Description of Historic Place

The Abercrombie House is a two storey, residential building currently located on the waterfront along Richmond's South Arm. The historic place consists of the building footprint.

Heritage Value

Likely constructed prior to 1900, the Abercrombie House is recognized as a rare, early survivor of the substantial settlers farmhouses which once lined River Road on Richmond's Middle Arm.

The Abercrombie house is a fine example of the early farmhouses which characterized the Middle Arm farming community, one of the earlier areas to be settled in Richmond. The Middle Arm community included recent arrivals to British Columbia, John and Mary Abercrombie, parents of owner William Watson Abercrombie, having emigrated from Ireland in the hungry 1840s. The house is also associated with the James Thompson family through Esther Abercrombie Thompson, James becoming an important community leader.

The decorative exterior detailing of the house embodies the aspirations of its owners, while its farmhouse roots are expressed by the vertical massing and open verandah.

Source: City of Richmond Clerk's Department File #4200-02

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements of the Abercrombie House include:
- The combination of a farmhouse vernacular with Arts and Crafts influenced features including the large front verandah which wraps around three sides of the house, and decorative elements including distinctive finials in each of the three gables
- The T-shaped plan of the house with cross gable roof
- Building cladding of horizontal drop siding and cornerboards
- The exterior windows, double hung wooden sash throughout, which are 1/1 on the upper floor, and 2/2 on the main floor, the upper floor windows being unusually narrow
- The original front door
- Original interior layout with original finishing, including fir floors, wood window trims on the first floor, and the banister and handrail