Introduction and Phase 1
of the Major Renovations
Introduction: Ownership of Helmcken House was taken from its line of Helmcken family descendants when it was bought by the Government of British Columbia in 1939. This was prompted by the death of Edith Louis Higgins, Dr. Helmcken's daughter, also known by the name Aunt Dolly, who was living in the house at the time. Since then the property has been managed by the Provincial Archives, then B.C. Heritage Branch. There were three major restoration and renovation periods, the first in 1939, the second in 1963, and the third in 1987. Although work has not been done exclusively at these times.
Let's look at some of the renovations.
Before 1939: The electricity was believed to be added to the newest addition of the house sometime between the years of 1920 and 1939. At Dr. Helmcken's request electricity was never added to the original 3 room house and the first addition when he was alive. Even after his death in 1920, Aunt Dolly still did not modernize that portion of the house, keeping it intact (for more on this subject).
During the 1930's, the house was not in great shape and some deviations from its original appearance were visible. The greenhouse, joined to the house itself, was falling apart. As well the fence was very weak and needed repairs to keep it from falling over. The first addition roof had been redone with rolled asphalt, replacing the cedar shakes it once had; soon after, the original house roof was redone similarily.
Renovations in 1939: Some initial renovations occured before a great effort was made to restore the house back to its original condition. These were performed on both the exterior and interior.
On the exterior, new asphalt shingles replaced the rolled asphalt roof. The fence was rebuilt, a coat of paint was applied to the exterior, and the greenhouse was removed. Most importantly, a museum sign was added to the front.
| Pre 1939 , B.C. Archives (#HP003053) | Today |
|---|---|
|
|
| One historical photograph and one present day photograph of Helmcken House. Note the absence of the greenhouse in the picture on the right. | |
Only minor interior changes were made at this time. Dr. Helmcken's bedroom was left unchanged for twenty years, and the rest of the house was displayed as it was, though in some cases new paint and curtains were added to update the rooms.
Continue to see more of Helmcken House renovations.
Back to the house main page.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Visit
SchoolNet Digital Collections