The Ridge

In 1859 John Mclver selected a farm site in the area where the Maple Ridge Golf Course is now located. He named the farm 'Maple Ridge' after the stand of Maple trees that grew on the crest of the ridge that ran for two miles between what is now Hammond and Haney. The first Council meeting was held beneath the Maple Trees on John Mclver's Farm on October 10, 1874.

Laity Farm and Barn

20981-20985 123 Avenue
Farm established 1879
House and Barn built in 1912

John Henry Laity established this farm in 1879 on land that he acquired for $1.00 per acre from John Hammond; he complained about the high price of the land, but thought that it was worth the extra money for the mountain views to the north. This became one of the outstanding farms in the District; Laity was always in touch with the Agassiz Experimental Farm, and raised prize cattle. The farm that he began is still run by his descendants, now in the sixth generation.

The surviving farm house was one of an identical pair built in 1912 for Laity's two sons. The house to the east, built for Raymond Laity, has been demolished, but this house, built for Algernon Laity, is completely intact. It is an unusual design with a front gambrel roof and a small side gambrel dormer. The inset front entry corner porch features the original balustrade and carpenter ornamentation, and a stained glass window panel. The windows throughout are double-hung, two sash over two.

The barn was also built in 1912. The structure consists of cedar trees cut down on the property, roughly shaped into square profiles, then pegged with wooden dowels. The corrugated steel roof is original; the Laity family retains the original receipt for the Stelco roofing, the nails and the installation, which all together cost $100.

The site remains a working farm. There are other early outbuildings, induding a granary. Early plantings include numerous orchard remnants. The Laity Farm is a very important link with Maple Ridge's early settlement, with a pioneering family, and with the District's agricultural history.

Baynes Residence

12032 216 Street
Circa 1913

Edgar George Baynes was born at Braintree, Essex, England in 1870. He started his apprenticeship as a carpenter with Joseph Franklyn, "Coffin Maker & Cabinet Work", in a shop in Great Dunmow. When Franklyn and his family emigrated to Canada, Baynes came with them, arriving in Vancouver in April 1889. Baynes worked on a number of projects with another young carpenter, Will Horie; the two of them became friends and in 1893 established the contracting firm of Baynes & Horie. Baynes was married in 1899, and in 1906 built a large concrete block house at 1200 West Broadway in Vancouver that the family occupied for over fifty years.

Baynes & Horie were very successful, and prospered as the lower Mainland developed in the boom years before the First World War. The firm also designed many of these projects, including the Grosvenor Hotel, which Baynes owned and managed until his death at the age of 87. In order to supply bricks for their many projects, in 1907 Baynes and Horie, along with Harold Burnet, formed the Port Haney Brick Works, which operated continuously for the next seventy years, providing drain tile for the Fraser Valley and clay partition tile as well as their trademark bricks.

Baynes owned this sophisticated Craftsman bungalow, which appears to have been built just before the First World War. The generous entry porch is beautifully detailed with elaborate carved porch piers and brackets. Baynes does not seem to have ever lived here, and his purpose of building this house is a mystery - whether it was intended as a summer cottage is unknown.

Cole Residence

12535 216 Street
1929

Before the First World War this was part of a larger parcel of land owned by J.W. Howison, an early Maple Ridge pioneer who was living in Ashcroft at the time. It was acquired by Powell Roberts, and during the War the ownership shifted to Mrs. C.A. Roberts. This simply-detailed farm house was built by Mrs. Gertrude A. Cole, who acquired the farm in the late 1920s. Set on a corner lot, with many mature trees and shrubs, the house has been maintained in substantially intact condition.

Daykin/Hill Residence

22007 Dewdney Trunk Road
1919

This Craftsman bungalow appears to have been built for Mrs. Annie Daykin and Mrs. Constance Hill just after the first World War. Later it appears to have been owned by the Daykin family. The entry is set in a recessed corner porch, supported on a single square column. The front gable roof has a hip return, and there is a hint of half-timbering in the gable end. The house is set on a large corner lot at York Street and Dewdney Trunk, with many original landscape features, including a blue atlas cedar, mountain ash, and holly bushes.

Beeton Residence

22031 Dewdney Trunk Road
1911

Joseph Beeton built this farm house at the corner of Dewdney Trunk Road and York Street; to the north stretched a farm where he kept poultry and dairy cattle. It was later owned by the Daykin family. A simple front gable structure, it features a full front verandah, which has now been glassed in. The house sits on a large lot at the corner of York Street and Dewdney Trunk, with a large horse chestnut tree in the front yard, and sympathetic modern plantings.

Clappison/Dickie Residence

22106 Dewdney Trunk Road
Circa 1945

Set on a large corner lot, this well maintained house shows a Colonial Revival influence, and is an appropriate companion to the Clappison Residence next door; the two houses appear to have been built at the same time for the Clappison Brothers, John and William; this house was later owned by the Dickie family. This house features a tall gabled roofline, with the eaves dipped right back to the wall surfaces. Decorative horizontal leading is used in the upper sash of the double-hung windows. A suspended gable with an arched opening and stepped brackets forms a canopy over the front entry. The large corner lot is beautifully landscaped, and features mature trees and shrubs.

