Description of Historic Place

Located mid-block, the Sutherland Residence is a two-storey, wood-frame house, situated among other single-family residences. This Foursquare style house is distinguished by its bellcast roof and full-width open verandah.

Heritage Value

The Sutherland Residence is of heritage value as part of North Vancouver's early twentieth century residential development boom. After regular ferry service was established in 1903 and the city was incorporated in 1907, North Vancouver experienced a period of unprecedented growth and prosperity. This construction boom accelerated until a general financial depression in 1913 halted this ambitious suburban development.

This house typifies the suburban development of the boom years, when large amounts of modest housing were being constructed for the working middle class who were moving into the area. The booming economy provided the means for contractor Alexander Sutherland to build this house in 1912 for his family shortly after he arrived in North Vancouver. Sutherland (1882-1967) and his wife, Mary Anne (1871-1947) lived here for many years. Resembling the widely available pattern book designs of the period, the Sutherland Residence is designed in a straightforward version of the Foursquare style, adapted here for a typical city lot.

Source: City of North Vancouver Planning Department

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements that define the heritage character of the Sutherland Residence include its:
- location amidst other single-family residences, with consistent residential setback
- residential form, scale and massing as expressed by its two-storey plus raised basement height, and generally symmetrical rectangular plan
- hipped roof with bellcast eaves; closed eaves with wooden tongue-and-groove soffits; cedar shingle roofing
- wood-frame construction with shingle clad upper storeys, lapped wooden siding foundation, and door and window casings with cornice and apron detail
- full-width open verandah with square columns and balusters
- variety of wooden sash windows including multi-light, casement windows (second storey); front and side elevation bays with casement windows and transom lights; and Arts and Crafts style leaded stained glass fixed windows