West Vancouver Historical Society MEMORIES Spring 2012 THE VINSON HOUSE This is the second in our series on Heritage Homes in West Vancouver. The "Vinson House" is still with us and is owned by Assistant Archivist, Carol Howie. The following is her story. V inson H ouse, located at 1425 G ordon A venue in the low er Am bleside area o f W est Vancouver, is an unusually intact exam ple o f a large one-and-half T h e house illustrates m any features of the new C raftsm an influence on house design, which was just com ing into its ow n w hen the house was built. Typical exterior features include decorative triangular brackets a t the eaves, square tapered porch colum ns and slightly flared w indow and door surrounds, and a second-floor porch (now glassed in). Interior features include fir floors; fir and plyw ood doors (reportedly an exam ple of one of the earliest uses o f plyw ood); built-in cabinets in the dining room and m aster bedroom ; a corner brick fireplace in the living room ; pocket doors between the hall and dining room , and beam ed ceilings and w ooden detailing on the walls o f the living room and dining room. The house was built for Valient Vinson, w ho was bom in O hio, arrived in V ancouver from Oregon around 1907 and decided to settle in the Ambleside area o f W est V ancouver. The residence benefitted a m an o f his m eans. V inson was one of W est (continued on next page) Photo left: Vinson house in 2011by Carol Howie story C raftsm an style bungalow (also called a California bungalow ). Built in 1913, it was one of the first houses to be built in the neighbourhood, and it provides a valuable link with the early architecture and history o f W est V ancouver. The house is a very early exam ple o f a large perm anent residence, built at a tim e w hen m uch construction was restricted to second hom es and cottages. It sits on the southern edge o f w hat was originally a 5.4 acre lot, w hich stretched north from G ordon A venue to Inglew ood A venue and h alf a block west from 14th Street. U nusual for W est V ancouver, and particularly Am bleside, the property was no t subdivided until 1940. It now sits on one-quarter o f an acre. Photo below: Vinson house in early 1920's - V. Vinson is on fro n t porch (009. W V A .M U L )