Vignettes
/ The Exchange
District
/ Princess
Drake Hotel (Benson Block)
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Originally called the Benson Block, this hotel was a twin
of the Bawlf Block at 148 Princess, Joseph Benson had operated
a livery stable on the site, and together with Nicholas
Bawlf, financed the construction of the two buildings. The
wholesale grocery firm of Griffin and Douglas were the
first tenants, however the interior basement foundations
threatened to collapse under the weight of goods stored
above. This faulty construction is reflective of
the material shortage at the time of its construction,
along with contractor, Saul Brothers and Armit’s
rush to complete the work. There was also a lack of skilled
craftsman during the 1881-82 building boom.
The Benson Block hosted a variety of businesses over the
years. Griffin & Douglas remained until 1886. It was
renamed the Globe Hotel, the Market Hotel in 1904 and after
1937, “The Bank”. Its last function was as the
Drake Hotel from 1944 to 1974. It was finally closed due
to a number of health citations.
