PGE Station, back at foot of Lonsdale, 2010

Sunday, December 26, 2010
Happy Boxing Day
The North Vancouver Archives

The origin of the North Vancouver Archives began on October 24, 1968 when a public meeting was held to discuss the possibility  of its formation.  In 1971 the Centennial Committee established to form a museum and archives under the direction of Bill Baker. (REF 1.)

 July 22, 1972 was the official opening of the Museum and Archives in North Vancouver.  It was originally housed in the old Pacific Great Eastern Train  Station that had been moved from the foot of Lonsdale up to Mahon Park.  Its name at this time was the North Shore Museum and Archives.  The PGE museum and archives site had little space available for the archives and no research space. (REF 2.) The Archivist when the archives opened was Don Bourdon.  He had been working on  the archives as a volunteer since the 1970's.(REF 2.) 

During this time the City Hall of North Vancouver City was at 204 West 4th Street, 1915 to 1975. (REF 4.)  The building was originally  built as the  North Vancouver School circa 1902. In 1907 there were alterations and additions and the name changed to Central School. (REF 4.) While it served as the North Vancouver City Hall it also housed the jail for the Provincial Police who did the policing in the City during that time. (REF 2.) The jail had its own entrance on the south west side of the building.  There were two holding cells and the bull pen/exercise room with a window with bars on it.  The window had a wooden sill in which the inmates carved their names. One name was "Cecil Mark".  The bars and carved wooden sill can still be seen in 2010. (REF 3.)  The jail was not needed after 1961 when the RCMP building opened on East 13th Street in 1962. (REF 2.)

Presentation House 2010

In 1976 the museum and archives moved to the old City Hall building that by this time had become Presentation House.  The Archives was housed in what had been the bull pen area of the jail and officially opened in 1978.  The Archivist Don Bourdon moved to Calgary in 1980 and June Thompson was appointed to that position.  She had been volunteering since 1979.  She continued as Archivist until 1994 when Francis Mansbridge was hired for that position.  June Thompson then became a part time assistant Archivist until 2003.  Francis Mansbridge retired in August of 2006. (REF 2.)

North Vancouver Community History Centre 2010

In 2006 the Museum and Archives moved to a brand new state of the art facility in Lynn Valley.  The exterior of the  building was the 1920 Lynn Valley Elementary School at 3203  Institute Rd. It had been pared down to its original building, gutted and refitted, and a rounded storage area added to the north end of the building.  The wood of the school's gym floor addition had been saved and used for the first floor of the new facility.  This facility was named the Community History Centre and the Archives occupies the second floor.  The new Archivist is Janet Turner.          

Note:  After the Museum and Archives moved to Presentation House in 1976, "additional exhibit space was retained in the station museum for many years." June Thompson.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Demolition: Of 1950's additions to 1920 Lynn Valley Elementary School building and interior of 1920 building completed with opening of Community History Centre in 2006.
References: 1.North Vancouver Museum and Archives Fonds 38
                         2. June Thompson
                         3. Cecil Halsey-NVMA Photographer-Technician
                        4. City of North Vancouver Heritage Inventory 1994-pages 88, 89.  
Photos: Taken in 2000 and 2010 by SW.  
Link 1: http://www.northvanmuseum.ca/about.htm

THANK YOU     

Thank you for following my blog, Demolition Mama, a tribute to the home owners of North Vancouver.  A hard copy of North Vancouver posts will be on file at the North Vancouver Archives in 2011.  Although there will be no further posts after December 31, 2010 the Blog will continue to be available at this URL.

PLEASE JOIN ME

My new Blog is starting Sunday, January 1, 2011 and will be published each Sunday.  The Blog is "Churches on Sundays" and will feature a photo I have taken when visiting and a brief history and description of the architecture.  I hope you will join me.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

THE FIRST CHRISTMAS

"And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be enrolled with Mary his betrothed, who was with child.  And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered.  And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

"And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around the, and they were filled with fear.  And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace among men

with whom he is pleased!"

