Key Number:	HS 25965
Site Name:	Canadian Pacific Railway Residence
Other Names:	CPR Roadmaster's House
Site Type:	0802 - Transportation - Rail Facility: Housing or Quarters

Location

ATS Legal Description:

			Twp	Rge	Mer
			36	11	4

Address:	5200 Railway Avenue
Number:
Street:
Avenue:	Railway
Other:
Town:	Coronation
Near Town:

Media

Type	Number	Date	View	Source

Architectural

Style:
Plan Shape:	Square
Storeys:	Storeys: 1 1/2
Foundation:	Basement/Foundation Wall Material: Concrete
Superstructure:
Superstructure Cover:	Vinyl
Roof Structure:	Medium Gable
Roof Cover:	Wood Shakes
Exterior Codes:	Plain Boxed Cornice Main Porch - Type: Closed Porch
Exterior:	Closed front porch, plain boxed cornice. Foundation: concrete, basement. Roof Structure: high gable - extended eaves and verges, plain fascia. Superstructure Cover: vinyl (brick pattern), over original shiplap siding. Mudroom with shed roof at entry on north side; second door on west side; several vertical windows on both floors, all with plain trim; brick chimney.
Interior:	N/A
Environment:	At southwest edge of Coronation, on south side of Railway Avenue, approximately 18 m north of the CPR rail line (now abandoned)
Condition:	Structure: Good. Repair: Good. 20 NOV 1980. Good (2008)
Alterations:	New siding has been added over the original ship-lap.

Historical

Construction:	Construction Date:
Constructed ca.	1910/01/01
Usage:	Usage Date:
Residence	1910/01/01
Owner:	Owner Date:
Canadian Pacific Railway Lois and Metro Smereka Town of Coronation	1912/01/01 1984/01/01 1989/01/01

Architect:	N/A
Builder:	N/A
Craftsman:	N/A
History:	Being rented today. Dec. 1929 - Bob Currie - road master was transferred to Coronation where he and his family lived in the middle C.P.R. house, which is the only one standing today. The structure originally built to be the residence of the CPR's roadmaster in Coronation, c. 1910. The structure is currently used as a museum in the town of Coronation ("Roadmaster's House Museum") * * * RESOURCE C. P. R. Section Foreman's/Roadmaster's House ADDRESS 500 Railway Avenue, Coronation BUILT 1911 DESIGNATION STATUS Registered Historic Resource HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE When the Canadian Pacific Railway completed a branch line between Moose Jaw and Lacombe in 1911, the northern portion of the 'British Block' of southeastern Alberta became viable for homestead. Though much of this land would eventually prove unproductive, being part of a 'dry belt', this was not known at the time, and, prior to World War I, many settlers took up homestead in the area. To service the new farmers, the CPR sub-divided a number of town-sites along the rail line, several of which emerged as large communities. One of these was Coronation, which virtually sprang up overnight. In December 1911, it was incorporated as a village with over 200 people, and, the following April, was made a town with over 500. The population of the community, and the district, was heavily British, and so the early promotional literature advertised. The town was named in honour of the recent coronation of King George V, and many of its streets, such as Royal, King, Queen, Victoria, Mary, George and Edward were named after the event. One reason for the rapid growth of Coronation was the decision of the CPR to make it a divisional point on its Moose Jaw-Lacombe line, with the advertised possibility that another CPR line would intersect the community north and south. This was the principal selling point when the CPR undertook its community land sale on 27 September 1911. The CPR had good reason to promote the area, for it also owned approximately 40% of the surrounding farmland. Being the principal developer, as well as the principal conveyor of goods and people to and from the area, it was natural that the Railway construct an appropriate residence for its district 'roadmaster', or foreman. Therefore, in the summer of 1911, amid all the other construction projects in the community, a two-story wood frame dwelling was erected on Railway Avenue, near the station, to serve as the home of the district roadmasters. Though many farms in the area would eventually foreclose due to drought conditions and depression, Coronation survived as a community, indeed the largest between Stettler and Moose Jaw. One reason was the constant activity of the railroad. The Roadmaster's House also survived and remains today as a reminder of the central role of the CPR in the development of the community and its hinterland. The historical significance of the house lies primarily as structural evidence of the vitality of the prairie town of Coronation in the early part of the century, and the position of the CPR in the development of the community and the district served by it.

Internal

Designation Status:	Designation Date:

Register:

Links

Internet:
Alberta Register of Historic Places:	4665-0808