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Online Heritage Inventory

Draney House

General Information
Thumbnail photograph of Draney House
Click to see full image
Type of Resource: Building
Common Name: Draney House
Address: 12011 No 4 Road
Neighbourhood (Planning Area Name): Gilmore
Construction Date: circa 1888 or earlier
Current Owner: Private
Designated: No

Statement of Significance
Description of Site
This statement of significance applies to the Draney house and associated landscape, a very early South Arm home, L-shaped with a gabled roof. The house is fairly isolated among large farm fields and narrow, relatively quiet access roads, typical of the South Arm Slough District.

 Statement of Values
The primary heritage value of the Draney house lies its historical association with Richmond pioneers Thomas Kidd, a significant figure in Richmond’s history, and the Draney family, early Richmond industrialists, with canneries around British Columbia. The house was a gathering place for some of the original pioneers and future political notables who signed Richmond’s petition to incorporate.
The Draney house is perhaps one of the oldest houses in Richmond, and is still in use as a residence. Appropriately, it is located in the South Arm Slough District, an area pioneered by Kidd and one of the earliest farming areas on Lulu Island, where homes were arranged according to the patterns created by the sloughs. The design of the house is representative of Richmond’s very early vernacular farmhouses, with its gabled roof and front verandah. The adjacent giant redwood tree is said to have been brought from California and planted by Thomas Kidd soon after his arrival on Lulu Island in 1874.

 Character Defining Elements
Key elements that define the heritage character of the site include:
· The overall design of the farmhouse with its L-shaped plan, open front verandah, and unique roof having one section high gable and the other hipped gable, and details including horizontal wood siding with corner boards, turned porch columns and decorative elements
· The ‘Slough District’ location of the house, as this was one of the earliest farming districts on Lulu Island and remains close to its original agricultural associations today
· The house is situated at an angle to the road, which speaks to early development patterns in this area
· The giant redwood tree, the planting of which as been credited to Thomas Kidd.

 History
This statement of significance applies to the Draney house and associated landscape, a very early South Arm home, L-shaped with a gabled roof. The house is fairly isolated among large farm fields and narrow, relatively quiet access roads, typical of the South Arm Slough District.

 Architectural Significance
Architectural Style
Vernacular farm house style (with some pioneer elements)

 Building Type
Domestic

 Name of Architect or Builder
Possibly Thomas Kidd.

 Design Features
Single, detached, two-storeyed, L-shaped house. One section of roof is high gable, the other is hipped gable. Both sections have centre-gables. Roof is covered with brown tar paper. Exterior is clad in horizontal wood siding with corner boards, currently painted white. The windows are flat, double hung wooden sash, also currently painted white. The window trim is plain flat. There is an open front verandah with turned porch columns and decorative brackets. A narrow band of horizontal lattice work, also white, sits at the top of the opening behind the decorative brackets.

 Construction Method
Unknown

 Landscape Significance
Landscape Element
Tree, (Giant Redwood). See the Heritage Landscape Inventory.

 Designer or Creator
The Giant Redwood tree was planted by Thomas Kidd in approximately 1874-75.

 Integrity
Alterations
Original materials and design unknown at this time. There do appear to be a number of changes; for example, the material of the roof, the lattice on the verandah, the possible loss of a corbelled brick chimney. The siding and the windows appear to be original.

 Original Location
Yes

 Condition
Fairly Good

 Lost
No

 Documentation
Evaluated By
Julie MacDonald (Julie MacDonald Heritage Consulting)

 Date
Tuesday, February 15, 2000

 Documentation
Heritage Inventory, Phase II” by Foundation Group Designs, May 1989. Inventory Sheets by Diana Bodnar (Foundation Group), January 1989.

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