(The Christmas story from the Bible, Luke 2:4-14.)

Photo: The manger scene in the photo above was a wedding gift to Suzanne and Alan Wilson in 1967. (See December 1, 2010 Blog Post,  Happy 43rd Wedding Anniversary Alan and Suzanne.) It has been part of the Wilson family's Christmas display ever since: when they lived in Hollywood, when they lived in Burquitlam, when they lived on Long Beach B.C., when they lived in Duncan, and the 38 years they have lived on Shavington St. in North Vancouver.

Christmas Eve Special Feature
Juergenmeyers on Taylor Street
225 Taylor Street
Kaukauna, Wisconsin

This two storey home with the basement and broad front porch was the home of  Martin, Marie, and Hazel Juergenmeyer in the 1920's and early 1930's.
Martin Juergenmeyer ran a small bus company between Kaukauna and Appleton.  After their daughter Hazel was married in 1934, Martin and Marie Juergenmeyer rented out the house and moved to Seymour, Wisconsin.  Here Martin bought a Phillip's 66 Gas Station (See Blog Post Saturday Travel Feature, "Phillips 66 in Seymour", Saturday, March 20, 2010) and built a house attached to the back.  Marie and Martin planted statice on part of the acreage behind the house and sold it to the local funeral parlor for floral presentations. 

When Martin died in 1948 his wife Marie moved back to the house at 225 Taylor Street in Kaukauna.   The house was modified for her to live upstairs and she continued to rent out the downstairs.  An enclosed stairway and entrance porch was added to the back of the house to protect her from climbing the stairs in the snowy Wisconsin winter.  The upstairs apartment had a  large square hall leading to the living room that looked out to Taylor street and a kitchen, to a bedroom, and to a bathroom.

The downstairs was rented to Bill and Betty Roerig.  Here is Bill's description of their time on 225 Taylor Street. "225 Taylor Street is the source of many fond memories. It was our first home... We arrived in Kaukauna very newly married--August 22, 1948--and the promise of a house to rent from a local dry cleaner. In going in to get the key, etc., we were informed that they had changed their mind. Now what? On leaving the store we bumped into a local police officer who told us that your grandmother in Seymour was planning to move back to Kaukauna. So, off we went to Seymour, introduced ourselves to your grandma who told us that there had already been 14 folks ahead of us. Oh boy! She did not seem very friendly but asked us what church we intended to join. Knowing that Kaukauna was mostly Catholic we quietly said we were Lutheran. She asked if we would be willing to take her to church [Trinity] from time to time and of course we said, certainly. The rest is 7 years of a very good relationship, especially for Betty as your grandmother acted as a mother figure for a young girl 220 miles from home for the first time---

"At first we shared the bath upstairs for a year, or so, and after a  couple of awkward incidents I put a toilet and a shower in the basement. Your grandma bought a TV, wonder of wonders, and she would invite us up there for a 30 minute program, much to our delight... In 1955 we began building our own home on the South Side of Kaukauna and our relationship with your grandma was coming to the end. She had lost her health and , I believe, was hospitalized for a short period. After being discharged from the hospital she went to stay with her old friend, a Mrs. Clough (sic). She then wanted to return to her own home and with the help of a friend of mine we managed to bring her up the outside stairs to her own bed. Betty helped care for her, read to her, prayed with her almost to the end. I do not recall the details of that period since I was busy building and teaching. We treasured those years with your grandma who was a "no nonsense", lovable lady...


