Friday, January 15, 2010
A Gate in the Bush

The gate in the bush could be found at number 4041 about half way up Prospect Road in North Vancouver District. And Prospect Road can be found as far up the mountain east Mosquito Creek as residential streets go. It is the first right turn  after the top of Lonsdale Ave. Many of the other houses on this street at the top of the world would sell for a million dollars. Then there was the overgrown lot with the deserted ramshackled house. The bush grew all the way up to the street and the vertical board gate and fence was wedged between their branches. The deep and steep lot may have revealed a view of Burrard Inlet and Vancouver Island if it weren't for the tall and thick overgrowth. Only parts of the house could be seen. In the back of the house the cream colored exterior was covered in horizontal shiplap at the bottom and shakes on the second floor. The sides of the house seemed to be all shakes. Because it was on a steep slope the one floor Prospect Rd. side of the house seemed to extended to the back as two floors. Multipaine windows wrapped around the south west back corner of the second floor and looked out at the view. A brick chimney seemed to stick out from the very top of the roof.  This chimney was added the year after  the house was built in 1923.  Before that there was only a pipe from the stove.


Thanks to historian Roy Pallant we know who lived  in this mysterious overgrown house.  His report at the North Vancouver Archives indicates the house with a timber foundation was built by local carpenters. According to the neighbors he interviewed Dorothy "Dot" Fraser lived there.   Her family moved to B.C. in 1889 and she was the great-aunt of Senator George Van Roggan (Liberal) who was active in Canadian-American affairs.  "Dot" spent her life as a governess and a nurse and in later years a nurse-companion.  She was known by the local people for her regular habit of walking, complete with silver-knobbed walking cane and fox pelt scarf. The creek which runs past this property is still known locally as Miss Fraser's Creek.  "Dot" was also a regular attendee at St. Martin's Church.  Dorothy Kathleen Fraser died in Beacon Hill Lodge in 1983 at age 100.  In the 1955 City Directory she is listed as Miss K (Kath) Fraser. She remained the owner  until at least 1970.  In 1980 the resident is listed as A. Zalemanis. There was no listing in 1998.

Research:  Thank you to Roy J. V. Pallant.Demolition Permit: Applied for September 2009.

Demolished: January 2010.

Photo: Taken October 4, 2009 by SW.