Monday, November 8, 2010

Red Maple Leaves

The white house on the south side of  the 300 block of East 26th Street sat at the corner with St. Andrew's Avenue.  Three tall cedar trees (in photo below) and a red maple tree graced the front yard. East 26th Street is two blocks above the Upper Level's Highway and in the Upper Lonsdale area of the City of North Vancouver.

Three Tall Cedars

The Building Permit Book at the North Vancouver Archives indicated that in 1911 a $500 house was built by owner G. Avery at 303 East 26th Street.  However, there is no listing in the 1912 through 1925 City Directories of G. Avery.  In fact the 1950 City Directory does not even list the address.  

By 1955 G. Lloyd and Margorie E. Patton lived in the house at 303 East 26th Street. G. Lloyd Patton was employed as an engineer at  Cemco Electric. In 1960 the owner was R. G. Smith.

Then in 1971 and 1980 Thomas and Iris Pennington were reported as living in the house.  Thomas Pennington worked as a lather.  In 1991 they were reported as owning the house at 303 East 26th Street and Thomas was working in construction.  Thomas Pennington was reported at that address in the 2008/2010 North and West Vancouver Phone Directory.  That is about 40 years for the Pennningtons at the white house with the tall cedar trees on the corner of East 26th Street and St. Andrew's Avenue.

On November 2, 2010 the City Council approved the building of a Katimavik Group Residence at the 303 East 26th Street address.  "Katimavik offers Canadian youth the opportunity to contribute to the sustainable development of communities across Canada through challenging volunteer service programs." (See Link.)

Demolition: Permit applied for from the  City of North Vancouver in October   

                          2010.
Photos: Taken in November 2010 by SW.
Link : http://www.katimavik.org/

Monday, October 18, 2010
Harbottle's Jersey Product Salesman

The house at 404 West 27th Street is in the Upper Lonsdale area of the City of North Vancouver.  The house was built for $1,200 in 1930 by A. C. Marshall.  That was the year he also received a building permit for a $800 house addition and a $100 chicken house.  During that time there were many chicken farms in North Vancouver and trucks would come from Vancouver and deliver the feed. (Reference.)

By 1940 the residents of the house were John R. and Gerda H. Waghorn.  John Waghorn was a salesman for Harbottle's Jersey Products.  Below is a 1940  parade photo of a car with a sign advertising Harbottle's on the side and an ice cream Sunday on the top.

1940 Parade photo advertising Harbottle's Jersey Products

In 1950 the owner of 404 West 27th Street was Mrs. E. Wilson.  She was the widow of J. Wilson. 

By 1971 the Wilkinson family owned the 404 West 27th Street home.  Seth F. and Vivian L. Wilkinson reported they were retired.  They continued to report that they owned the house in 1980 and 1991.  In the 1995/1996 City Directory only Seth F. Wilkinson was listed at 404 West 27th Street.

Year 2000 ad for sale of $299,000 404 West 27th Street home

The photo of 404 West 27th Street was taken by Suzanne Wilson as part of her
Year 2000 Photography Project, Your House/Our Home.  2000 photos of homes in the City of North Vancouver were photographed.  Approximately 800 of these were accompanied by some history from the present or previous home owner sometimes including personal photographs.  In the case of 404 West 27th Street the accompanying information was the year 2000 real estate ad for the sale of the house.  It was listed at $299,000. (See ad above.)


In the month of June 2007 Suzanne Wilson celebrated the City of North Vancouver's 100 birthday by distributing to their home owners copies of 1000 photos taken for the Y2K Project.  At this time it was discovered that the home photographed at 404 West 27th Street had been demolished and new construction was underway. 

The City of North Vancouver web site lists a 2007 demolition permit for 404 West 27th Street at $5000 to All Star Excavating and Demolition.  It lists a 2007 building permit for a new $470,000 single family home to Saltani Construction.

Reference: From stories of riding in his dad's feed  truck from United Milling,
                       in his childhood by Alan Wilson.
Photos: Top photo taken in the year 2000 by SW. 1940 Harbottle photo
                       available at the North Vancouver Archives.
Reference: The Year 2000 project was donated by Suzanne and Alan Wilson to
                       the North Vancouver Archives and is available for viewing.

Link: http://memorybc.ca/23124;rad

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.