Description of Historic Place

The Second Crowell House is a two-storey brick house situated on 32nd Avenue at the top of the East Hill in Vernon.

Heritage Value

The Second Crowell House is valued for its association with T. E. Crowell, an important builder and civic leader in Vernon from 1891 to his accidental death in 1918. Crowell was particularly well-known for his brickwork. He was responsible for such important brick buildings as Park School, the Vernon Armouries, Central School, and the CPR Station. Crowell purchased the Vernon Brickyards in 1902. By 1912, it was producing 1,500,000 bricks annually. Crowell also served as alderman, Fire Chief and on the Board of Trade.

Crowell built this house for himself in 1910, the year when his earlier house on 27th Street was moved to its present location, to allow for construction of the new Vernon Courthouse. For his second house, Crowell chose a prominent location in the Lakeview subdivision across from the Smith House, Vernon’s most important Colonial Revival villa.

The Second Crowell House is also valued as the home of H. K. Beairsto, a longtime Vernon school principal, after whom Central Elementary school was renamed. Beairsto’s many contributions included serving on the Vernon Hospital Board, president of the Vernon and District Liberal Association, vice-president of the Rotary Club of Vernon, helping to establish the Okanagan Regional Library branch in Vernon, and as president of the Okanagan Valley Teachers’ Association and Vice-president of the BC Teachers’ Federation. He also received the 1964 Good Citizen award for Vernon, as well as awards for his educational work in the Okanagan.

The Second Crowell House is also significant for its use of Vernon brick and for its fine design. This large brick structure affirmed the success of Mr. Crowell and stood in contrast to the modest wood-frame Victorian house it replaced. The form is that of a 'classic box' with Colonial Revival features. The hipped roof with flared eaves, wide overhang and hipped dormers is typical of the style. The house was originally embellished with wraparound verandahs and a second-storey balustrade.

Source: City of Vernon Planning Department

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements that define the heritage character of the Second Crowell House include its:
- location on the south side of 32nd Avenue at the westerly corner of 18th Street in the Lakeview subdivision
- two-storey foursquare massing of the house
- hipped roof with bellcast eaves
- fine brickwork
- wide roof overhang with decorative modillions
- two tall decorative corbelled chimneys
- dormers with bellcast eaves and decorative modillions
- windows with curved concrete lintels and sills