Sunday Church Feature

Church of the Beatitutes, Israel

"The Church of the Beatitudes is a Roman Catholic church located on the Sea of Galilee near Tabgha and Capernaum in Israel.

"Located on a small hill overlooking the Sea of Galilee, and built on the traditional site of Jesus' delivery of the Sermon on the Mount,[1] pilgrims are known to have commemorated this site since at least the 4th century. In her itinerary of the Holy Land, after describing the Church of the Loaves and Fishes, the pilgrim Egeria (c.381) writes, "Near there on a mountain is the cave to which the Savior climbed and spoke the Beatitudes." The current church sits near the ruins of a small Byzantine era church dating to the late 4th century[2], which contains a rock-cut cistern beneath it and the remains of a small monastery to its southeast. Part of the original mosaic floor has also been recovered and is now on display in Capernaum. Both Popes Paul VI and John Paul II celebrated Mass at the church during their pastoral visits to the Holy Land.[2]

"The modern church was built between 1936 and 1938 near the site of the fourth century Byzantine ruins. The floor plan is octagonal, the eight sides representing the eight Beatitudes.[2] The church is Byzantine in style with a marble veneer casing the lower walls and gold mosaic in the dome. In front of the church are mosaic symbols on the pavement representing Justice, Prudence, Fortitude, Charity, Faith, and Temperance.

"Jerome Murphy-O'Connor describes the selection of the site thus; "It was perhaps inevitable that this well-watered area with its shade trees on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, where Byzantine pilgrims ate their picnics, should have been identified as the location of two episodes involving the consumption of food, the multiplication of the loaves and fishes and the conferral on Peter of the responsibility of leadership after a fish breakfast. Then it became convenient to localize the Sermon of the Mount on the small hill nearby." (The Holy Land: An Oxford Archaeological Guide from Earliest Times to 1700, p.277) Regardless of whether this is the very spot, the Church of the Beatitudes stands in the general area and in a very similar setting to where Jesus would have stood as he delivered his famous sermon. As Murphy-O'Connor puts it, "from here one can see virtually all the places in which Jesus lived and worked" (p.280).

"The church was commissioned by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and designed by the architect Antonio Barluzzi.



"The church is maintained and overseen by the Franciscan Order." (See Link.)

Link:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_the_Beatitudes

Photo 1: Exterior of church-post card purchased in Israel in 1992 by SW.

Photo 2: Interior of church--post card purchased in Israel in 1992 by SW

Photo 3: Mosaic in interior of church taken in 1992 by SW.

Note: See Blog Post July 24 for more about Suzanne Wilson's 1992 trip to Israel

Saturday Travel Feature
Bet She'an, Israel

"The City of Bet She'an stratregically situated at the crossroads of major highways that stretched between the Mediterranean, Damascus and the north, and between Jeruselem and the Galilee, played an important role in the early history of the country.

"Archiologists have uncovered about twenty layers of civilization at the Bet She'an mound.  The city was founded in the fifth millenium B.C.E., on the banks of a small river, Nahal Herod, between the fifteenth and twelfth centuries B.C.E.  It served the Egyptians as an important stronghold.  During the 11th century it was held by the Phillistins who, after defeating the Israelites in battle, displayed the bodies of Saul and his sons on the city walls.
King David conquered Bet She'an from the Phillistines and King Solomn made it one of his administrative centers.

"In the Hellenistic Period it was given the names Sythopolis, City of the Sythians, and Nysa for Dionysos nurse. (Dionysos was the chief god of the city, and according to tradition his nurse was buried here.)  The inhabitants also preserved the ancient name Ben She'an.  The population of the Roman city was mixed, and included Pagans as well as Jews and Samaritans.  When Christianity took hold in the fourth century C.E., most of the inhabitants converted to Christianity, although sizable minorities of Jews and Samaritans remained.  In the early fifth century C.E. Bet She'an became the capitol of the province called Palaestina Secunda, with an estimated population of 40,000.  In the seventh century the city passed into the hands of the Muslems, and in the mid eighth it was destroyed by an earthquake.  Bet She'an never quite recovered its former splendor and importance.  The Crusaders fortified this important crossroads by building a Citidel here.  From then through to the end of the British mandate, Bet She'an had a small but unbroken chain of settlement. With the establishment of the State of Israel the city began to flourish once again.

