Edward J. Avison House

Description
Edward J. Avison House is a single storey stucco covered log and frame house built in 1907 and relocated from Front Street in 1963 to its present location on the northwest corner of Shepherd Avenue and McLean Street in North Quesnel, BC. The historic place is confined to the building footprint.

Heritage Value
Edward J. Avison House is located in North Quesnel which is an older residential neighbourhood in the city. Many houses of pioneering families have been moved to new locations in Quesnel as the community has experienced growth. While not in its original form or location, the house is a physical reminder of the people who shaped the development of Quesnel.

The house is named for Edward and Agnes (Russell) Avison who moved into this house in 1919. Agnes came to Quesnel from Halifax, Nova Scotia where she was a nurse during the historic Halifax Explosion which demolished the north end of the Halifax Peninsula and killed thousands of people. In 1912, Edward was involved in the Quesnel Telephone Company which supplied the necessary utilities to the townspeople. From 1913 until 1926, Edward was a director of Quesnel Telephone Company. Edward was a lawyer in Quesnel for many years and the Village Solicitor in 1928. The Avison family is recognized for their contribution to the development of the community with a street named in their honour.

Edward sold the house to William Willis. William and his family are well-known business people. They were partners in the legendary Willis-Harper Hardware and Furniture Store located on the southeast corner of Reid Street and Barlow Avenue in Downtown Quesnel. Prior to opening the landmark hardware store, William worked at Northern Hardware on Front Street which was owned by Alex Moffat. The Willis family is recognized for their contribution to the development of the community with a street named in their honour.

William sold this house to M. B. Archibald in 1945. A short time later, the house was purchased by Seth and Mary Smith. Seth and Mary came to Quesnel with their two children in 1937. Seth delivered groceries for the J. A. Fraser’s General Store on Front Street until he borrowed $300 from the Royal Bank located on Carson Avenue to purchase his own delivery truck. His business, Smith Transfer and Storage, delivered supplies and groceries to the farmers in the area. He used this house as his place of business until the company had to relocate to a commercial area of town. Seth relocated his business several times as the company outgrew each location. In 1958, Seth purchased property outside of the city limits to build a warehouse. In 1963, Seth suffered a stroke. His sons carried on the business for several years before selling it to Quesnel Moving and Storage. The Smith family is recognized for their contribution to the development of the community with a street named in their honour.

Character-Defining Elements
The character-defining elements of Edward J. Avison House include:

• a single storey structure of modest design;
• a log and wood frame structure with stucco exterior and flat top roof;
• a rare example of this type of building on the street;
• a cross-shape form created from subsequent additions;
• small windows.