Calgary: Sitting On The Porch
Recently I attended a wedding at the Bow Valley Ranche homestead in Calgary’s Fish Creek Park (one of the largest urban parks in the world at 13 square kilometers or three times the size of Vancouver’s Stanley Park). Like others, I went gaga over this lovely house, its tranquil setting in the middle of the enormous park and the lovely wraparound porch.
Bow Valley Ranche's wraparound porch creates a "welcoming" sense of place.
History: Bow Valley Ranche
The Bow Valley Ranch site was first settled by John Glenn, who created one of Alberta’s first permanent farms in the 1870s. In 1877, the federal government purchased the site for $350 to create an instructional farm to teach First Nations people how to farm their land. After several years, the program was phased out.
In 1896, cattle rancher and businessman William Roper Hull purchased the Bow Valley homestead and built, a lovely two-story yellow brick home with a huge wraparound porch. Then in 1902, Patrick Burns, one of the Big Four who started the Calgary Stampede and eventually became a Senator, purchased the house.
After Burns passed away in 1937, family members lived in the house until the early ‘70s. In 1973, the Alberta government purchased the entire Bow Valley Ranch site as part of the establishment of Fish Creek Provincial Park. Today it is a popular restaurant.
It was the Bow Valley Ranche’s porch that seemed to impress wedding attendees the most on a lovely sunny afternoon in early September. I have always loved porches. Our house has a front porch where I often sit and read or watch the world go by. But I didn’t before appreciate how much others also love them even if they don’t hve one or use the one they have. I have often noticed on my frequent walks, that seldom is anyone sitting on the porches despite them being adorned with comfy chairs and side tables.
This also got me thinking about Calgary’s other historical homes and have huge porches like the Bow Valley Ranch home. The two I am most familiar with are Riley Lodge (that used to be on Crowchild Trail at 7th Avenue NW, a pitching wedge from my house and is now located three blocks further west) and the Colonel James Walker House (at the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary).
Bow Valley Ranche's grand front yard makes it a perfect spot for weddings.
History: Riley Lodge
In 1910, Alfred Riley, son of prominent Calgary pioneer of prominent Calgary pioneer Thomas Riley, built a farm house of brick and sandstone. Known as Riley Lodge, it was occupied by Alfred and his wife Ada Marie until Alfred’s death; after which Ada continued to live in the house until 1934. It remained in the Riley family until 1968.
In 1987, the house was moved to 843-27th Street NW to allow for the transformation of 24th Street NW into Crowchild Trail. According to City records, it is the last known Riley family residence still standing.
The veranda, which had to be demolished for the move, was reconstructed based on a drawing from a book of house plans, circa 1910. However, when an old photograph of the house was discovered at the Glenbow Archives in 2007, the veranda was rebuilt and is now an accurate representation of the original. Future plans include a wrought iron gateway and stone columns at the end of the driveway.
Riley Lodge is built in the Queen Anne Revival style, with some of the key features including the wrap-around veranda, hipped roof, third floor dormer windows and the turret at the corner of the front façade.
Riley Lodge's porch creates a wonderful sense of grandeur.
Original entrance to Riley Lodge (photo credit: insomniac's attic)
Source: Calgary Public Library, Community Heritage & Family History
Link: Riley Lodge Story
History: Colonel James Walker House
In 1883, Colonel James Walker settled the land that is now occupied by the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. In 1910, the current brick house - named Inglewood - was built, and the surrounding area was then named for the most prominent property in the area.
In 1929, Colonel Walker's son Selby applied to the federal government to have 59 acres on the west side of the Bow River designated as a Federal Migratory Bird Sanctuary. His request was granted and the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary was born.
When Selby died in 1953, Ed Jefferies, owner of a large contracting firm, acquired the property and leased it to the Alberta Fish & Game Association for their new headquarters. In 1970 the City of Calgary purchased the property and has been managing it as a natural reserve ever since.
In 1996, the Nature Centre was built and grassland restoration projects began. The Colonel Walker House is currently both a private residence and serves the administrative and educational activities needs of the Nature Centre.
Colonel Walker house literally sits in the middle of a sanctuary.
Heritage homes remind us of the importance of decorative details.
The front porch helps to create a welcoming entrance.
Even modest cottage homes had porches in the early 20th century.
The origin of the front porch is most often thought of as an element of southern American homes -both luxury and modest homes - starting in the mid 19th century. It was a place where the family could retire to as the outdoor air provided a somewhat cool alternative to the summer heat and humidity. In most houses, the porch was an extension of the living room taking up the entire front of the house and sometimes wrapping around one or both sides.
Before TV, the porch was the place where parents and grandparents would tell stories. It was also a place where parents would meet or say hello to other parents who were out walking waiting for the house to cool off. It was a place where neighbours could catch up on the news from the community and plan events (there were no phones, no texting or emails). The porch was the community meeting place!
It was also a place where adults could keep an eye on their children who commonly played in the front yard and street, i.e. pre community playgrounds and parks days.
The porch started to fall out of fashion in the ‘50s with the advent of TV and the introduction of the attached front garage. By the ‘60s, the fenced-in backyard, commonly included a deck (complete with BBQ and patio furniture), as well as a lawn area (which used to be a vegetable garden, but became space for private swings, slide, sandbox and sometimes a pool). Houses (and people) turned their backs on the street. The backyard became a private family playground!
Can you believe this school built in 1911 had a porch?
Can we bring back the porch?
By the late 20th century, more and more houses had air-conditioning, which further reducing the need to sit outside at night.
In Calgary, although most new infills in established communities with back alley garages do in fact have front porches, however, in new communities smaller lots and attached front double garages make it almost impossible to have a porch.
For the past 50 years, urban living in North America has become more and more private vs public. People have abandoned public transportation for the privacy of the car, live in larger homes that are more backyard than front yard focused.
Indeed, the porch, which fostered a sense of community and neighbourliness in North America since the middle of the 19th century, is sadly missing on many streets in new communities today.
And, if newer houses do have a porch, it is often “for decoration only” or perhaps a place to store bikes, strollers and lawn mowers, rather than a place to sit and interact with the neighbours.
Typical suburban home of the late 20th century in North American cities with no front yard and no welcoming entrance.
Over the past decade, developers have been introducing front porches at street level and also overtop of the garage where possible.
Last Word
Pity!
My front porch! My favourite place to sit!