Wednesday, December 8, 2010

At the Edge of the Forest

The original house at 1210 Dempsey Road sat on the edge of the forest at the crest of Dempsey Road.  The little white house was at the northern border of the District of North Vancouver to the west of Mountain Highway.  It was built in 1948 for $3,750 by W. D. McRae. IN 1952 D. R. Thompson made an $800 alteration.  And in 1958 D. R. Thompson  applied for a Building Permit for a $2000 house at that location.  In 1960 Doug R. and Hazel A. L. Thompson were still the owners of the house.  Doug Thompson worked as a transit operator at B.C. Electric.

By 1971 the owner was Mrs. Jessie I. Dunn.  Jessie Dunn was employed by General Paint as a computer typer supervisor.  In 1980 the owners were John R. and Janet L. Mee.  John was employed as a manager at P. Lawson Travel.

By the mid 1980's the Paul and Janine Crocock had bought the 1210 Dempsey Road home.   Janine Crocock was also listed as living at the 1210 Dempsey Road address in the 1999/2000 North and West Vancouver Phone Directory.  Both in 1991 and 1995/1996 Paul Crocock stated that he worked as  an adjuster at ICBC.  During that time Janine stated that she worked as a travel agent at No 1.

The real estate ad in the Link below listed  the house for sale for $698,000.  The house sat on a 9,230 sq. ft. lot with a partial view of the city.  The 2144 sq. ft. home had three bedrooms and one bedroom. The lot is located in the east end of the Braemar subdivision, backed by the greenbelt.  The Link shows interior photos of this Dempsey Road home.

Demolition: Permit applied for in November 2010.

Photos: Taken in November 2010 by SW.

Link http://www.realestatenorthshore.com/property-3102.php

Saturday, October 2, 2010
Saturday Special Feature
The End of the Line
North Vancouver, B.C.

"For almost 100 years there has been a store in Upper Lynn Valley.  It was there in 1910 when the Lynn Valley Street Car line was extended up the hill to the final terminus at the top of Lynn Valley Road, at Dempsey Road.  A small shack welcomed the passengers who travelled on the first streetcar that rattled its way through the snags of the denuded forest.

First "End of the Line" Store, shack at right

"The small shack probably only had a few items for sale, perhaps just local vegetables and flowers. It was soon replaced by a larger building.  In 1912 a sign painted on the wall proclaimed "Groceries and refreshments." Just the place, after taking a sightseeing trip on the streetcar from Lonsdale, or from Vancouver via the ferry, to sit and enjoy some refreshments before the return trip home.  Just the place for hikers to fill their packs with supplies before heading off across Lynn Creek to their cabins on the Mount Seymour range for the weekend.  Just the place for a tired worker heading home from the Shake Mill to call in for fresh milk or a loaf of bread... the streetcar stopped right the door of the store. It soon became known as "The store at the end of the car line."

1916 Hendricksen Store

"Frederick and Ellen Hendrichsen (sometimes spelt Hendricksen)were the first owners of this store.  Living quarters were at the back, and it must have been a tight squeeze, as they had three young children.  The "Great War" 1914-1918 began, and in 1916 Frederick, being German in birth was taken away to an internment camp as an "enemy alien."  Ellen struggled on with the operation of the store, and the raising of the children.  She must have been a very capable and determined woman.  Frederick was released from the camp in Vernon in 1919, but  it was Ellen who continued to operate the store.  Time passed and in 1926 a license to operate a Post Office was granted to Mrs. Ellen Walker Hendrichsen, with Mrs. Hossack as her assistant.  Alterations had to be made to incorporate the Post Office into the store.  It was named "Upper Lynn Sub-Post, Office." Local residents would call in daily for their mail and newspapers.  At Christmas time the Post Office corner overflowed with parcels, both incoming and outgoing.  What a place to gather for a bit of local gossip!

1920 Hendricksen's Confectionery and Tea Room

"By this time,  house had been built next door, with Mrs. Hendrichsen listed as owner, so perhaps the family had more roomy living quarters.  Frederick seems to have disappeared from the scene.  The children all went to school in Lynn Valley, and several of our pioneer residents knew them and played with them.  The store continued to thrive, and to serve the local public.  In 1941 a building permit was taken out for alterations to be done at the cost of $300.00.  There have always been living quarters at the back and now upstairs, throughout the years.

"Perhaps Ellen was sprucing up the store ready for sale.  She remained the owner and operator until the mid 1940's, when she left the area.  She died in 1960 at the age of 74.  I wonder if she ever took a ride on the streetcar to visit her old home?

"New owners came and went.  The appearance of the store, both inside and out, changed many times over the years, but it was always open until late, supplying customers with many items besides groceries, a real convenience store.  It was officially "Upper Lynn Grocery," and also "Upper Lynn Market."  Some names of owners that might be recognized-Dyson, Willets, Battrum, Ryttersgard, Howarth, and Mrs. Gwen martin.  The longest stay was of 24 years, when Bill and Fun Chow ran the store.  They raised their five daughters there.  As each girl grew old enough, she learned to serve in the store.  The chow family were missed when they left.  The store never seemed the same to local residents, although it still supplied a good selection of groceries, and, of course, candies.

"The streetcar had clattered its way up the hill for the last time in 1947, and the buses took over.  The Post Office closed down soon after house-to-house mail delivery began, and was sorely missed.  The wire-backed ice cream parlour style chairs had long gone.  So many changes, and now in the summer of 2006, the biggest one of all!

"New owner, Connie Fay, a resident of Lynn Valley in her childhood, has taken over, and has given the store a complete make-over, inside and out, and has brought the neighbourhood into the modern age!  But the origins of the store have not been forgotten.  The windows reflect the history of this spot, and the forest, that is still so close.  Just across the street is the entrance road into Lynn Headwaters Park, and the Lynn Canyon trails.  Inside the store there is a wonderful array of gift items, local art work, specialty food, tee-shirts that say you have been to the end of the line, and also, as always the basic grocery items and candy bars that still make this a convenience store. 

