Second Crowell House - Vernon, BC
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member ScroogieII
N 50° 15.917 W 119° 15.337
11U E 339245 N 5570560
T. E. Crowell built this house for himself in 1910, using his own product, bricks.
Waymark Code: WM12Y00
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Date Posted: 08/03/2020
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member Weathervane
Views: 1
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Crowell had purchased the Vernon Brickyards in 1902 and subsequently built many of the city's most prominent brick buildings. As the name, Second Crowell House, implies, this was the second home which T. E. Crowell had built in the city. The first, a wood framed Queen Anne Revival styled building, was built in 1893. That residence once stood where the Vernon Courthouse now stands, having been moved in 1910 to make way for the construction of said courthouse.

Note the chimneys rising from the building. Given that the house was built by a brickyard owner, one would expect, at the very least, some of the most ornate chimneys in the city. Crowell didn't disappoint, and the chimneys on his house did, indeed, receive more attention to detail than any of their contemporaries.

Presently owned by Dan and Deborah Stuart, in 2005 the Stuarts received a heritage restoration grant of $3,000 to assist with exterior restoration work on the building. In August of 2012 they were presented with a heritage plaque in recognition of the heritage significance of the building. The plaque is located to the side of the gate at the front of the home along 32nd Avenue.
Second Crowell House
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.
From the City of Vernon Heritage Register, Page 43
Photo goes Here
Official Heritage Registry: [Web Link]

Address:
1800 32nd Avenue
Vernon, BC
V1T 2J4

Heritage Registry Page Number: Not listed
Visit Instructions:
To log a visit to a Waymark in this category at least one photo of the property, taken by the visitor, must be included with the visit, as well any comments they have concerning either their visit or the site itself. Suggested inclusions are: what you like about the site, its history, any deviations from the description in the heritage listing noted by the visitor, and the overall state of repair of the site.
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T0SHEA visited Second Crowell House - Vernon, BC 11/24/2020 T0SHEA visited it