Building Heritage News

Volume 9 No. 1 September 2005 Edmonton: The Capital City or over 90 years, FEdmonton’s skyline has been dominated by the sandstone dome of the Legislature Building perched on the bluff above the glittering waters of the North Saskatchewan River. For nearly a century Edmonton has proudly proclaimed itself to be Alberta’s capital and while McKAY AVENUE SCHOOL McKay Avenue School c. 1905 the city has grown and One of the oldest buildings in the 10425-99 Avenue matured, its role as a city, McKay Avenue School has played Photo credit: City of Edmonton Archives capital city has remained two important roles: the first public constant. Throughout the school in the city to be built outside of It confirmed that the site of the former city there are many historic Fort Edmonton as well as housing the fur trade post was becoming one of the buildings, from the first two sessions of the Alberta Legis- province’s major cities. From 1905 to 1907 Legislature to the lative Assembly. the Legislative Assembly of Alberta rented The original school, which is still on the third-floor auditorium for use as its Rutherford House and the property, is a timber building con- legislative chamber. Many important de- beyond, which harken back structed in 1881. The second school, a cisions were made there, including nam- to the founding days of our brick Romanesque-revival structure, was ing Edmonton as the provincial capital as city as well as our province. completed in two phases with the east- well as the passage of the act founding These buildings, with their ern two-thirds completed in 1905 and the University of Alberta. For the next 70 myriad styles and the western third added in 1912. The years McKay Avenue School continued functions, serve well to building took its name from William to be one of the major schools in down- Morrison MacKay, a surgeon for the town Edmonton. By 1978, enrolment had demonstrate our province’s Hudson’s Bay Company from 1864 un- fallen to such levels that it was no longer roots as well as to give til 1898. Due to a typographical mistake, viable to keep the school open. However, context to Edmonton and the marker stone was labeled McKay in 1981, to celebrate its centennial, the Ed- Alberta’s formative years. and has remained so ever since. monton Public School Board decided to When first built, McKay School was convert Edmonton’s first school into an one of the largest brick buildings in the archives and museum, a mission that it newly incorporated City of Edmonton. fulfills to this day. Building Heritage Newsletter – September 2005 1 RUTHERFORD HOUSE Through the last 90 years of its ex- istence, from private home, to frater- nity house, to provincial historic site, Rutherford House has easily become one of Edmonton’s most recognizable land- marks. The home of Alberta’s first premier, Alexander C. Rutherford, the house which now bears his name has a long history intertwined with that of this province. The house was constructed on three lots just east of the newly established University of Alberta beginning in 1909 and completed two years later. Although scandal forced Rutherford to vacate the premier’s office in 1910, he and his fam- ily were finally able to move into their Legislature Building with Fort Edmonton in foreground c. 1910 10800 - 97 Avenue completed stately home, which at the Photo credit: City of Edmonton Archives time cost $25,000. The house, at over 4,000 square feet, was typical of upper-middle class homes LEGISLATURE BUILDING above the old Fort Edmonton, which had of the time period. In their new home Less than ten years after its crea- become dilapidated and was demolished the Rutherfords became known for en- tion, the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in 1911. The building is intended to be tertaining and an annual tradition soon found a permanent home on the site of used by all Albertans and not just their developed of Rutherford hosting a re- the former Fort Edmonton. The new elected officials. By 1983, under the di- ception for all graduates of the Univer- building cost a then enormous sum of rection of the Lougheed government, sity of Alberta (an institution he had cre- $4,000,000 (more than three times over almost $70 million was spent on the up- ated while premier) upon convocation; budget), but was soon admired as one grading and landscaping of the legisla- an event that blossomed from 25 peo- of the finest capitols in North America. ture grounds creating one of the most ple in 1912, a modest event, to over 300 Like many of the legislative build- used parks in the city. by 1938. ings being built across Canada and the United States at the turn of the century, the Alberta Legislature is a wonderful example of the Beaux-Arts style of ar- chitecture, which had emerged in France during