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RONNING HOMESTEAD

N/A, Grande Prairie County, Alberta, T0H, Canada

Reconnu formellement en: 2001/10/26

Rear view of the Ronning Homestead Provincial Historic Resource showing the kitchen addition (September 2000); Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, Historic Resources Management Branch, 2000
Northeast view
View of the front facade of the Ronning Homestead Provincial Historic Resource (September 2000); Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, Historic Resources Management Branch, 2000
West elevation
Pas d'image

Autre nom(s)

RONNING HOMESTEAD
Ronning House
Ronning Residence

Liens et documents

Date(s) de construction

1914/01/01

Inscrit au répertoire canadien: 2005/07/11

Énoncé d'importance

Description du lieu patrimonial

The Ronning Homestead is a two-and-one-half storey log house constructed in 1914, located on a quarter section near the community of Valhalla Centre in the Peace River district. A wood frame kitchen addition on the west side of the building is included in the designation.

Valeur patrimoniale

The heritage value of the Ronning Homestead lies in its association with Halvar Ronning, a prominent member of the province's Norwegian Lutheran community, and his son Chester Ronning, a leading figure in provincial politics and international diplomacy in the period after World War Two.

Halvar Ronning homesteaded on this site near Beaverlodge in 1914 with the intention of founding a Lutheran colony which would attract Norwegian farmers from the Camrose district and emigrants from Norway. Chester Ronning, who was raised here, was variously a missionary in China (1922-27), principal of Camrose Lutheran College (1927-42), UFA Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta (1932-35), leader of the provincial CCF Party (1940-42), leader of an intelligence unit of the RCAF (1942-45), a diplomat in China (1945-51) and Ottawa (1951-54), Ambassador to Norway (1954-57), and Canadian High Commissioner to India (1957-64). Chester also participated in the international commissions on Korea (1954) and Laos (1961-62), and undertook special missions to Hanoi (1965-66) in an attempt to mediate the Vietnam war.

The Ronning Homestead also played a central role in the development of the Valhalla-Hythe district by serving as a meeting place as well as a home; incoming settlers were billeted until their own cabins were constructed and community meetings were held here. The building is a fine example of Scandinavian log architecture, in a typical Norwegian design using hewn logs held together with dovetailed corner notching (albeit now covered in stucco). It is one of the oldest houses left in Valhalla Centre and, together with the Valhalla Lutheran Church and the Melsness Mercantile Building, is part of the historical continuity of the community.

(Source: Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, Historic Resources Management Branch, File Des 1990)

Éléments caractéristiques

The heritage value of the Ronning Homestead is contained in character-defining elements such as:
- form, scale and massing;
- the chinkless or scribed-log construction, with logs shaved flat on two sides, natural round contours on top and lateral grooves hewn on the bottom, with dovetailed corner notching;
- a moderately pitched, gable roof with narrow eaves and a plain projecting verge at both gable-ends, supported by brackets above the front door;
- two brick chimneys;
- a fenestration pattern which includes single-hung sash windows and projecting square bay windows;
- a simple floor plan, including a central ogee arch opening in the wall dividing the living and dining rooms;
- an unfinished second floor with exposed log walls and planking on the ceiling beams; and
- a wood frame kitchen addition capped with a hip roof, slightly narrower than the main house, off-set to the west, and with an open verandah on the east side.

Reconnaissance

Juridiction

Alberta

Autorité de reconnaissance

Province de l'Alberta

Loi habilitante

Historical Resources Act

Type de reconnaissance

Ressource historique provinciale

Date de reconnaissance

2001/10/26

Données sur l'histoire

Date(s) importantes

s/o

Thème - catégorie et type

Gouverner le Canada
Le Canada et le monde
Un territoire à peupler
Les établissements

Catégorie de fonction / Type de fonction

Actuelle

Résidence
Logement unifamilial

Historique

Architecte / Concepteur

s/o

Constructeur

s/o

Informations supplémentaires

Emplacement de la documentation

Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, Historic Resources Management Branch, Old St. Stephen's College, 8820 - 112 Street, Edmonton, AB T6G 2P8 (File: Des. 1990)

Réfère à une collection

Identificateur féd./prov./terr.

4665-0996

Statut

Édité

Inscriptions associées

s/o

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