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Riverside Apartments (Maximilian’s) 93-99 Gore St. E. The stonework on this 3 storey building is of very high order. On the Gore Street façade, it is of regularly-coursed squared stone. The end and rear walls are of random rubble. The stone chimneys extend above the parapet. The ground floor openings reflect the history of commercial usage of the property. The existing large expanses of plate glass for display windows indicate late 19th or early 20th century changes. Centering the façade is the door to the “well-appointed” apartments within. This fine example of the legacy left to Perth by its Scottish masons was built circa 1850 by a merchant, John Doran. The building is located on Cockburn Island, named for Col. Francis Cockburn, former superintendent of the Rideau Military Settlement and located in the middle of the Tay River.
Mr. Doran was described in the 1867/68 Canadian
Directory as an auctioneer, dealer in dry goods,
hardware, groceries, produce, etc. When he left for Pembroke in 1870, he leased the building to Thomas Jamieson, who operated a saddlery establishment at the site as early as 1857. His store was distinguished by the sign of a large white horse on Gore Street. Mr. Doran sold the building to William John Clements in 1885, who sold it to James Matheson in 1900. He was the son of one of Perth’s most famous merchants, Roderick Matheson, who most likely leased out the storefronts and apartments as an investment. Riverside Apartments reflect the sense of purpose and pride in the growing commercial development of Perth in the mid-19th century. As land in the core of the town became more expensive and desirable, the builders combined a merchant’s store with well-appointed apartments. The building extends Perth’s rich tradition of main street architecture.
Photograph, c1900 from the archives of the Perth
Museum |