"The house faced North and the lower rooms were oriented as follows; The kitchen was in the southeast corner with the rear entrance on the south side. Entry was at ground level with maybe 3 steps up to the kitchen and several steps down into the basement. ( I was in charge of keeping the furnace going where I once blew the furnace door off , not knowing how to handle Pocahontas(sic) coal----also, if grandma needed heat upstairs in the morning there were several thumps on the floor to rouse me out of my slug-a-bed laziness---one night, due to my lack of knowledge about coal, we burned coke at home, I found myself on the roof  stamping out sparks from a chimney fire).---The northeast room was designed for a dining area but was used for a living room since there was no suitably large room for a master bedroom which , in turn, was the northwest corner with access through French doors. The stairway to the upstairs was in the south center off the "master bedroom" and a smaller southwest bedroom which became the boy's room.

"The basement consisted of a cistern to the right of the stairs, the furnace was the octopus style in the center of the basement, the coal bin was in the northwest corner and  a small room in the northeast corner served later as a shower and toilet..." (Bill Roerig 2010.)

In 2010 Zestimate (See Link.) reported that the 2009 tax assessor's value of the house was $94,000.  The lot size was listed as 7,405 sq. ft.

The house at 225 Taylor Street was the home of Suzanne Wilson's grandparents and her mother Hazel.  Suzanne has vivid memories of her grandmother, Marie, living in the upstairs apartment and the Roerigs.  Marie is the middle name of both Suzanne Wilson and her granddaughter Holly Misner.


Thank You: To Bill Roerig for his memories of 225 Taylor Street.

Photo: Taken in Kaukauna, Wisconsin in 2006 by SW.
Link: http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/225-Taylor-St-Kaukauna-WI-54130/69784528_zpid/

Thursday, December 23, 2010

98 Years Old 

The symmetrical house at 648 West 15^th Street was built in 1910 by Mr. Syver Christenson and Mr. Standal.  Mr. Standal also built the second house from the north-east corner of 15^th and Bewicke. The Vance House that was at the east end of the 600 West 15th Street block was built  in the same year.  George W. Vance was North Vancouver Mayor 1917 to 1921. 

Mr. Christenson came to Canada  from a small town outside of Oslo, Norway before 1903. He first worked at Pete Larson’s Hotel on Esplanade, then as a logger, and finally as a laborer for North Vancouver City.  He retired from the City in 1948 and died in 1951. Martha Hanson arrived in North Vancouver from the same town in Norway in 1903.  She and Syver married on July 24, 1907.  Martha  worked for Reeve Keely.  She died in 1945.  Syver and Martha lived at 648 West 15^th until their deaths.

 Gladys with her mother, father, and a friend on the front porch

of 648 West 15^th Street, North Vancouver, 1925.

Gladys Christenson was born in the bedroom of the 15^th Street house on September 27, 1916.  The midwife Mrs. Ellingson (who lived at West 18th and Lonsdale) not only delivered her but also became her Godmother and gave her a silver spoon.  Gladys’ brother,  George Martin was born in 1912, but died from meningitis in January 15^th 1915 . He was named after George Martin the doctor that delivered him with the assistance of Mrs. Ellingson.  Gladys' sister, Helene, was born in a house next to the Palace Hotel on 2^nd Street in 1908.  She lived until May 14^th, 1992.

Gladys went to Queen Mary School and North Vancouver High School. Gladys  walked and played on the  wooden sidewalks of the 15^th Street area.  She roller skated on the paved road to Ambleside Beach or the Capilano River to swim and coming back would sometimes walk along the PGE tracks. She and her sister went to Napolean St. Pierre, the man with the snake, to have their fortunes told.  Almost everything he predicted for her sister came true. Gladys attended Girl Guides in a building near St. John’s Anglican Church.

Because her home was on West 15^th, Gladys was also the neighbor of the George Washington Vance family. Gladys’ little brother would give Mr. Vance flowers for his button-hole. He would always accept them, even if it was only a dandelion. George Vance and his wife Catherine had two daughters, Leila and Thelma.  Gladys played with Leila’s daughter Thelma.  They remained friends throughout their lives.  When Thelma died, her nephew gave Gladys a painting from Hong Kong that hung in their home and he remembered Gladys admiring. 

