First Street South Municipal Historic Area

First Street South Municipal Historic Area. . , The First Street South Municipal Historic Area is recognized as one of the oldest residential districts in Medicine Hat. The boundaries include the road right-of-way with views of the homes on both sides of First Street, from Fourth Avenue SE to the western end of the Harlow Tangle natural area adjacent to First Street SW. It is a tree-lined street of mainly single-family houses set well back from the street in an evolving mix of ages and styles, with wide boulevards and a canopy of mature trees arching over the roadway. , First Street, formerly known as “Esplanade,” was the area where many of the city’s early citizens chose to build as early as 1886. It includes the picturesque vistas of the South Saskatchewan River, larger lot sizes, and homes built of mainly traditional building materials, particularly brick, stucco and wood siding. The street creates an impressive western entrance to the downtown. , The Municipal Historic Area is significant to the City of Medicine Hat for its embodiment of a broad range of aesthetic and historical values. The dignified character of “Esplanade” endures because the historic homes face the tree canopy and boulevards between the street and the sidewalk, as well as the natural vegetation on the river bank and hillside. , The City of Medicine Hat designated First Street South as a Municipal Historic Area on March 7, 2016.