Hanson Block II

Hanson Block II
16 – 20 York Street, Sackville, N.B. 
HANSON BLOCK II
1927
Peter Hanson (1852-1930), a native of Sweden, sailed the seven seas as a sea captain before settling in Sackville where he built for himself a fine house on Bridge Street, the Captain Peter Hanson House. He became active in business and purchased a number of commercial properties. Among them was “The Pridham Block” a two-storey wooden building which occupied the site of the present 10 – 20 York Street; the ground floor was occupied by five businesses and in the upper floor were apartments. The building had been erected in 1902 by R.S. Pridham; its name was changed from “The Pridham Block” to “The Hanson Block.”On 24 January 1927 the entire building was destroyed by fire. Despite the fact that he was then 75 years old, Hanson undertook to rebuild the site, employing the Amherst architect J.A. Miner. In keeping with the Town of Sackville’s policy (born of experience) the new building was of brick, not wood. The two-storey structure was completed in two stages: while it appears to be one continuous building, in fact 10 – 14 York is separated from 16 – 20 York by a fire wall. The upper level houses apartments. The new building was completed in 1927.

16 – 20 York consisted originally of three stores at ground level which were occupied by a number of businesses over the years. “Trenholm’s Ladies Wear”, founded by Miss Charlotte Trenholm in 1931 in the Cahill Block moved into the Hanson Block in 1940 and remained here at #18 York until the 1980s. This was replaced by “Pierrot” until 1998, then by “The Flying A.” Joey’s Pizza Restaurant currently occupies all of 16 – 20 York. The facade has been modernized and features a new colour scheme approved by the Town of Sackville Heritage Board.
This building is within the Town of Sackville Municipal Heritage Conservation Area A.

For the Hanson Block as an example of the Main Street Commercial architectural style see Sackville Heritage Architecture Style Guide Section 4: MAIN STREET COMMERCIAL.”

Tantramar Heritage Trust | Historic Sites