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McLaughlin / Nelson Home
Spruce Grove
Statement of Significance
Description of Historic Place
McLaughlin/Nelson Pioneer Home is a three storey, foursquare frame house built in 1912 and situated in NW 4-53-27-4. The house and surrounding farm are associated with several notable citizens who were active in the community: Ellsworth C. McLaughlin, Constance E. Nelson, and Harold McLaughlin.
Heritage Value
The heritage value of the McLaughlin House lies in its status as a pre World War 1 house unique in its size for that time period. The house was built with a full concrete basement, a modern sanitation system and a furnace, all rare for 1912 and a farmhouse.
The house is situated in NW 4-53-27-4 on the original Guenette, then Ziegler, farmstead. The land was acquired by Ellsworth McLaughlin in 1904. E. C. McLaughlin served first as a Councillor and then as Reeve for division six. His daughter, Constance Nelson, was a teacher and a prominent leader and organizer in the community. Harold McLaughlin was known for his pedigree seed production, establishing and running the first Advanced Registry Testing Station for Swine, pioneering the use of commercial fertilizer, and establishing the Stony Plain Seed Cleaning Co-operative, as well as serving as an MLA.
The house is still occupied by members of the Nelson/McLaughlin family.
Character-Defining Elements
Key elements that define the heritage character of the house include:
-siting on the original homestead;
-strong, simple lines with no exterior embellishments, a reflection of Alberta’s social and political attitudes;
-built with local materials;
-three storeys, approximately 2600 sq. ft. with 13 rooms, unique in its size for the time period;
-wood frame construction with full concrete basement;
-modern sanitation system (large sunken water cistern and large septic tank);
-the furnace;
-the fireplace and double flue chimney rising about 40 ft. up, above the third storey ridge; and
-traditional casement windows, vertically sliding, counter-balanced by cast iron weights on sash cord running over concealed pulleys.
Location
| Street Address: |
200 Westgrove Drive |
| Community: |
Spruce Grove |
| Boundaries: |
Lot 1A, Block 22, Plan 1920984 |
| Contributing Resources: |
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ATS Legal Description:
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Mer |
Rge |
Twp |
Sec |
LSD |
4
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27
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53
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4
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11,12,13,14
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PBL Legal Description (Cadastral Reference):
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Plan |
Block |
Lot |
Parcel |
1324566
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1
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1
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Latitude/Longitude:
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Latitude |
Longitude |
CDT |
Datum Type |
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53.54858 |
-113.92622 |
GPS |
NAD83 |
UTM Reference:
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Northing |
Easting |
Zone |
CDT |
Datum Type |
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Recognition
| Recognition Authority: |
Local Governments (AB) |
| Designation Status: |
Municipal Historic Resource |
| Date of Designation: |
2012/08/13 |
Historical Information
| Built: |
1912/01/01 |
| Period of Significance: |
N/A |
| Theme(s): |
Expressing Intellectual and Cultural Life : Architecture and Design
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| Historic Function(s): |
Residence : Single Dwelling
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| Current Function(s): |
Residence : Single Dwelling
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| Architect: |
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| Builder: |
Mr. Sewell
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| Context: |
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Additional Information
| Object Number: |
4664-0305 |
| Designation File: |
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| Related Listing(s): |
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| Heritage Survey File: |
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| Website Link: |
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| Data Source: |
City of Spruce Grove, Planning and Development Department, 315 Jespersen Avenue, Spruce Grove, AB, T7X 3E8 (Digital File PD-2011/0051) |
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