The Lauder House at 1075 Dominion

Every home in this neighbourhood has a story. The Lauder House, at the southwest corner of Dominion and Washington across from the future site of McKenzie Mews, is named after its original owners, George and Mary Lauder. A small bungalow built in 1912, it was raised and expanded in 1956. Another house at the back of the lot was lost to fire. Here is the story of the Lauders’ home.

Origins

In the years leading up to the Great War, Medicine Hat was booming and the community in the North Flats (now River Flats) was expanding to house the many workers of the railway, local mills and clay products plants.  To meet the demand for housing, lots were being developed on the former Yuill farm east of Allowance and north of the CPR.

In the survey of the North Flats neighbourhood conducted for Medalta, H. C. Yuill is listed as the first owner in 1911. This likely means he was the landowner selling the lot but he did not live there. The construction permit (#176) was issued on 23 April 1912 for an estimated cost of $1400 for a single storey 24 x 24’ residence. The architect and owner is listed as George Landis. The only Landis in the Henderson Directory for that period operated a real estate firm out of Redcliff so Landis was most likely a speculator. H. B. Curtis was listed as the builder and he appears in the 1914 Henderson Directory as a contractor and builder and his ad mentions “plans furnished”.

The Lauder Family

George William Webber Lauder was born 11 July 1871 in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland, the youngest of seven children of Robert Lauder and Louise Walker. He emigrated in 1890 and settled in Montreal, living with his cousin Jennie Lauder Ferguson at 91 Harvard in Pointe St-Charles at the time of the 1901 census. 

On 17 February 1901, George enlisted with the Corps of Artificers of  the Canadian Special Service Forces for the war in South Africa and stated his former corps was the 5th Regiment. He also gave his status as single and his father Robert of Woolwich, England, as his next of kin. He was attached to the 1st Australian Mounted Pioneer Corps and was discharged at the end of the year. He earned a Queen’s medal with two clasps for his service in Cape Colony and Orange Free State.

George and his wife, Mary Ethel (nee Armstrong), arrived in Medicine Hat between 1911 and 1914 and took up residence at 237 5E Street. 5E Street was renamed Dominion by 1917 by which time address renumbering had also occurred. Mary died in 2 January 1915 at age 33 and was buried in Hillside Cemetery. A blacksmith by trade, George worked at the City power house until he retired about 1947. He continued living at 1075 Dominion for a total of 38 years until 1952 and died in 21 April 1953. 

Len Sharland, who lived down the street, recalls playing cricket as a young boy, on the boulevard next to 1075.

The Hall Family

In 1953, George and Jean Hall lived in the house but did not own it and probably rented it from the Lauder estate. They only stayed for a couple of years. George was a lineman in the City’s Electric Department and they also had a small farm.

The Pasiciel Family

Gustav and Maria Pasiciel, post-war immigrants from the German-speaking area of Russia, arrived in Canada in 1952 under the auspices of the North American Baptist Immigration and Colonization Society that aimed to settle “Volksdeutsche” refugees in Canada.  Possibly purchasing the house from the Lauder estate, the Pasiciels lived in the house from 1955 until 1985. Gustav worked for the City until his retirement in 1976. Maria died in 1979 and Gustav died in 1987 at age 86.  

In 1956, major changes occurred when they raised the house onto a new higher foundation of concrete block (below grade) and brick (above grade). At the same time, a front entry was added and a rear addition (south bedroom), making the house now 38 x 24’. The assessment after 1956 referred to “light  house-keeping” in the basement, suggesting the basement was developed at the same time as the other renovations.

It appears that in 1920, an 18.5 x 32.5’ garage was added to the back of the lot which was converted to a “guest house” or rental unit. The AGT directory listed this address as 1075 1/2. William and Joyce Kirlik lived in the unit from 1970 until 1974 while Bill was working at the Brick and Tile. The next tenant was Katie Shearer, widow of Edward Shearer. This building caught fire on 27 December 1998 and was subsequently demolished.

Recent Years

In more recent years, 1075 Dominion changed hands several times after the Pasciel family owned it and a basement suite was developed but the garage or rental unit at the rear of the property was never rebuilt. In 2013, the massive South Saskatchewan River flood caused significant damage to homes in this vicinity including 1075. 

Cube Development Ltd. acquired 1075 Dominion in 2017 and has informally named it the “Lauder House” in honour of the first family who lived there. 

The house has been renovated extensively, with sewer backup valve, new furnace and hot water heater, new insulation in the attic and basement, some new flooring and windows and has been re-painted from top to bottom. Some of the authentic features of the 1956 renovation, such as the kitchen cabinets, have been retained. Although not located on the site of the future McKenzie Mews project, it is across Washington Avenue and future landscaping will reflect its position at the crossroads of the neighbourhood.