"Through the ages Bet She'an expanded over a large area and the ancient mound became its acropolis.  At  the height of the city's importance, during the Byzantine Period, it was surrounded by a wall four kilometers long.  The archeologican remains, the majority of which are from the Roman and Byzantine Periods, reveal the magnificance of this ancient metropolis."(See Reference.)

Photo: Taken of Bet She'an, Israel in 1992 by SW.  Suzanne and her high school friend Diane joined a tour of Baptist ministers from Mississippi and Georgia for ten days in Israel.
Reference:  This quote is from the sign posted at the site of the Bet She'an ruins seen in the photo.
Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beit_She'an

Friday, July 23, 2010
Just in the City of NV

The City of North Vancouver extends north to the south side of 29th Street. So the house at 235 West 28th Street is in the most northern part of the City of North Vancouver just within its borders.

This house with its white stucco and blue cedar clapboard exterior is one of the typical designs of houses in the area. There is no listing in the Building Permit for the house, but the 1960 City Directory reports the owners to be John P. and Jean M. Moore. John Moore was employed as an estimator by Welsh and Son.

In 1965 William F. and Lois A. M. Hare were the residents. William Hare was a sargeant in the RCMP. By 1971 Nelson E. and Jeanette Teskey were the residents. Again Nelson Teskey was a sergeant in the RCMP. However, by 1980, William F. and Lois Hare were again living in the house and now they were reported as being the owners. William Hare was now a justice of the peace for the Province of B.C.

In 1991 and 1995/1996 Larry L. and Corrine Gillanders were the owners of the 235 West 28th Street home. During this time the Coastline Appraisal Group was also listed at that address. The year 2000 phone book also lists the Gillanders as living at the 235 West 28th Street address.

This 6 bedroom, 2 bathroom home has recently sold for $1,189,000. (See Link.)

Building Permit: Applied for in July 2010.
Photo: Taken in July 2010 by SW.
Link: http://www.kenspong.com/listings.html

Special Birthday Feature
Happy Third Birthday Holly!

"The Riverfront Park Carousel, also known as the Looff Carousel and the Natatorium Park Carousel is a carousel in Spokane, Washington originally built in 1909 by Charles I. D. Looff. The carousel was a gift for Looff's daughter Emma Vogel and her husband Louis Vogel, who owned Natatorium Park in Spokane.[1] It remained at the park until 1968 when the park closed. The carousel was relocated to its present location at Riverfront Park in 1975 where it continues to operate.[2][3]


"The carousel still contains its original 1900 Ruth & Sohn Band Organ, although due to deteriorating player rolls, a digitized recording is played during the carousel's operation[3]. The organ was manufactured in Waldkirch, Germany and imported by Looff around 1900.


"The carousel contains 54 horses, 1 giraffe, 1 tiger and 2 chariots, all hand carved by Looff himself. It also has a brass ring dispenser that allows the outside riders to grab a ring during each pass and then toss the ring at a clown with a hole for his mouth. If the rider is successful in capturing the brass ring, he or she can turn it in to win a free ride on the carousel[4]." (See Link.)

Happy Third Birthday Holly!

Photo: Of the Carousel in Riverfront Park, Spokane October 2003  taken by her
Nana, Suzanne Wilson.
Photo: Of Holly taken on the Carousel in Riverfront Park in Spokane, July 2010 by her mother, Laura (Wilson) Misner.
Link:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riverfront_Park_Carousel

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

One Block of Phyllis

Phyllis Road is but one block long and just west of the Centennial Ecology Centre in Lynn Canyon Park in Lynn Valley. A Building Permit was applied for in 1954 for this one storey white house with the matching fence at 3738 Phyllis Road.  It was built in for $7,000 by L. J. Seabrook.

