work.
Throughout the 20th century, most examples of Fuller’s post office design were lost to demolition. Following the construction of a new local post office in 1963, this was nearly the case in Arnprior as well. The building, however, was saved due to local preservationist efforts. Concerned about this loss of local architectural history, lumberman David A. Gillies and his wife Jessie Gillies purchased the building and sold it to the Town of Arnprior for one dollar, with the understanding that it would be used as a cultural institution. As the community’s project to mark the 1967 centennial of Canadian Confederation, the building was converted into the Arnprior Library and the Arnprior and District Museum. Although a new library was opened on a neighbouring site in 1991, the Arnprior and District Museum continues to occupy the D. A. Gillies Building and uses this local landmark to recount the history of Arnprior and the surrounding area.
“From post office to library to museum, the D.A. Gillies Building brings tremendous historical value to our thriving community. On behalf of Council, I welcome the designation of the D.A. Gillies Building as a national historic site by the Government of Canada and look forward to its bright future as the most recognizable symbol of the Town of Arnprior.”
“The D.A. Gillies Building has always served as a community hub that, as a post office, connected Arnprior with the world or as a library, museum, and archive, connected neighbours with their stories. I am thankful to the Government of Canada for our national historic site designation because it is a powerful testament to the remarkable community investment in this iconic building which continues to be a focal point for gathering, storytelling, and collaborative planning for the future.”
This press backgrounder was prepared at the time of the Ministerial announcement in 2025.
The National Program of Historical Commemoration relies on the participation of Canadians in the identification of places, events and persons of national historic significance. Any member of the public can nominate a topic for consideration by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.
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