648Reid Street
Description
Whitmore House is an appealing single storey wood frame house built in 1933 located on the east side Reid Street in North Quesnel, BC. The historic place includes the building and the parcel of land it occupies.
Heritage Value
Whitmore House is located in North Quesnel which is an older residential neighbourhood in the city. While not in its original form, the house is a physical reminder of the people who shaped the development of Quesnel.
The house is named for Mr. and Mrs. F. D. Whitmore. He owned Northern Hardware Store with partner Alexander Moffat. In 1946, Mr. Whitmore left Northern Hardware Store to work at the newly established Willis-Harper Hardware and Furniture Store on the southeast corner of Reid Street and Barlow Avenue. The Willis-Harper Hardware Store is a commercial landmark in Quesnel.
The Whitmore family lived in this house for many years until they sold it to Alex Ritson in the 1950s. The Ritson 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 Whitmore House include:
- although it has undergone some change in materials the building is substantially intact;
- an excellent representation of the small houses built during the 1930s in Quesnel;
- a single storey wood frame house of uncomplicated design;
- the roof line and materials have been modernized similar to other houses on the block;
- a positive relationship with its surrounding houses and is an asset to the streetscape;
- gable roof with a brick chimney;
- L-shape form.