Clappison Residence

22114 Dewdney Trunk Road
Circa 1945

The Clappison Brothers were well known local butchers; their store was located on Ontario Street, now 224th. One of the brothers built this beautifully detailed house, which shows a Colonial Revival influence. The unique front porch has an arched opening with columns, reminiscent of the design of a Palladian window, which forms a beautifully screened entry. The house has a high side gable roof with clipped eaves. Decorative leading has been used in the upper window sash. The Clappison Residence has been very well landscaped and maintained, and forms a lovely grouping with the adjacent house at 22106 Dewdney Trunk Road.

Roberts Residence

21336 Douglas Avenue
1919

The Harry Roberts family lived in West Vancouver, but chose to spend the summers in Maple Ridge. They built this arts & crafts-inspired bungalow just after the first World War, and developed the grounds with gardens that complemented its character. The sixteen acre property was subdivided in 1974, and the Roberts Residence was left on a much smaller parcel of land; access to the house had originally been from 124 Avenue, but when the roads were put in it was reached by the newly created Douglas Crescent - what was the back of the house now faces the street. The Roberts Residence was the winner of a District of Maple Ridge Heritage Award in 1997 for Residential Heritage.

St. John the Divine's Rectory

11604 Laity Street (Street Address)
21299 River Road (Legal Address)
1918

Simple in plan and detail, this bungalow features a front gable roof with a full open front hipped verandah and a side gable dormer. Set dose to the street, it is complemented by sympathetic modern plantings. The house was purchased in 1920 for use as the rectory of St. John's Church, a use that it still fulfils today.

Anderson Residence

11777 Laity Street
Circa 1904

This charming Edwardian bungalow was built about 1904 on land owned by Arthur Tapp, but it may have been built for a Captain Reid. The house and twelve acres were acquired in 1911 by Adam Henry Anderson, who had been living in Chilliwack. Charming and sophisticated, the Anderson Residence is a superb example of the exuberant use of carpenter ornamentation typical of the era. The original open front verandah, supported on turned columns extended beyond the side of the house, and featured decorative balustrades. The house itself is quite intact, but the verandah has been mostly removed, replaced by a smaller front porch; the wooden shutters are a later addition. Although now sitting on a smaller subdivided lot, the house retains a large mature maple tree in the front yard.

Gillespie Residence

12061 Laity Street
Circa 1920

Well set back on a large heavily landscaped lot, this simple side-gabled bungalow features a flat roofed porch with square columns. The house remains in substantially intact condition, including its double-hung windows and original glass front door. An early garage still remains at the rear of the lot. The extensive landscaping includes large Horse Chestnut trees, a perimeter hedge, and mature holly bushes.

Burnett Residence

11640 Pine Street
Circa 1912

This charming house is a good example of the resurgence of the Colonial Revival influence; the side gambrel roof, symmetrical massing, central entry and shed dormers are typical of the Dutch Colonial variation of the style. Originally the property extended to River Road, but has now been subdivided, and another residence built on what was originally the front yard; the new house is low enough that this house still retains its presence in the area.

The house was built by Dr. Burnett for his two unmarried sisters, who lived here for many years. Burnett, whose practice was in Vancouver, was well known for his involvement in mining ventures, did not live here. The house was later owned by Frank Cunningham.

McIver Residence

20994 River Road
1930

This land along the top of the ridge was subdivided into two acre portions in 1919. This property was acquired in 1928 by Angus McIver, son of John McIver; Angus was living on Durham Street in New Westminster at the time. Angus and his wife May built this house, which appears to have been finished by 1930. Unusual for a woman at this time, May actually helped in the construction of the building.

Typical of the era is the jerkin-headed roof, the symmetrical massing, and the central entry with a projecting porch. The complementary landscaping features mature hemlock trees at the front. The Mclver Residence has been very well maintained in original condition.

St. John the Divine Anglican Church

21299 River Road
1859; Reconstructed at this Location in 1882
District of Maple Ridge Heritage Advisory Committee Plaque

This historic church is one of the oldest surviving churches in the province. Originally built at Derby, the colony's first capital, on the other side of the river. Derby was soon superseded by Fort Langley, which was in a better defensive position, and the townsite of Derby languished. Agricultural settlement across the Fraser River, however, was starting to grow, creating a demand for new community facilities. In 1882, this church was dismantled, the components floated on scows across the river to this new site, and reassembled. The first service at the new location was held on December 20, 1882.

The original part of the church has survived virtually intact from the 1882 rebuilding. It is clad in wooden drop siding. The central front door has wrought iron hinge straps and hinges. The diamond pane windows were installed slightly later, in 1904.

The church was moved back from the road in 1983, and now sits at an angle to the street grid. Several additions have been made to the structure since then. The church hall, built in 1924, has been demolished.

