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Morrison House

3765 Albert Street, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5C, Canada

Formally Recognized: 1997/09/22

Exterior view of the Morrison House; City of Burnaby, 2004
Oblique view
No Image
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Other Name(s)

Herbert D. Morrison House
Morrison House

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

1912/01/01

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2005/10/24

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

The Morrison House is a tall, two and one-half storey plus basement wood-frame Edwardian era residence, with an eclectic combination of Arts and Crafts stylistic elements. It is now located adjacent to a large multi-family residential building in the Vancouver Heights neighbourhood of North Burnaby.

Heritage Value

The Morrison House is valued for its association with the initial speculative development phase of the Vancouver Heights neighbourhood, initiated during the Edwardian era as a high-class residential subdivision. Building contractor Herbert D. Morrison built this house as a rental property in 1912, at the height of the land speculation boom prior to the First World War. Buyers in the neighbourhood were obligated by the developer, G.F. and J. Galt Limited, to build houses worth a minimum of $3,500 at a time when the average house price was $1,000.

Additionally, the Herbert D. Morrison House is a typical example of builders' houses of the time period, distinguished by the unique stacked balconies on the front facade. It was one of the surviving landmark residences built between 1909 and 1914 during the first development boom in Vancouver Heights.

Source: Heritage Site Files, City of Burnaby, Planning and Building Department

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements that define the heritage character of the Morrison House include its:
- location on a south-facing slope in the Vancouver Heights neighbourhood of North Burnaby
- residential form, scale and massing as exemplified by its symmetrical two and one-half storey plus basement height, front gabled roof and rectangular plan
- vernacular Arts and Crafts style elements such as the exposed roof beams and rafter tails, decorative scalloped shingles in the front gable and decorative brackets
- main floor full open front verandah on the front facade with two stacked balconies above, all detailed with square columns, scroll-cut brackets and overhanging roof eaves
- bowed balustrade on main floor verandah
- boxed eaves with scroll-cut brackets
- recessed top floor gable treatment
- cladding, including lapped wooden siding at the main floor and cedar shingles on the second floor and in the gable ends, with decorative diamond-cut shingles in the front gable end
- front entry door with incised design, dentil detail and rectangular glass inset, with glassed sidelights
- irregular fenestration: double-hung 1-over-1 wooden-sash windows; and three part casement window on main floor front facade, with diamond-shaped leaded lights in double transom above
- corbelled red brick internal chimney

Recognition

Jurisdiction

British Columbia

Recognition Authority

Local Governments (BC)

Recognition Statute

Local Government Act, s.967

Recognition Type

Heritage Designation

Recognition Date

1997/09/22

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

n/a

Theme - Category and Type

Peopling the Land
Settlement

Function - Category and Type

Current

Residence
Multiple Dwelling

Historic

Residence
Single Dwelling

Architect / Designer

n/a

Builder

n/a

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

Heritage Site Files, City of Burnaby, Planning and Building Department

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

DhRs-319

Status

Published

Related Places

n/a

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