Description of Historic Place

The Ellis Residence is a two-and-one-half storey, front-gabled, Arts and Crafts-style residence located on the north side of 48th Avenue in Ladner village. It is distinctive for its exposed rafters, triangular eave brackets and front projecting porch with tapered columns. The house is situated in a heritage conservation area, amongst houses of similar age and style

Heritage Value

The Ellis Residence, built in 1920, is a reflection of the growth and prosperity of Delta in the early twentieth century, and the continuing importance of Ladner village as the largest settlement in Delta, and its commercial and administrative centre. At this time, Ladner’s population was expanding rapidly due to the prosperity of local agricultural, canning and fishing industries. The surrounding residential areas developed in a consistent and distinctive form, as represented by this surviving cluster of early historic homes on 48th Avenue.

It is also significant for its association with first owner, John Ellis (1859-1925), a successful local farmer, and his wife Emily (née Brodie, 1862-1940). The couple, who were both from Ontario, married in Ladner in 1900. This was built as their retirement home, after they decided to sell their farm and move into town. John Ellis died in 1925, and Emily continued to occupy this house until 1940.

Additionally, the Ellis Residence is of heritage value for its Arts and Crafts architecture. It is a handsome and refined example, typified by a mix of traditional design elements inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement in England and reinterpreted in North America.

Source: Corporation of Delta Planning Department

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements that define the heritage character of the Ellis Residence include its:
- location on 48th Avenue, as part of a grouping of historic early houses
- residential form, scale and massing, as expressed by its two-and-one-half storey height, symmetrical plan, and front-gabled roof with asymmetrical front projecting porch with tapered piers
- wood-frame construction
- Arts and Crafts detailing, including triangular eave brackets, and open eaves with exposed rafter tails
- red-brick internal chimney with corbelling
- original interior wooden window
- associated landscape features, including mature deciduous and coniferous trees