Key Number:	HS 27948
Site Name:	Senator Lougheed Residence
Other Names:	Beaulieu National Historic Site of Canada
Site Type:	0101 - Residential: Single Dwelling

Location

ATS Legal Description:

			Twp	Rge	Mer
			23	1	5

Address:	707 - 13 Avenue SW
Number:	7
Street:	7 SW
Avenue:	13 SW
Other:
Town:	Calgary
Near Town:

Media

Type	Number	Date	View	Source

Architectural

Style:	Queen Anne Revival
Plan Shape:	Irregular
Storeys:	Storeys: 2 1/2
Foundation:	Basement/Foundation Wall Material: Concrete
Superstructure:
Superstructure Cover:
Roof Structure:	High Hip
Roof Cover:
Exterior Codes:	Massing of Units: Attached, Irregular Wings: Rear and Either Side Number of Bays - Facade: First or Ground Floor, 6 Bays Wall Design and Detail: Pier or Pilaster Wall Design and Detail: String or Belt Course Wall Design and Detail: Plinth Wall Design and Detail: Entablature Roof Trim - Eaves: Plain Fascia Roof Trim - Eaves: Plain Soffit Roof Trim - Eaves: Decorated Frieze Roof Trim Material - Eaves: Wood Roof Trim - Verges: Projecting Verges Roof Trim Material - Verges: Wood Towers, Steeples and Domes: Tower Dormer Type: Shed Chimney Location - Side to Side: Offset Left Chimney Location - Side to Side: Offset Right Chimney Location - Front to Rear: Centre Chimney Location - Front to Rear: Front Chimney Location - Front to Rear: Other Chimney Stack Massing: Cluster Attached Window - Structural Opening Shape: Semi-Elliptical Window - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Head: Voussoirs Window - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Sides: Moulded Window - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Material: Stone Window - Sill Type: Plain Lug Sill Window - Sill Material: Stone Window - Trim Within Structural Opening - Head: Flat Transom, Single Light Window - Number of Sashes: Two, Double Hung Window - Opening Mechanism: Casement Window - Special Types: Eyebrow Main Entrance - Location: Centre (Facade) Main Entrance - Structural Opening Shape: Flat Main Entrance - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Head: Plain Lintel Main Entrance - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Sides: None Main Entrance - Trim Within Structural Opening - Head: Plain Main Entrance - Trim Within Structural Opening - Head: Other Main Entrance - Trim Within Structural Opening - Sides: Plain Main Entrance - Number of Leaves: 1 Main Entrance - Number of Panels Per Leaf: 1 Main Entrance - Leaves - Special Feature: Glass Main Stairs - Location and Design: First or Ground Floor, Closed Railing Main Stairs - Direction: Straight Main Porch - Type: Platform Main Porch - Special Features: None
Exterior:	The exterior is characterized by the quarry faced sandstone typical of Calgary's early important buildings. The irregular plan with corner towers and high pitched roofs are indicative of the Queen Anne style popular in the late 19th century. The polygonal tower and arched windows are the most prominent features of the house.
Interior:	Maple, fir trim, some lino and tile.
Environment:	Lot size: 291.50' x 177' Property Feature: Fence or Gate. Property Feature: Garden Feature.
Condition:	Structure: Good. Repair: Good. Evidence such as cracking of the lintel blocks in the turret and sandstone wall on west elevation and the sagging beams on the main floor of the interior, point to possible building movement.
Alterations:	1950 - 420 sq. ft. addition made. 1954 - garage added. Apparent Alterations and/or Additions: Chimney. Site: Original

Historical

Construction:	Construction Date:
Constructed	1891/01/01
Usage:	Usage Date:
Residence Red Cross Society headquarters. Province of Alberta, Public Works, Supply and Services.	1891/01/01 1948/01/01 1979/10/02
Owner:	Owner Date:
James Lougheed Canadian Red Cross Society The Province of Alberta	1891/01/01 1948/01/01 1979/10/02

