Victoria Hall
When Victoria Hall was built in 1889, Petrolia, in the midst of an oil boom, was one of the wealthiest towns in Canada. The opulent town hall reflects this stage in the town's growth. While its first floor housed municipal offices, court room, fire department and armoury, the entire second floor was an opera house capable of seating 1,000 people. The design, by London (Ontario) architect George Durand, uses a diverse combination of forms and a variety of decorative motifs to heighten visual interest and recall various stylistic periods.
Plaque via Alan L. Brown's site Ontario Plaques. Full page here.