Saturday Travel Feature
Green in the Desert Sand

The Palm Desert Visitor Center located in the brand new Chamber of Commerce building was completed in 2009. Both are housed in the Henderson Community Center that sits in the middle of the sandy desert at 72-559 Highway 111 just east of El Paeso. Although designed by architect Narendrea Patel to blend in with the desert it can't be missed. The modern severe angles and smooth cement facade are in distinct contrast to the rough texture of the surrounding desert.

This distinctive "green" building is named for Clifford and Randall Henderson. "Over 30 years ago, before the city was incorporated in 1973, the Henderson family recognized that the center of the Coachella Valley would make an ideal community. The Hendersons first developed 1,600 acres previously used by General George Patton when he trained troops in desert combat during World War II to begin what is now Palm Desert." (From pamphlet Henderson Community Building available at the front desk of the building.)

The 6,300 square foot building is one of the cities first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design buildings. It is designed "with an eye toward solar energy, natural air circulation, resource conservation, and minimal waste...The community building relies on thermally-insulated concrete walls for its natural and green touch...All wall surfaces and a majority of the ceiling surfaces are kept as natural concrete finish which required no paint and no drywall. All floor surfaces were polished concrete, which required no additional finish material to cover the structural concrete. All material had a high percentage of recycled content and all waste was carefully managed and sent to recycling facilities. The building process and use of material greatly reduced CO2 emissions and used fewer natural resources. A high efficiency mechanical system was used. The design provides for a large array of photovoltaic panels on the roof. The entire building shell, including the interior walls, is built from highly insulated panels and covered with high strength concrete." Link 1.

"Materials that are sustainably grown or recycled rather than new materials from non-renewable resources were used. All casework was designed with Bamboo facing." Link 2.

Inside are an entrance hall, four conference rooms with seating up to 20, and kitchen facilities. The walls are hung with photos from the Palm Desert Historical Society. On the rear of the building are large floor to ceiling windows looking out into the desert garden. Shade for the windows is provided by a distinctive red  high curved screen structure. Other curved rear cement walls are covered in small pot hole type windows that give light but again protect those inside from the bright sun. Floor to ceiling doors are featured throughout the building, even to the rest rooms. A certified farmer's market is held in the Chamber of Commerce parking lot in front of the building  Wednesday and weekend mornings during the months of February to June.

For more interior and exterior photos check out the Links below.

Photo: Taken in 2010 by SW.
Link 1: http://www.palmspringslife.com/Palm-Springs-Life/April-2009/PSST-The-Gold-Standard-for-Green/
Link 2: http://california.construction.com/features/2009/1201_HendersonCommunityBuilding.asp
Link 3: http://www.nikiomahe.com/architecture-design/henderson-community-building-by-patel-architecture-in-united-states/

Friday, April 9, 2010

Shell Game

No more driving up to the pumps on the southeast corner of 13th and Lonsdale to fill up your gas tank or zip into the Shell Station convenience store for a litre of milk. The North Shore News announced the station was closing on September 9, 2009. It was empty and surrounded by fencing on September 10th. Keshvar Eidipour operated the convenience store for 14 years. Buying gum or milk always included a friendly chat. It was the only Shell station in North Vancouver City. It is estimated that the corner lot, which includes the Shell gas station and adjacent oil change shop, is assessed at close to five million dollars and will be sold for development. The City's official community plan allows for mixed-use construction.

A  reference to a building on the corner of 13th and Lonsdale can be found in the 1885 City Directory.  It is described as a "shack on 13th...15 feet square...with a capacity of 25 people."  It was referred to as Dorman's Shack.  Frank Dorman was a brick manufacturer and had a brickyard at Roche Point.  Even as late as 1910 the Fire Insurance Map shows a "shack" on 13th St. at Lonsdale.

It seems that the Anglican Church organized services here in 1891, The History of North Vancouver British Columbia Canada. They later built a frame building on West 13th Street and dedicated it to St. John the Evangelist.  In 1903, the Presbyterian Church held its first service in Dorman's Shack, St. Andrews United Church Sunday Bulletin, Feb., 26th 1978.

A permit for demolition of 1250 Lonsdale Avenue Shell Station was applied for in September 2009.

Photo: Taken October 2009 by SW.

NOTE:Thanks to Benjamin Alldritt's September 9, 2009 North Shore News article for information on the Shell station at 1250 Lonsdale Ave.

1938 Eyebrow Roof

Thursday, April 8, 2010
1938 Eyebrow Roof


In 1938 the owner, G. Meyers, built this home at 1240 West Keith Rd. for $400. The red brick chimney, multi-paned windows, white exterior, and eyebrow roof over the front door give it a country cottage look. A peek through the side revealed a large fireplace and dark beaded outline in the hardwood floor.

The garden added to the country cottage look. On first walking up the sidewalk from the street, formal rose gardens, then a hedge with a white picket fence gate greeted me. Inside the hedge were the remains of what must have been an extensive garden. Now only the dirt holes from where the plants had been dug up remained. The garden must have been loved for someone to take the time to remove so many plants to a new home.

The 1200 block of West Keith Rd. is tucked away at the end of West 19th Street, west of Heywood Park. It is on the high bluff above Marine Dr. 1240 is on the north side of the road, but the backyards of the homes on the south side have spectacular views of downtown Vancouver.

A permit for demolition was applied for from North Vancouver District in August 2009.


Photo: Taken August 2009 by SW.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010
One Big Address

The house behind the fence with the really big numbers making clear its address is at 658 East 5th Street.  No doubt about that.  It was built in 1941 as a Wartime House (See Blog Post March 22nd)  However, as can be noted from the photograph the house peeking above the fence has been modernized.  A porch and  rectangular front windows have been added, at least.  See the March  23rd Blog Post with the photo of the house down the block at 662 East 5th Street to see more of what the original 1941 house must have looked like.