Carter Residence

21694 River Road
1912

This house was built by carpenter James Riddel for Harry Carter, a plasterer by trade. Harry was the son of Nelson Carter, a pioneer brickmaker and mason in Port Haney. During the first World War, Harry joined the Royal Army, and was killed in action in France, leaving his widow and four children. The house was later owned by the Leggatt family, who lived here until 1951. This symmetrically-massed bungalow shows a late use of Craftsman style elements, including triangular diamond-point cave brackets. It has a low-pitched side gable roof, with a wide bellcast over the full open front verandah. There is a jerkin-headed front gable, and the central front entry retains its glass sidelights. The house retains its original siting and character, with minor modifications.

Leslie Residence

21695 River Road
1923
Designated Municipal Heritage Site.
District of Maple Ridge Heritage Advisory Committee Plaque

This Craftsman style home was built in 1923 by Mr. Bill White for the owners, Mr. and Mrs. Earl Leslie and their five children. Mr. Leslie passed away in 1930. When Mrs. Leslie passed away in 1932 the property was acquired by Mr. Tom Little who lived in the home until his death in the mid-1940s. The home still has many of its original interior and exterior features including lapped wooden siding, doors, glass, plaster walls, wood flooring, moulding, and plate rails, and has been carefully restored by the current owners. The Council of the District of Maple Ridge designated the home as a protected heritage property on May 27, 1997

Dr. Sparling Residence

11402 Riverwynd Street
Circa 1929

This large impressive home sits on a large site at the top of a bluff, facing the Fraser River. Designed with a Dutch Colonial Revival influence, it features a side gambrel roof, wide lapped wooden siding, and multi-paned double-hung windows. The lot has been beautifully landscaped, with many mature trees and shrubs, and the house has been well maintained. This estate was owned by Dr. James F. Sparling, one of Maple Ridge's early physicians, and later by Dr. Lineham.

Copper Beech Tree

21780 124 Avenue
Circa 1929

This beautiful specimen of a Copper Beech, a typically English landscape feature, sits adjacent to the Davison House, built in about 1929; the tree was undoubtedly planted at about the same time the house was built. The tree sits beside a small creek, and stands out as a landmark in the immediate area.

"Shady Lane"

124 Avenue Between Laity and 216 Streets; East side of Laity Street

This beautifully treed street is highly valued by local residents. It appears to have been the result of perimeter planting of two adjacent early farms, which has now matured into a grand allée of mixed fir and cedar trees, mixed with additional hemlock and maples. Originally this was known as Blackstock Road, a dirt road that meandered between the stumps of the first growth trees logged from the area; in the 1940s the name was changed to 22nd Road, and in the 1960s it was given its present name. The large mature trees run on both sides of 124 Avenue between Laity and 216 Streets, and also south on the east side of Laity Street to 123 Avenue.

Hampton Farm

12611 209 Street
1879

William and Amanda Hampton came to Maple Ridge, along with John and Mary Laity, in 1879. They arrived by river boat from New Westminster. The two families farmed 64 hectare plots next to each other. Although the Original Hampton house has been replaced, the farm remains an active working site today. Their daughter Alma wrote a memoir of life on the Hampton farm, and the richness of their garden:

"A garden to the west and north of the house was enclosed by a picket fence. By the house was a peach tree which had delicious fruit and a Bartlett pear. Along the west fence were two plum trees that grew fruit twice as large as an ordinary plum. One was the yellow egg plum and the other was a ponseedling which has a rosy tint."
"There was a large mulberry tree that had a small fruit like a blackberry but horizontally oblong; mother used them in pies with apples. At the north fence were the Lombard plums, good for preserving, and a very large green-gage plum was near the woodshed... In the garden were strawberries, red and black currant bushes, a gooseberry and raspberries. Early potatoes were grown here as well as broad beans and peas. By the wood shed was a large hop vine. The hops were used to make yeast for bread-making. Beyond this garden a half-acre orchard was planted with fruit trees of many varieties."
"The front garden had a border on three sides, with many bushes, mock orange, snowball, lilacs light purple and white, and roses. There was a lawn space and flower beds for plants given by friends and grown from seed, such as lily of the valley, pansies, poppies and primroses. There were also dark red peonies, gladiolus, white bridal wreath, pink flowering almond and sweet scented honeysuckle, pinks and sweet rocket. Many humming birds came as well as swallowtail butterflies for the nectar."

Alma Hampton Ward, A Pioneer's Heritage

Row of Maple Trees

11601 Laity Street

The first school in Maple Ridge was built in 1875 just south of this site; in 1878 it was moved up from the river bank to just south of the current River Road. In 1882 a new two room schoolhouse was built at the northwest corner of River Road and Laity Street, and the old school was then used as the Municipal Hall. This row of beautifully mature Maple trees lines the north perimeter of the school yard of Maple Ridge Primary, which stands on the site of the 1882 school.