Waterloo Public Library Digital Collections

Devitt Block, Waterloo, Ontario

Description

Media Type

Image

Item Type

Photographs

Description

Photograph of a colour drawing of the building at 9-21 Erb Street west at King Street commonly called the Devitt Block. Building housing the offices of the Ontario Equitable Life and Accident Insurance Company (later Equitable Life), Menno Devitt and Company, Reinsurance Company of Canada and the Waterloo Chronicle newspaper.

Notes

The Devitt Block was built in 1870 by Benjamin Devitt and Daniel Snyder and demolished in 1976. It was located in the parking lot behind the Bank of Montreal at 3 King street south.

Ontario Equitable Life and Accident Insurance Company was formed in 1920. First office was in the Waterloo Mutual Insurance building at King and Dupont streets. In 1922 the company bought the Devitt Block and occupied a portion of the second floor. The company changed its name to Equitable Life in 1936 when it obtained a federal charter and moved out of the Devitt Block in 1971.

The Princess Theatre was the first theatre in Waterloo, opening on December 23, 1913 as part of the Devitt Block and closing in 1921.

Date of Original