The Howieson house at 2688 Inlander Street (overlooking the Fraser River) is one of four remaining examples of pre-Great War construction in South Fort George.
Register Sites
Each property on the Heritage Register has a Statement of Significance (SoS) which identifies key historical elements and provides a summary of design characteristics that should be retained or restored to respect a building's heritage value.
Residential Landmarks
George Buchan House
Buchan House is located at 2755 Hammond Avenue in the Nechako subdivision and was once owned by George and Lee Buchan. George was one of an influx of professional foresters arriving at Prince George in the 1950s. The residence is an example of the first shift in architectural design tenets in the city after World War II.
This building's heritage value lies with the introduction of Modern Movement design traits that were exhibited nationally from 1947 onwards. In addition, new wood products for residential work, such as glued laminated beams and wood decking and glass walls found application in contemporary designs.
John Nielsen House
The John Nielsen house is located at 2280 McBride Crescent, which is part of the prestigious Crescents neighbourhood on the western side of Prince George. The home was originally owned by John and Dina Nielsen, who were prominent citizens and proprietors of West End Motors.
The house design follows post-World War II Modern Movement tenets, which embraced architectural features such as low slope roofs. The John Nielsen house represents a transition period between the small-scale vernacular windows and the full-width glazed walls developed in the Modern Movement era.
Howieson Residence
The Howieson house at 2688 Inlander Street (overlooking the Fraser River) is one of four remaining examples of pre-Great War construction in South Fort George. Built by William Howieson in 1912, the house features wood detailing from the early 20th century (particularly noticeable in the window millwork) along with original door latch sets and window fastenings.
Other character-defining elements include millwork items for interior finishes typical of the period such as wide baseboards and a neck mould between the vertical casing members and the horizontal header.
Munro/Moffat House
This prestigious log house was constructed at the corner of Moffat Street and Hammond Avenue in 1914 and can be found today at its present address of 153 North Moffat Street. The present site was located in Central Fort George - a town developed by George Hammond - at the time, just three miles from South Fort George. The Munro/Moffat residence was home to John Munro and Alex B. Moffat, two prominent and competing bankers in the community. The Munro family resided here until 1921 when the residence was purchased by Alex B. Moffat and family, who occupied the house until 1958. The Munro/Moffat residence has significant architectural value and incorporates many rich details and décor befitting the status of a successful banker like Munro.
Pitman House
Pitman House can be found in Prince George's prestigious Crescents Neighbourhood at 2387 McBride Crescent. The Crescents was developed in 1913 by Brett & Hall design for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway's Fort George community. The House is valued as the home of the W.J. Pitman family, who were well-known for their musical talents and community involvement. The House is a two-storey structure that incorporates Dutch Colonial architectural styles (originating from Dutch settlers in New York). The Dutch Colonial theme was one of several ethnic and classical revival styles which appeared in Prince George's Crescents neighbourhood and across the country in the 1920s and 1930s.
Taylor House
This 1-1/2 storey Eastern Cottage style home can be found in the Crescents neighbourhood at 1872 10th Avenue. The building's form has remained unchanged since it was originally constructed in 1920 and includes a basement, main floor, three bedrooms, a garage, and a sun room. Taylor House became the principal residence of two prominent Prince George citizens in the 1920s through to the 1940s. Businessman and civic leader Fred D. Taylor was its first occupant. Taylor served as city Alderman from 1922 to 1925, became Mayor in 1926, and continued in public service as Alderman yet again in 1930 and during the War years.
Taylor House was then acquired by Harry G. Perry, who was also a local businessman and political luminary. Perry served as Mayor of Prince George from 1917 to 1918 and again in 1920 before finding success in provincial politics as the Liberal MLA for Fort George. He capped his political career as Minister of Education from 1933 to 1946. Perry also had a second occupation in 1922 as editor of The Leader, the newspaper that would eventually become the Prince George Citizen in 1924. He maintained his newspaper interests as editor until retirement in 1948.
Commercial Landmarks
Sixth Avenue Liquor Store
The Sixth Avenue Liquor Store incorporates the south and west-facing façades of the original BC Government liquor store that opened at 1188 Sixth Avenue from 1949 to 1986. The building's façades are a Designated Municipal Heritage site under the Heritage Designation Law No. 4894, 1987 and has become a leading example of heritage preservation in Prince George. The store has had several owners and weathered controversy and physical degradation and ultimately went through rehabilitation and re-purposing. The Sixth Avenue Liquor Store still stands at its original location and retains its character-defining elements.
Federal Government Building (Old Post Office)
The Federal Government Building is a one-story Art Deco-influenced brick and cut-stone structure located at 1294 Third Avenue on the northeast corner of Quebec Street intersection. Commonly referred to as the Old Post Office, it was built in 1939 as the first permanent location for postal, customs and other federal public services in Prince George.