On August 3, 1940 Gladys married William Downie Jr.  William was born on Helmcken Street in Vancouver July 14^th, 1912.  When he was nine months old his family moved to the house on West 15th St. and Bewicke Avenue that had been built by Mr. Standal. 

Gladys and William  Downie first met while he was playing baseball on the grounds of Queen Mary School and when riding the ferry from North Vancouver to Vancouver.  They first lived at 438 East 5^th St. in North Vancouver.  The house was owned by Capt. Renollf who worked on the ferry to Vancouver.  It was where the Ridgeway School Annex now stands.  They moved back to 648 West 15^th Street in 1946 following the death of Gladys’ mother.  William worked for Houlden Transfer for thirty five years.  He also worked at Burrard Shipyards  until 1977. He died on May 19, 1990 at his West 15^th Street home.

May 15, 1941 Gladys gave birth to twins at the old Lion’s Gate Hospital.  William donated three pints of blood to her during the difficult births.  There was no blood bank in North Vancouver at that time. Her son, Ray, was seven pounds and six ounces.  Her daughter, Patricia Lynn was smaller and sadly did not survive.

Gladys lived at 648 West 15^th street for  78 of her 84 years.  Her son Ray, grandsons Chris and Daryl, and great-granddaughter Raina, born July 21, 1998, all live in North Vancouver as well. They call her “Bama” and she makes them “Everyday Cookies”.  Gladys  traded stamps with Zena O’Neil of Christ Church New Zealand since 1950. The life long pen pals never met.

Gladys’ remarkable memory for dates pepper the account of her life on West 15^th Street in the City of North Vancouver. (This interview was conducted for the Year 2000 Project by Suzanne Wilson.)

Glady's Downie's home was demolished in 2008  and two new houses have been built.  648 West 15th Street in on the front part of the lot and 650 West 15th Street is in back of it.

For more about the Downie's see Blog Post December 22, "Presbyterians and Black Sheep".

Demolition: House demolished in 2008.

Photos: Top photo taken for the Year 2000 Photography Project, Your
                 House/Our Home by SW. 
                 Donated by Glady's Downie: Gladys with her mother, father, and a
                              friend on the front porch of 648 West 15^th Street,
                              North Vancouver, 1925.
                               

Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Presbyterians and Black Sheep

St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church was given a permit to be built on this site at 121 East 12th Street  in 1933.  The architect was O. Ormrod.  The cost of the building was projected to be $2,500.  The first listing of the church in the City Directory was 1934. On  October 20, 1944 John Gibson and Dorothy Bissett were married there.  In 1950 the Pastor was the Rev. H. A. Berlis.

In 1955 it became a Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall and remained so  until it was run as the Black Sheep Restaurant from 1976 to 2000.  The site is now that of a twelve unit apartment complex.

West side of Black Sheep Restaurant

August 3, 1940 Gladys Christianson and William Downie Jr. (See Blog Post December 22, 2010.)  were married in St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church.  Their's was a wedding with a very special guest.

Around the time of the wedding William's best friend, Dave Richie, had been part of the crew on the ship Ontario Light.  The ship was in Perambucal, Brazil when he became ill.  The captain called for a doctor to come from shore, but by the time he arrived on board Dave had died from a kidney  ailment. 

The day of the wedding William did not yet know of the death of his friend.  But he did know that the last time he had seen him Dave had said, "I'll have to dance at your wedding."

Dave's mother, dad, sister Grace, and Dave's dog Punch lived at 17 or 18^th and Grand Boulevard. Punch was mostly spaniel, black with a bit of white. Before they left to go to the wedding the family put Punch in the basement. 

While Gladys and William were in front of the church at the alter they could hear a scuffling.  Then the pastor, Rev. McLean-Bell said, "What do we have here?"

Gladys and William Downie, 1940

Gladys and William looked down and there was Punch between them. 

Grace left the wedding and took the dog home, but Punch had done his best to help Dave keep his word. (From research at the North Vancouver Archives and interview with Gladys Downie for the Year 2000 Project, Your House/Our Home.)

