Description of Historic Place

Situated on an elevated lot on a street of single-family and multi-unit residences, the Foster Residence is a two and one-half storey wood-frame house, distinguished by its front verandah incorporating a circular lookout at the southwest corner, and its stucco and half-timbered second floor and upper gable.

Heritage Value

Built in 1912, the Foster 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 was built for Henry C. Foster, proprietor of the B.C. Multigrapher Company, and like many other residents of North Vancouver, Foster worked in Vancouver and commuted to this residence.

This house was constructed during the height of the boom years, and is a superior example of Edwardian-era residential architecture. The asymmetrical verandah, with its circular projection, displays the lingering influence of the Queen Anne Revival style. Familiar, comfortable suburban housing such as this appealed to a broad spectrum of the middle class, who were populating North Vancouver at the time of its first development.

Source: City of North Vancouver Planning Department

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements that define the heritage character of the Foster Residence include its:
- residential setting; elevated situation with views south to Burrard Inlet
- residential form, scale and massing as expressed by its two and one-half storey plus raised basement height, and irregular rectangular plan
- front gabled roof with pent roof in the front gable; closed eaves with wooden tongue-and-groove soffits and exposed purlins on the pent roof, and open eave with exposed purlins in the gable end
- wood-frame construction; narrow lapped wooden siding on main floor, stucco and wood half-timbering on second floor and in gable end, and cedar shingle foundation siding
- full-width open verandah with circular lookout, closed balustrade with paired, slender square columns
- two external red-brick chimneys
- variety of wooden sash windows, including double-hung windows with multi-paned upper sashes in single, double and triple assembly
- original wooden front door glazed with six lights
- low rubble-stone retaining wall at the front of the property