Historical Home Spotlight: Garden House

Year of Construction: 1913
Community: Elbow Park
Architect: George Fordyce
Builder: James Hay Garden

The Garden House was built by general contractor James Hay Garden in 1913 as a residence for him and his wife. The home, which cost an estimated $1,500 to build, was constructed during a period of heavy residential development in Elbow Park that coincided with Calgary's pre-First World War real estate boom. The community had sat outside the boundaries of the city until it was annexed and subdivided in 1907.

Garden came to Calgary from Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1905 and was responsible for the construction of several important structures here, including the original Mount Royal College and an assortment of residences and churches in Cliff Bungalow, Elbow Park and Mount Royal. In fact, Elbow Park's Garden Crescent appears to be named after him. Garden also served three terms as a city alderman.

Owners of the home after the Gardens included Canadian National Film Corporation president Harry J. Allen, R.C. Marshall (who served as a city alderman, mayor and eventually a Liberal member of the Alberta legislature in the 1910s and 1920s) and rancher Dorsey McDaniel (co-founder of the Alberta Livestock Association and the Alberta Wheat Pool).

Check out CREB®Now's April 26 issue for our next historical home of the month!