Description of Historic Place

The log construction cabin is located at 478 1st Street West in Vanderhof, British Columbia.

Heritage Value

The house is valued for its social and cultural significance as a former jailhouse and historically for its connection to prominent community members.

The house was built in 1914 as a jail house for the Northern Division of the British Columbia Provincial Police, likely built in response to the threat of wartime. Despite the establishment of the British Columbia Provincial Police in 1858, Vanderhoof did not have a local police force until 1914, a common story for most Northern communities.

The first constable to be stationed in Vanderhoof was Charles Evans. He and his wife would have lived in the back section of the house and slept upstairs. The front section of the house contained the constable's office and a single jail cell. Because of the cramped quarters, prisoners would either be released or moved to a larger prison after staying a night or two. Constable Evans had the job of patrolling a 200-mile radius by horseback in the summer and dogsled or snowshoes in the winter.

The police moved out in 1919 and the house was later occupied by the Pinniger family. Mrs. Daisy Pinniger was the local midwife and delivered many children for settler women, as there was no hospital at the time. In 1941, the Murrays moved into the house, and they lived there until it was donated to the museum by Mrs. Elizabeth Murray. The house was then moved from its original location on Fraser Avenue and Second Street.

Character-Defining Elements

The Character-Defining Elements of this historic place include its:

- Original jail cell
- Rifle exhibit
- Bear pelt
- Wood stove