Photograph
black and white negative
The building that housed Gurney's Museum was built as a bandstand, no more than a platform with a railing. By 1909 several improvements had been made, and the building was now a two storey structure with a bandstand on the upper level, and a glass fronted room at ground level. The bandstand was reached by a set of stairs on the outside of the building. The ground floor was now occupied by the Board of Trade, and became known as the Board of Trade Building.
The building was originally located about 30 metres inside the west boundary of Galt Gardens, opposite 118 - 5 Street South. In 1911 the building was moved to a location halfway along the north boundary of the park. In June 1912 two wings were added.
In February 1922 the Board of Trade Building suffered a fire, but was repaired and was used until 1944, when the Board of Trade moved to the Marquis Hotel. Walter Gurney and his wife then applied to lease the building to house their museum, and it became Gurney's Museum until 1961. On 28 August 1961 the building was demolished.
Sources: Johnston, Alexander. Lethbridge Galt Gardens Park. Occasional Paper No. 22, Lethbridge Historical Society, 1988
Dogterom, Irma. Where Was It? A Guide to Early Lethbridge Buildings. Occasional Paper No. 35, Lethbridge Historical Society, 2001
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