From Salsbury to Napier

This home at 1528 Salsbury Drive is one of the early homes in the Grandview area. It is an example of the Gabled Vernacular Style - a simple rectangular form with a front-gabled roof and an attached porch, in this case with an upper balcony that once would have afforded excellent views over the city, before other buildings got in the way - and was the first on its block. It was built a year before Edward Faraday Odlum erected his BC Mills Prefab home at 1860 Grant. See this entry for more information on those homes.

The water permit, #8365, was issued to the Grandview Land and Trust Co. on November 11, 1905. The city directories show a carpenter by the name of Peter Sausen living at '1540'. Was he responsible for building this home?

This next house is at 1733 Napier Street. There is a listing on VanMap for 1905 but this block of Napier wasn't opened until 1907 so perhaps the application is referring to an earlier shack in the stumps.

This is a Colonial Revival Style: boxy house form with a projecting porch and a hipped roof; more elaborate versions often have a dormer in the middle of the front part of the roof, and bay windows on the second storey.

The Grandview Heritage Group - where I am getting my information - haven't found a building permit for this address but the 1907 City Directory lists this home as new and vacant. It was still vacant in 1908 but from 1909 to 1912, it was occupied by a realtor, George E. Neilson.

The next house I am going to show you is at 1750 Napier Street. It is in the Early Cottage Style - a single storey version of the Colonial Revival Style homes seen around the city. The insert front porch was likely filled to create more living space.

Another home with a lost building permit, the house was built in early 1909. The first occupant was Walter Watkins, a secretary. A widow, Agnes Close, lived here in 1910 and early 1911 when it was taken over by a CPR clerk, Duncan Cameron. He was issued a building permit on November 5, 1911 for an $85 repair.

As I mentioned earlier,  I am getting my information from the Grandview Heritage Group and I would like to thank them.

I hope you find the beauty around you.

Fabulous Pre Fab

When I think of the people who originally came to this area and homesteaded I tend to think of them slaving for hours as they cleared the land, planted crops and built homes. Those pioneers of yesteryear had to have been so handy; natural born carpenters the whole lot of them. I think of my own aptitude with a hammer and realize if it were up to me to build a home I would have frozen to death!

A little research has shown me that perhaps not everyone was as handy with a hammer and nails as I would have thought. For those who didn't have the time or were perhaps building challenged BC Mills Timber and Trading Co. in Vancouver would ship you a prefabricated kit house.

This kit house is on Grant Street and was constructed for Vancouver City Councillor Edward Faraday Odlum. A professor and realtor, Odlum is reputed to have named the neighbourhood Grandview.

This house on East 1st Avenue is Vancouver's only remaining example of BC Mills Design O-O-O. It is one of the larger and more elaborate examples of the Town House series.

Vancouver's last example of a BC Mills Church. Built in 1908 this was the Robertson Presbyterian Church until 1977. Then it became a Fijian Hindu temple and cultural centre.

The Shiv Mandir Shree Sanatan Dharm Ramayan Mandali of Fiji had a congregation of 600 and many of the parishioners could trace their roots back to Fiji.

The church is now deserted and plans are to incorporate the heritage building into a multiple conversion dwelling.

This last home I am showing you is on Adanac and is listed on the Heritage Register. It is an example of BC Mills Design L-L-L.

I hope you find the beauty around you.

Karen Magill, Vancouver, BC Mills Timber and Trading Co., kit homes, Edward Faraday Odlum, Grandview, British Columbia