the 1880s and became a favour- ite style in North America, especially for government buildings. The most noticeable feature of the legislature is the massive dome which rises over the interior rotunda. A second dome sheathed in copper sits atop the assembly chamber in the south-wing of the building. The building is t-shaped with the east- and west-wings meeting with the south wing in the dramatic rotunda fronted by a massive portico which faces the north grounds. The exterior is clad in sandstone from Calgary and sits on a base of Vancouver granite, while the interior is faced in marble imported from Pennsylvania, Quebec and Italy. The site for the legislature was cho- Rutherford House c. 1914 • 11153 Saskatchewan Drive sen in 1907. It was constructed just Photo credit: City of Edmonton Archives 2 Building Heritage Newsletter – September 2005 The red-brick house is built in a modified Jacobean style with large bay windows, parapets, a large pitched roof and a wide, white porch covered by a balcony. The interior is done in wood paneling as well as masonry with a large sun porch off the west side. In 1970, under threat of demolition by the ex- panding university, Rutherford House was declared a provincial historic site and restored to its 1915 condition, becoming one of the most beloved historic places in the city. GOVERNMENT HOUSE Built in conjunction with the legislature, Government House was designed and built to showcase the prestige of the new province as well as to lend dignity (Above) to its recently founded political institu- Government House tions. Constructed as the official resi- 12845-102 Avenue dence of the Lieutenant Governor, Photo credit: City of Government House, built in the Glenora Edmonton Archives neighbourhood, was one of the largest residences in the city, complete with a (Left) Royal Alberta commanding view of the North Sas- Museum katchewan River. 12845-102 Avenue Designed in a modified Jacobean Photo credit: City of style, and made of sandstone quarried Edmonton Planning and in Calgary, Government House was built Development to accommodate all kinds of state occasions, including balls, large state dinners and cabinet installations. Stonemasons from Scotland were engaged to complete Airlines; from 1944-1950 it served as a to have neither an official museum the elaborate stonework on the exterior. convalescent hospital for the Depart- policy nor an official provincial mu- The interior was lined with rich woods ment of Defence; and in 1950 it was seum. However, by the early 1960’s, such as mahogany as well as elaborate converted into a home for disabled vet- Alberta was caught up in the spirit of furnishings. erans. In 1964, the house was returned the centennial that was sweeping the The mansion served as the official to the provincial government in a deal country and which led to the largest residence of the Lieutenant-Governor that helped finance the Provincial Mu- museum building spree in Canadian of Alberta from its completion in 1913 seum of Alberta. At that time, the prov- history. Working with funds provided to 1938. By 1925 many members of ince determined that, due to lack pri- by the Federal Government’s Centen- the Legislative Assembly voiced concerns vacy, the site was no longer suitable for nial fund, preparations were made for about the expense of maintaining the a residence. Consequently, Government a world-class museum, to be built in vice-regal residence. Finally, in 1938, af- House was restored but converted for Edmonton, devoted to the exposition ter almost a decade of economic depres- use as a conference centre as well as and dissemination of Alberta’s history sion as well as a public feud between for other state occasions and official to its population. Lieutenant-Governor John Campbell events. Government House remains After an exhaustive search, the Brown and Premier William Aberhart, today one of the most active govern- site of Government House in Glenora funding for the maintenance of Gov- ment centres holding events such as the was selected as the location for the ernment House was removed and the Lieutenant-Governor’s New Year’s new museum. The proposed building, Lieutenant-Governor was forced to find Levee and the 2005 Royal Visit. which was to house both the new pro- other lodgings. vincial museum and provincial ar- Over the next 40 years, Government ROYAL ALBERTA MUSEUM chives, was to be quite large at almost House played a variety of roles: from Through much of its history, Al- 250,000 square feet. However, many 1942-1944 it was leased to North West berta was one of the few provinces Continued on page 4 Building Heritage Newsletter – September 2005 3 conscious decisions were taken in or- der to give it a more intimate scale and appearance.

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