Architect:	N/A
Builder:	N/A
Craftsman:	N/A
History:	The site of the Lougheed Residence 'Beaulieu' was originally outside city limits. James Lougheed appears to have been the first owner of the land, having purchased Lots 1-40 in 1891. For many years, the house was one of the focal points of social life in Calgary. Many famous guests were entertained here, including the Duke and Duchess of Connaught and Princess Patricia in 1912 and the Prince of Wales in 1919. The house was originally very lavish in its furnishing, with Spanish mahogany from the east used to panel the halls, library, and small reception rooms. There was a marble fireplace imported from Italy. Furniture was largely antiques imported from England and Scotland. The house remained in the Lougheed family until 1948 when it was purchased by the Red Cross Society. At one time, Senator Lougheed owned so much land in the city of Calgary that he paid half the City's total taxes himself. Sir James Lougheed, a Calgary lawyer since 1884, who was actively involved in politics as Senator and later leader of the Conservative Party in the Upper House, Minister without Portfolio and Minister of the Interior, was knighted by King George V in 1917, the first and last Albertan to be so honoured. * * * HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Sir James Lougheed, a Calgary lawyer since 1884, who was actively involved in politics as Senator and later of the Conservative Party in the Upper House, Minister without Portfolio and Minister of the Interior, was knighted by King George V in 1917, the first and last Albertan to be honored such. His residence from 1891-1925, was the entertainment center for such distinguished visitors as the Prince of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Connaught and Princess Patricia. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: The Lougheed Residence is one of the best examples of the trend in Calgary's residential architecture in the 1890's towards the use of sandstone and the more monumental and elegant design in the larger houses. The octagonal and square towers, bays and other projections display this trend toward asymmetrical composition, not evident in Calgary's residences of the 1880's. It is an example of Victorian architecture in Canada between 1890-1930, which displays borrowed features of various style. * * * SENATOR LOUGHEED RESIDENCE One of the finest example of the use of sandstone in residential architecture in Calgary, the Senator Lougheed Residence was the home of Sir James Lougheed, a Calgary lawyer, prominent in federal politics as a member and later leader of the Conservative Party in the Senate. Sir James Lougheed used his home as an entertainment centre for distinguished visitors to Calgary. In 1917, he was knighted, the only Albertan ever so honoured. Constructed in 1891, the Senator Lougheed Residence illustrates the trend towards asymmetrical compositions for large Calgary residences in the 1890s. The polygonal tower and arched windows are the most prominent features of the house. The Senator Lougheed Residence was declared a Provincial Historic Resource on November 29, 1977 upon the recommendation of the Honourable Horst A. Schmid, Minister of Culture. 22 November 1978 Location: 707 - 13 Avenue, 130 words S.W. Calgary, Alberta. * * * September 1975 WELCOME TO RED CROSS HOUSE ... Red Cross House was built in 1891 by the late Sir James A. Lougheed, well-known lawyer of the early days. The outside walls are of Alberta sandstone, as were many of the prominent buildings of that era. Inside, one is impressed with the panelling, gracious expanse of rooms and general decor typical of the rather ornate and luxurious homes of that time. ... Lougheed House was not destined to remain a family home, although the first owner's initials still remain in the etched glass doors of the first floor. For awhile, it was a training school for domestic servants and during World War II the Canadian Women's Army Corps occupied the upper floors and the Canadian Red Cross Society collected blood for the troops in the basement. Following the war, the Y.W.C.A. used it as an annex, housing up to 75 girls. ... The basement houses the Maintenance Office and storage rooms. ... Plaqued: 1999.

Internal

Designation Status:	Designation Date:
Municipal A List Provincial Historic Resource Federally Designated	1977/11/29 1992/01/01

Register:	05-102

Links

Internet:
Alberta Register of Historic Places:	4665-0431