The Quebec Bank was established on Front Street since 1870, the same year Thorold became a town. Quebec Bank is Canada's second-oldest bank. The bank was founded in Quebec City in 1818 by John W Woolsey to service merchants and residents who wanted an alternative to the Bank of Montreal. Surviving the recession of 1873 to1875, and dodging a major fire in 1877 which destroyed many of the buildings on the west side of Front Street, the bank emerged to become the leading bank in a town that was rapidly growing in regional status and importance. The Quebec Bank moved to 28 Front St. South in 1897. From that time to 1912, the Quebec Bank was the sole banking facility in Thorold.

Constructed of brick and beam, the imposing 2-1/2 storey building rests on a foundation of ledge rock and rough-cut stone, with a loft roof which has three single chimneys. The front facade (base floor) is identified by three tall equal bays. Within each of the first two bays are large, arched display windows in two sections. Each top section features a semi-elliptical stained glass window separated by a skylight bar. The right side bay consists of a tall, double-door entry, above which is a semi-elliptical stained glass window, surrounded by matching slanting spandrels and a small decorative keystone. The 8 ft. paired set of panelled doors each have two teardrop rosettes on top, rectangular mouldings in the middle and two smaller rectangular mouldings at their base.

The (front) middle floor features a row of three, tall arched windows, double hung with arched shutters and decorative keystones on top. Separating the middle and top floor is an eaves overhang with a boxed cornice.

The top floor contains many unique details and has three dormers piercing the mansard roof; the roof front is made of multi-coloured, tiled slate with mixed patterns of fish scale and diamond. Crowning the apex of the dormer is a carved finial, accentuated with fleur-de-lis.

28 Front Street South

Thorold, Ontario

L2V 3Z0

1 (905) 324-8933