In 1960 and 1971 Svend A. and Gilda E. Mariager were the owners of this small house. During this time Svend Mariager was employed as a service engineer at Walken Machinery and Equipment. In 1980 the City Directory reported that Wolfgang J. Klein lived in the house, but did not designate him as the owner. Then in the 1991 and 1995/1996 City Directories the owner was listed as D. William Frith. The 1995/1996 listing indicated that he had owned the house for more than nine years, making the date he bought it in the mid 1980's. During his more than 9 years in the house William Frith was an operator at Advance Cabs.

The 890 sq. ft. house with 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom was for sale in 2009 for $655,000.  (See Link.)

Phyllis isn't the only woman honored in the street names of Lynn Valley. There is also Evelyn Street and Evelyn Park, Ruth Crescent, Irene Place and Ronayne Road. Lynn (of Lynn Valley, Lynn Canyon Park, Lynn Creek, Lynn Valley Road) is also a woman's name. However, all these Lynns were named for John Linn one of the pioneers of this part of the North Shore.

Demolition Permit: Applied to the District of North Vancouver in June 2010.
Photo: Taken in July 2010 by SW.

Link: http://www.buyinginnorthvancouver.com/real-estate-north-vancouver-property-details/257840525/no/3738-phyllis-rd/north-vancouver/overview

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

High on the Westover Hill

The now abandoned house high on the hill at 1842 Westover Road was originally built in 1948 for $6,000 by J. Cathill. In the 1950 City Directory the only listing at that address is "new house". By 1960 Andrew and Mary Korabo were the owners. Andrew Korabo was the president of Karibou Glass. Mary is  listed as a widow. Another Korabo was also resident Ted Korabo, a glazier at Karibou Glass. In 1971 William G. and Helen B. Reynolds were the owners at 1642 Westover Road. William Reynolds was employed as a salesman at Beaver Lumber. In 1980 William was the manager of the Eagles Club. Helen Reynolds was president of the Eagles Ladies Auxiliary. Requests from the staff of the 1991 and 1995/1996 City Directories were not returned or could not be verified.

Westover Road runs from Allan Road to Lynn Canyon Park in the Lynn Creek area of Lynn Valley. On one side of Westover Road is Draycott Park and on the other side is Westover Park. In fact, the house at 1842 Westover Road looks down on the tennis courts of Draycott Park.

Building Permit: Applied to the District of North Vancouver in June 2010.

Photo: Taken in June 2010 by SW.

Monday, July 19, 2010
The English on Kings Road

In 1955 G. Reid built the ranch style home at 548 Kings Road for $12,000. By 1960 the English family had bought it. The English reigned there for at least 50 years. Arthur B. and Olwen E. English are listed as owners in the 1960, 1970, 1980, 1991, and 1995/1996 City Directories. Arthur English is also listed at 548 Kings Road in the 1999/2000 North and West Vancouver City Directory.

During their ownership of 548 Kings Road, Arthur English was the president of A. English Diesel Service. In 1980 Olwen English was the secretary/treasurer of A. English Diesel Service.

This home at 548 Kings Road is  1,393 sq. ft. with 3 bedrooms and 1 1/2 bathrooms.  It has been listed For Sale for $870,000. (See Link.)

There is not only a King's Road in the District of North Vancouver, but there is also a Queens Road. Both cross Lonsdale Avenue with Kings Road ending in the west at Delbrook Rec Centre. Queens Road runs south of the Delbrook Rec Centre then ends in the west at Edgemont Boulevard. To the east of Lonsdale Avenue Queens Road ends appropriately at Princess Avenue and Kings Road runs a bit further to end at Princess Park. Other royal and distinguished English street names in the District of North Vancouver include: Windsor Rd., Shakespeare Ave., Royal Ave., Duchess Avenue, St. Georges Ave., St. Andrews Ave., Kensington Ave., Wellington Dr., and Chamberlain Dr.

Demolition Permit: Applied for in June 2010.
Photo: Taken in June 2010 by SW.
Link: http://www.vopenhouse.ca/vid/5943_Kings/