‘The Castle’ to lose its throne

Details

Published on Thursday, October 6, 2016

Left: Photo courtesy of Beautiful Plains archives. This photo of “The Castle” was taken around 2000, when the building was recognized with a municipal heritage designation. 

Right: Photo by John Dietz. The front of Davidson House, located at 344 Main St. E in Neepawa, looks much different in 2016. It has been boarded up to prevent people from gaining access to the now condemned building.

By Kate Jackman-Atkinson

Neepawa Banner/Neepawa Press

This imposing three-storey Davidson House, a Neepawa landmark known as ‘The Castle’, is entering its last winter. Due to extensive interior decay and black mould, as well as an asbestos issue, an order to demolish the building has been issued. With the building secured, the Town is expecting that demolition will occur next spring.

The Castle, at 344 Main St., has been vacant for more than 10 years. The house and two lots were a designated municipal heritage site in July 2000. It was registered in 2005 as a Canadian historic site. This summer, the Town applied to have the heritage designated removed, noting that the property had deteriorated and was no longer deemed a sustainable heritage site. The designation was rescinded in June 2016. 

A building inspection, conducted July 8, notes several problems with the building, including extensive mould damage inside the building, including above the main floor, asbestos insulation covering an old boiler in the basement, floors that were soft and deemed not structurally sound and several ceilings in poor condition. 

Photo by John Dietz. Holes in the roof have allowed moisture to enter the house, damaging the wood structures inside, as well as creating mould.

On June 25, 2013, the Department of Health declared the building unfit for habitation.

Originally a two-storey frame structure built in 1887, it was enlarged and covered in brick in about 1901. The picturesque, Queen Anne style roofline, high towers, two-storey bays and high gable ends dominated Neepawa’s eastern gateway for more than a century.

The Castle was built by John A. Davidson, co-founder of Neepawa, mayor and provincial cabinet minister. Davidson died in 1903, at age 51. The house was purchased in 1917 by W.H. Guinn, who established the Guinn Brothers Marble and Granite Works. 

Photo by John Dietz. Windows in the once stately home’s tower have been boarded up to prevent access.