Description of Historic Place

Silverhill Hall is a modest and rustic wooden structure with a simple gable roof. It is located on Silverhill Avenue, surrounded by trees, about 8 kilometres west of downtown Mission, British Columbia.

Heritage Value

Silverhill Hall is important for its historic and cultural values.

Constructed in 1919 on land donated by Siver Lowe, the Hall was built by and for the Swedish immigrant community that had settled in the Mission area in the early 1900s. It is a physical representation of a tightly-knit community that valued their social interactions, and in particular the desire to continue their familiar traditions and ways of life.

The Hall was built using a functional rectangular design with a peaked gable roof. The material consists of logs from nearby Ruskin Mill and from other local properties and was hand hewn using the skills and techniques the men learned in Sweden.

It is significant that the original building material is still visible and in good condition. The building remained the same until the 1960s, when a kitchen was added. The addition follows the same design elements of the oldest portion of the building by using horizontal wood planks. It is clearly different from the original, respecting it without trying to imitate it. The wooden roof was replaced with metal in the summer of 2008.

The greatest heritage value of the Hall lies in its cultural importance. It is a physical reminder of a group of immigrants who settled in the area nearly 100 years ago, who valued their traditions and embraced their new country and neighbours. Further, it represents the spirit and determination of a group of people settling in an undeveloped land in order to make a better life for themselves and their children. This is evidenced by the fact that all of the land, logs and labour were donated for the construction of the Hall and that this generosity continues three generations later. In addition, the continued neighbourhood pride in the community is evident through the retention of the name "Silverhill" for this distinct neighbourhood, even though it has a Mission postal code.

The Hall was officially opened in 1919 on Midsummer's Day, an important Swedish celebration. Since it opened, the Hall has been a place for teas, dances, parties, meetings, rummage sales, sport team practices, 4H Club meetings and casual get-togethers. There has always been a Board, with a Social Committee and a Recreation Committee. Members of the Hall often enter their produce and crafts in local Fall Fairs. Sports teams and dance groups often compete and win local competitions. The Hall has hosted a Mother's Day tea annually for over 60 years and an annual Fall tea for over 50 years. The Hall was, and continues to be, a source of community pride.

The designation of the Hall as a municipal heritage site was due primarily to the efforts of resident Sonja Barker, who was the social convener of the Hall and chair of the group's heritage committee. Her actions show the continued value that the Hall has for the people in the community.

Source: District of Mission Archives and Library

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements that define the heritage character of Silverhill Hall include its:

-Location on a lot nestled in the woods and next to Silverhill Avenue
-Simple design
-Gable roof
-Hand-hewn lumber construction
-Exposed construction techniques
-Differentiation of new construction (addition) from original construction