The Story Behind Peterborough's Historic Turnbull Building at the Corner of George and Simcoe Streets
/By Scott Arnold
For generations of Peterborough residents, it was simply "the old downtown Zellers." But long before the familiar storefront, the corner of George and Simcoe was the site of one of the city's greatest tragedies and one of its most remarkable rebuilds.
downtown peterborough was bustling in this photo which shows the corner of george and simcoes streets, with the zellers store as the tenant in the turnbull building. the photo, which was from the zellers canada facebook page, although the vehicles appear to be from an earlier time period, the photo was labelled as being from the 1950’s .
If you've ever walked past the Turnbull Building, you've walked past more than a century of Peterborough history.
The corner has been a downtown landmark since the late 1800s, when a Victorian commercial building housed several businesses, including the J. & C. Turnbull Company department store.
On August 28th, 1913, while the building was undergoing renovations to expand the store, disaster struck. A special Thursday morning sale had filled the store with shoppers when part of the building suddenly collapsed. Six people lost their lives in what became known as the Turnbull Disaster, one of the deadliest building collapses in Peterborough's history.
photo via trent valley archives
photo via trent valley archives
photo via trent valley archives
The tragedy left a lasting mark on the city. Following an inquest into the collapse, a recommendation was made for Peterborough to establish a proper system of inspecting buildings undergoing alterations.
Less than a year later, a new steel-framed commercial building was constructed on the same corner, creating the structure that still stands today.
the timothy eaton company, known as the teco store, pictured in this 1928 photo in the turnbull building at the corner of george and simcoe in downtown peterborough (photo via facebook @oldontarioseries)
Over the decades, the building welcomed a succession of well-known retailers. Eaton's operated there from 1927 to 1932 before Zellers opened its doors in 1934. For more than 70 years, generations of Peterborough residents shopped there, making it one of downtown's most recognizable landmarks.
the zellers store at the corner of george and simcoe streets in downtown peterborough can be seen in this photo dated april 30th, 1980 (photo via PAul A. Bateson)
During the Zellers era, the storefront was modernized and the building's fourth floor was removed, giving it the appearance many locals still remember.
Following a heritage restoration, the building's historic character was brought back and it was officially recognized under the Ontario Heritage Act. Today, the Turnbull Building remains one of downtown Peterborough's most recognizable landmarks, standing as a reminder of the businesses, workers, shoppers and stories that have shaped the city for more than 100 years.
the turnbull building in downtown peterborough in 2026 (photo by Scott Arnold)
2026 photo of the corner of george and simcoe streets (photo by scott arnold)