"So, take a trip from Lonsdale Quay on the 228 Lynn Valley bus, and stay aboard until you reach the end of the line. (4193 Lynn Valley Road) You will know it by the lovely sign that hangs above the store across the street from the bus stop.  The store that has been there, in one form or another, for almost the past 100 years.  Go inside and browse around, have an ice cream cone or a cup of coffee, and think back over the years of local history connected to this spot.

"All good wishes to Connie Fay, her family and her friends and neighbours.  We will look forward to the year 2010 when 'the store at the end of the line' celebrates its Centennial." (See Reference and Thank You to author Muriel Van Laar.)

Reference and Thank You: To author Muriel Van Laar's for her article The Store At The End of The Line, North Shore Historical Newsletter Vol. 27, No. .09, 2006, available at the North Vancouver Archives.

Photos: 1. Top photo taken in September 2010 by SW.
                 2. First "End of the Line" shack, North Vancouver Archives #2949.
                 3. 1916 Hendricksen's Store, North Vancouver Archives #8634.

                 4. 1920 Hendricksen's Confectionery and Tea Room, North Vancouver

                      Archives #6566.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Shake Clad House on Dempsey

The two storey shake clad house at 1640 Dempsey Road was built for $1500 in 1938 by J. Greenwood.  The is no listing of the 1640 Dempsey Road address in the 1940 City Directory.  However, the house is indicated by the notation "ns Greenwood J." as the owner.  In the 1945 City Directory the address is listed, and J. Greenwood is still recorded as living there. 

However, by 1948 the owner was Mrs. K. A. Vaughan, the widow of E. W. Vaughan.   In 1940 Edgar and Cathy A. Vaughan had been the owners of a home on the north side of the 1200 Mill Street in North Vancouver.  Edgar Vaughan was a cartoonist.  Mill Street is two streets north of Dempsey.  So Mrs. Vaughan's move from Mill Street to Dempsey after the death of her husband, was not a big one.  Mrs. Vaughan continued to own the house at 1640 Dempsey Rd. at least until 1971.  Over the years her name was listed in the City Directories as Mrs. K. A. Vaughan, Cath A. Vaughan and in 1971 as Molly Vaughan.

In 1981 Gunter Karl Essinger was the owner of the 1640 Dempsey Road house.  Gunter Essinger worked as a maintenance man at Delta Smelting and Refining. In 1991 the City Directory reported that Ralph, Karen, and Patrick Essinger as well as Pfiel Jens were all residents of the house.  Ralph and Patrick Essinger were both employees at the Spaghetti Factory.  Karen Essinger's employment was Scandal's Bar and Grill Restaurant.  In the 1995/1996 City Directory Ralph and Patrick Essinger were reported as living in the house.  Other residents at least from 1991 to 1995 were Harold and Marie Scott.  In 1995 Ralph and Patrick Essinger were still working at the Spaghetti Factory.  Although, Karen was not listed as living at 1640 Dempsey Road, her employment was reported as president of My Place Cafe.  Ralph Essinger was listed in the 2006/2007 North and West Vancouver Phone Directory as still living at the 1640 Dempsey Road address at that time.

Patrick Essinger adds," My father Gunther Karl Essinger  passed away in the house in 1989.  The house was left to his sons Ralph Peter Essinger and Patrick Carsten Essinger. The house had a renovation to the basement to make it livable.  Both brothers lived in and out of the basement for a few years.  Ralph married S. Essinger and lived in the house til early 2000. They had one daughter S. N. Essinger.  Patrick Essinger took sole possession of the house in 2004.  Patrick a City of Vancouver Firefighter and his wife J. A. Essinger a Registered Nurse at Lions Gate Hospital lived in the house until 2010 with their daughter N. G. Essinger. " They will be  demolishing the existing home and building a new heritage style home.

Dempsey Road and Mill Street are in the northern part of the Lynn Valley known as Upper Lynn.  This is at the base of the North Shore Mountains where the hikers park before heading up the trails.  The house at 1640 Dempsey Road is also just up the street from Kilmer Park.


Thank you: To Patrick Essinger for his contribution to the history of the home at 1640 Dempsey Road.
Demolition: Permit applied for to the North Vancouver District in September of 2010.
Photo: Taken in September of 2010 by SW. (Actual house color is a brown tone.)

Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Only the Clark's

The two storey house at 1414 Dempsey Road does not seem to be built until shortly after 1965 since there is no listing for the house in the Building Permit Book, or in the 1950, 1955, 1960, or 1965 City Directories. In 1971 A. Fredrick and Margaret L. Clark are listed as owners. And they are listed as owners in the 1980, 1991, and 1995 City Directories. F.A. Clark is also listed in the 2008/2010 North and West Vancouver Phone Directory. So it looks like the Clark's owned the house for about 40 years. In 1980 A. Frederick Clark reported that he was a clerk at Barker Hardware and in 1991 he reported that he was retired.

Dempsey Road is part of the most northern connector road that runs between Capilano Road in the west to Lynn Valley Road in the east. Montroyal Blvd. starts at Capilano Rd, and runs to Lonsdale Avenue. Then Braemar Rd. follows the base of the North Shore Mountains until Dempsey Road. Dempsey Rd. then crosses Mountain Highway and finally terminates at Lynn Valley Rd. It is a handy route taken by North Vancouverites to cross from one side of the District to the other without going into one of the more crowded business areas.

Demolition Permit: Applied for in July 2010.
Photo: Taken in July 2010 by SW.