The Federal Government Building mixes Art Deco and Modern Classical features with the monumentality in design favoured by federal government architects. Although the building's interior has been modified over time, the exterior remains much the same as it did when the building was first constructed and it remains a lasting symbol of 20th century federalism in Prince George. The Federal Government Building's remaining heritage value lies in its original façade and exterior elements. The building is a Designated Municipal Heritage site under Heritage Designation Bylaw No. 5538, 1990.
Hilliard Clare Masonic Hall
The Hilliard Clare Masonic Hall - formerly known as the Prince George Masonic Hall - is a two-story building with a basement located at 480 Vancouver Street. The Hall was built in 1955 and modelled on the Modern architecture style adopted by many firms during the post-World War II era.
Named after Hilliard Clare, a local son who served as city alderman, the building retains much of its original design elements, including unadorned stucco finishes and small box windows that provide subdued light in the Hall's interior Masonic room.
Professional Building
The "Professional Building" at 1705 3rd Avenue was the first office building in Prince George to cater exclusively to professional clientele. Built by sawmill proprietors John and Joe Schlitt in 1953, the property features a formal entrance and high-quality floor finishes such as terrazzo stairs.
The building consists of two floors of office space above grade and a basement level. The building massing has approximately 18-metre frontage and 30-metre depth.
Other Landmarks
South Fort George School House
Located next to the Exploration place at 755 - 20th Avenue, the South Fort George School House was the first school building raised in South Fort George and in this part of British Columbia. The school house is a simple all-wood construction common in the early 20th century and opened in 1910 with 28 students. The building was eventually moved from its original location, but is still close to the South Fort George area and its previous site.
Quinson Elementary School
Located at 251 South Ogilvie Street, Quinson Elementary's heritage value rests on its status as the first school in Prince George to apply education innovations and move away from standard classroom plans issued by the Department of Education. Flexible space in the form of pentagonal-shaped classrooms were built to improve student-teacher instructional relationships. A large gymnasium was also an original key feature at Quinson, which allowed for the expanded physical education programs of the 1960s. Quinson Elementary School was emblematic of a singular attempt to cater to innovation within classroom environments.
Dogwood and Elm Street Trees
The heritage value of the Dogwood and Elm tree boulevard plantations in the Millar Addition (located between 15th Avenue and 17th Avenue) lies in the honouring of returning World War II veterans in 1947 with new homes as part of a federal housing program. The landscape installation commenced in the 1950s with the planting of American Elms.
The trees continue to provide a grand and unique setting in a valued neighbourhood and serves as a distinct historical connection with the City of Prince George's former soldier settlement. In addition, the Dogwood and Elm tree heritage landscape provides a strong sense of solidarity in the neighbourhood along with furnishing a pleasing environment that could serve as a future model for selected city streets.
Vancouver Street Elm Trees
The Elm trees along Vancouver Street honours the efforts of pioneer Martin Caine who, as a member of the Prince George Rotary Club, was in charge of an initiative in 1949 to create a tree-line along the west side of Vancouver Street. The project was taken on by the Club as a gift to the residents of Prince George and involved many well-known pioneer residents (all of whom were Rotary members). Two types of trees were planted: Mountain Ash and American Elms. The street is now predominantly composed of Elms with just a handful of Mountain Ash remaining (the rest having been lost over time to the elements).
The Nechako Crossing
The Nechako Crossing is a river-crossing site that has continuously served the community of Prince George and housed various river-crossing infrastructure since 1910. Located around four kilometres from the confluence of the Nechako and Fraser rivers, the Crossing played an integral part in Prince George's early development and in the growth of nearby communities. It connected early Central Fort George on the south shore with important northern trading and freight routes on the Crooked River, Parsnip River, Findlay River, Peace River Watershed, and Arctic and Pacific Watersheds.
About the Heritage Register
Prince George's Heritage Register is an official list of buildings and sites that have heritage value. Sites are added through a City Council resolution upon the recommendation of the Prince George Heritage Commission.
A Heritage Register:
- Demonstrates community pride and raise awareness about Prince George's history.
- Provides property owners, potential buyers, and the general public with information about the historical value of individual properties.
- Identifies key heritage features that should be retained to respect a site's heritage value.
- Provides the City with information needed to monitor alterations to properties with heritage value.
Listing a site on the Heritage Register does not constitute permanent heritage protection. The Register is meant to flag properties so the City can share historical information with property owners. Heritage protection tools to permanently safeguard buildings.
Residents interested in adding a property to the Prince George Heritage Register may fill out a nomination form.