Key Number:	HS 29151
Site Name:	Beatty House
Other Names:
Site Type:	0101 - Residential: Single Dwelling

Location

ATS Legal Description:

			Twp	Rge	Mer
			42	2	5

Address:	4938 - 50 Avenue
Number:	38
Street:	49
Avenue:	50
Other:
Town:	Rimbey
Near Town:

Media

Type	Number	Date	View	Source

Architectural

Style:	Craftsman
Plan Shape:
Storeys:	Storeys: 1 1/2
Foundation:	Basement/Foundation Wall Material: Stone
Superstructure:	Nailed Frame
Superstructure Cover:	Wood: Siding
Roof Structure:	Medium Gable
Roof Cover:	Wood Shingle
Exterior Codes:
Exterior:	The Beatty House was built in the mid-1920s. It is a one and one-half storey, Craftsman style, wood-frame semi-bungalow with a cross-gable roof and a fieldstone foundation. It is oriented on and east-west axis. Clad mainly in horizontal wood siding, the gable ends are clad in wood shingles. The large gable-roofed front porch features wide arches, concrete-topped fieldstone piers and wooden steps. An enclosed, gable-roofed porch projects from the rear and a hip-roofed bay window and a fieldstone chimney grace the south elevation.
Interior:	N/A
Environment:	The house is situated on a large, landscaped corner lot with numerous trees.
Condition:	Good
Alterations:	A low wall, fieldstone wall, which was reconstructed using the stones from the original wall, defines the property's south and east boundaries.

Historical

Construction:	Construction Date:
Construction Started Construction Completed	1925/01/01 1926/01/01
Usage:	Usage Date:
Residence Residence
Owner:	Owner Date:
The Rimbey Historical Society

Architect:	N/A
Builder:	N/A
Craftsman:	N/A
History:	Jack Beatty moved to Rimbey from Saskatchewan in about 1920 and set up a hardware store with living quarters on the second floor. He apparently prospered, for when disaster struck in 1923 and his store and home burned, he was able to build one of the finest and most modern homes in town. The house expressed the status that Beatty earned through the union of business and civic responsibility. He was Secretary of the local Board of Trade and President of the Rimbey Agricultural Society. Such activity characterized the rest of his life. He worked for the curling rink and in 1946 was one of the charter members of the Rimbey's Lion club. Beatty's house reflected his success and his profile in the community. Its modern design, its location near, but separate from, the main street, all demonstrated his business and social stature in the town. He died in 1956 and was survived by his wife, Violet, who continued to live in the house almost until her death in 1984. (Site Data Form, March 1990) * * * RESOURCE Beatty House ADDRESS Rimbey BUILT 1925 to 1926 DESIGNATION STATUS Registered Historic Resource HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE By 1901 there was a general store in Rimbey followed shortly by a post office (1902), a school (1903) and assorted other stores, services, hotels and churches. Local farmers and merchants of Lacombe, Bentley and Rimbey obtained a charter in 1909 to build the “Lacombe and Blindman Valley Electrical Railway” which they constructed from Lacombe over the 35 miles to Rimbey between 1913 and 1919. In 1919, Rimbey was incorporated as a village. Jack and Violet Beatty arrived from Saskatoon that same year, and opened a hardware store with living quarters on the second storey. After their establishment burned down in 1923, they built a new store, and in 1925-26 they constructed a separate house of grand proportions, fine landscaping and (originally) a low stone wall surrounding the property and what seems in a photograph to be an imposing concrete walkway. Beatty maintained his hardware business throughout his time in Rimbey, but also owned land in the vicinity and ran a fine herd of cattle. He was active in community projects and affairs until his death in 1956. BUILDING/SITE ASSESSMENT The building has received regular maintenance since the Rimbey Historical Society took it over 16 years ago, and is in good condition. During that time, the building envelope was weatherproofed and improved considerably, the roof got new cedar shingles and the exterior was completely repainted. Some minor improvements were also made to the interior to cope with increasing public use. Structurally, the house is sound and stable but more improvements were still required to bring the loading capacity up to codes standards for assembly use. To that end, a major rehabilitation of the basement was carried out three years ago, to shore up all supporting elements, including joists, beams and columns. The original poorly-built foundation was left untouched but was supplemented with a preserved wood foundation along the interior perimeter. The surface drainage patterns around the building were also improved to protect the foundation. Generally speaking, this house retains almost 100% of its original integrity on the outside and approximately 90% inside. COMMENTS Now that the building has been strengthened and the surface drainage improved, the Society is anxious to complete the exterior restoration of this house. After years of building instability and constant rising damp, the stone pillars on front porch and the stone veneer on the foundation walls have cracked in many places. This deterioration is particularly serious in the pillars, where rocks have fallen off, compromising the structural integrity of the front porch. The Society is committed to a sensitive restoration of the Beatty House; in each and every phase they have worked closely with this department to ensure proper restoration, and they will continue to do so. This is truly a community facility which continues to be used extensively for many types of activities: nature presentations to school children, special day events, political party meetings, historical society meetings, courses, private gatherings, and meetings of other community groups.

Internal

Designation Status:	Designation Date:
Provincial Historic Resource	2010/09/30

Register:	N/A

Links

Internet:
Alberta Register of Historic Places:	4665-0755