In 1945 Gordon and Elizabeth E. Stewart owned the house.  Gordon worked   at Burrard Dry Dock in North Vancouver.  Many of the Wartime Home owners were employed at Burrard Dry Dock where the WWII ships were built. By 1950 Elizabeth is listed in the City Directories as a widow.  She continued to live there for at least another 20 years, until at least 1971.  Another woman owned the house after that.  It was Mrs. L. A. Gurnsey a teacher in the Burnaby School District.  Although she is listed as C. W. Gurnsey in the 1991 and 1995/96 City Directories, her occupation remained the same. 

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 658 East 5th Street had been demolished and a new home had been built.

Photo: Taken as part of Suzanne Wilson's Year 2000 Photography Project, Your House/Our Home and on file at the North Vancouver Archives.

Y2K Project:  See Blog Post February 26, 2010.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010
1956 Red Brick

More houses in the Vancouver area are built of stucco than brick. However, the house at 3458 Mahon Avenue was one of those built of brick and the brick was red. The owner of the house that wanted it built in brick was P. Streed. The year was 1956 and the cost of construction was $9000. A carport was built on the right side.

In 1960 J.Lawrence and Margaret C. Greig owned the house. Lawrence was a teacher in the North Vancouver School District. In 1971 W. R. and another Margaret, Margaret A. Lindsay owned the house. Walter's employment is listed in the City Directory as a promoter. Walter and Margaret did not return the inquiry from the City Directory in 1980, but did in 1991. At that time Walter was retired. Both the year 2000 and year 2006/2007 phone books list Margaret as still living at 3458 Mahon Avenue.

For more information on Mahon Avenue see the January 11 Blog post "Start the Demolition".

Demolition: Permit applied for from the District of North Vancouver in February 2010.

Photo: Taken in February 2010 by SW.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Stone Wall, Horseshoe Gate

"Vacant" for 367 East 5th Street in 1960 was the first listing found in the City Directories at the North Vancouver Archives. And then by 1971 the Anderson family moved into this North Vancouver City home. First it was Kurt. M. Anderson who was employed as a department manager for CP Air. Then by 1991 it was E. L. Anderson who in the 1995/96 City Directory was reported to have lived there more than 9 years.

Perhaps from the time this house was built or earlier the lane behind the house hinted at a more interesting story. Along the back of the lot was built a roughly made stone wall. The corner of the lot was marked with a tall pyramid shaped pillar on top of the wall. It had the look of a chimney. But it was the entrance to the lot that had the most interesting feature. The entrance opening was topped with what looked like a hand poured cement horseshoe. A wrought iron gate closed off the lot from people walking by. So although the house looked contemporary with the 1960's, the stone wall with its unique entrance looked like something from a previous era. Perhaps it was. Down the street and on the same side of 387 East 5th Street a once grand home in a Tudor Revival style was built in 1908 for J. H. and Mary Elizabeth Hoare. The City of North Vancouver Heritage Inventory 1994 page 75 shows a photo of the house and states "due to subdivision of the original property, the structure now faces the alley between 4th and 5th Streets." Could it be that the old stone wall at 367 East 5th Street was once part of this original Hoare Residence property?

 

The photos at 367 East 5th Street were 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.


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 367 East 5th Street had been demolished and a new duplex had been built. The stone wall in the lane had also been demolished.


Photo: Taken in the year 2000 by SW.
Reference: The Year 2000 project was donated by Suzanne and Alan Wilson to the North Vancouver Archives and is available for viewing.

Easter Sunday Church Feature

Lutherans in Kaukauna

On April 15, 1877 Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized with 22 charter members in Kaukauna, Wisconsin. The minister was Rev. Reinhold Pieper of Wrightstown and the services were conducted in German. The next year they built the small wooden church with the single steeple that (shown in the photo below) on the 800 block of Grignon Street. In 1885 the Rev. William Hinnerthan was installed as the first official pastor and in 1889 a charter was granted to the church. In 1917 the Rev. Paul Oehlert became pastor and the following year a Sunday School was started. The present red brick church with the two square steeples was dedicated in 1915. Starting in 1920 services were conducted in English as well as German. In 1965 the Rev. John Mattek became pastor and in 1969 the new front entrance was built onto the 1915 church. (Link. )(See photo above.)

1878 Small Wooden Church on right (Link.)

It is interesting to note that the 1915 Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kaukauna, Wisconsin and the Emmanuel Lutheran Church (See March 21, 2010 blog post.) built in 1915 similar styles. Both are red brick and have two square steeples. The street that the Kaukauna church is on, Grignon Street, is named for Charles A. Grignon who obtained the first land deed in Wisconsin.

Sanctuary Altar (Link.)

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church was the home church of Marie Juergenmeyer when she, her husband Martin, and daughter Hazel lived on Taylor Street in Kaukauna in the late 1920's and early 1930's. The family then moved to Seymour where she attended Emmanuel Lutheran Church. Following Martin's death in the 1950's she returned to live in the Taylor Street house in Kaukauna and again attended Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church. Marie and Martin Juergenmeyer were the grandparents and Hazel the mother of Suzanne Wilson.

For more information on Kaukauna, Wisconsin see blog post from April 3, 2010. 

Thank you: To Irene Luehring and Bill Roerig of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran  

               Church, Kaukauna, Wisconsin, for the information and the memories.

Photos: Colored taken in 2006 by SW.

               B and W probably taken shortly after 1915. See Link.

Link: http://www.trinitykaukauna.com/index.php?pg=pages%2ftrinity_history.htm