Demolition: The building was demolished in the year 2000.
Note: An apartment building was constructed on this site.

Photo: Top photo of the Black Sheep Restaurant taken in 2000 by SW. 

               Wedding photo of Gladys and William Downie Jr.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Demolished and Raised

It seems that the house at 654 West 15th Street has been demolished at least to the bare bones. (See photo below.)  The front steps and roof entrance have been demolished and moved.  The house has been raised and the lower floor windows seem to indicate the possibility of a basement suite.  The old structural wood seems possibly part of the original home.  The City web site (See Link 1.) indicates that a  $310,000 alteration was approved in 2009.

December 2010

There is no listing in the Building Permit Book at the North Vancouver Archives of the 654 West 15th Street address.  There is also no listing in the 1945 City Directory.  However, in the 1950 issue Alfred E. and Katharine Mason are listed as the owners. They are also listed as the owners in 1960, 1971, and 1980.  In 1960 Alfred Mason was employed at Burrard Dry Dock. Alfred Mason was also employed there in 1971 when he was working as a shipwright. And by 1980 he was an assistant dock master at BDD.

In 1991 the owner of 654 West 15th Street was P. Townsley.  And in 1995 D. MacArthur reported that he had owned the house for 4 years. D.H. MacArthur was also listed at that address in the 1999/2000 North and West Vancouver Phone Directory.

The web site BChomez.com indicates there is a second home on the 654 West 15th Street property.  This new 1231 square foot  home located at the back of the lot is for sale for $579,000.  The two storey home has 2 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and a double garage. (See Link 2.)

Photos: Top photo taken as part of the Year 2000 Photography Project, Your

                 House/Our Home by SW. Bottom photo taken in December 2010 by SW.

Link 1:http://www.cnv.org/c//DATA/2/88/2009%20DECEMBER%20ISSUED%20BUILDING%20PERMITS.PDF

Link 2:http://bchomez.com/654-west-15th-street-north-vancouver-hamilton-v857357-homes-for-sale-vancouver-real-estate/

Monday, December 20, 2010
At Least Since 1925

The two storey house at 211 East 18th Street was built by 1925. Although the address is not listed in the Building Permit Book, there is a listing in the 1925 City Directory.  In 1925 Johan and Alberta Johanson were listed at the 211 East 18th Street address.  Johan Johanson worked as a carpenter.  Alberta Johanson worked as a stenographer at Rankin and Chirell.  

In 1931 the owners were John and Jean Kirkness.  John C. Kirkness worked as a meat cutter.  Jean Kirkness worked as a clerk at Woodwards.  The owners in 1941 were John C. and Ann R. Kirkness.  John C. Kirkness was a ticket collector for the North Vancouver Ferries. Marion A. Kirkness, a B.C. Tel operator, was also a resident, as was Robert B. Kirkness, an apprentice at North Shore Press.

In 1950 the owners of 211 East 18th Street were Fredrick H. and Gertrude F. Smith.  Fredrick Smith was employed as an accountant at the Bank of Montreal.  By 1960 the owners were Alan G. and Dora Harrison.  Alan Harrison was employed as a packer at Eaton's Department Store.  In 1971  the owner was Johann M. Olson, a student.  By 1980 both Johann M. and Beryle E. Olson, retired, were the owners. 

By 1991 C. Wong was the owner of 211 East 18th Street.  C. Wong reported to the City Directory in 1995 that he had owned the property for five years.

211 East 18th Street was demolished in 2006 for $9,000 by D and S Bulldozing Ltd. (See Link.)

Demolition: 2006.
Photo: Black and white photo taken in 2006 by SW as part of the Demolition and Construction Project, Roll #69 Negative #20, available at the North Vancouver Archives.
Link: http://www.cnv.org/c//DATA/2/88/2006%20JUNE%20ISSUED%20BUILDING%20PERMITS%20REPORT.PDF