2487 Eton St

Built in 1910, 2487 Eton Street is a single detached house in the Hastings–Sunrise neighbourhood, known in the late 1800’s to early 1900’s as Hastings Townsite. No building permit exists which is common for Hastings Townsite; however, it is likely that the house was designed and built by Swedish carpenter Andrew Bergquist (also spelt Berquist). Andrew is the documented architect and owner of the neighbouring 1911 built “Bergquist House” at 2439 Eton Street, where he resided until he died in 1958 at the age of 79. Both homes are clad in shingle siding and feature a front-gabled, low-pitched roof, a front veranda, decorative brackets, shed-roof dormers, and a distinctive curved recessed balcony at the second floor indicative of the Front-Gabled 2½-Storey Craftsman style. Andrew Bergquist and his wife Ida immigrated to Canada in the early 1900’s with his brother joining them in 1910. A 1911 census record shows Andrew, Ida, their two children and Andrew’s brother residing at 2487 Eton Street. Additionally, the house between the two, 2451 Eton Street, was built around the same time and on the same lot as 2487 Eton Street. No building permit exists for 2451 Eton Street either, but it’s likely that the three designated heritage houses are all related to Andrew Bergquist.

The address first shows up in the BC City Directories in 1913, with Winton Geo. T. as the resident, who lived there until 1933. The 1912 Directories show Winton Geo. T. residing at 2448 Eaton Street, as it was spelled in the directories up until that year, though it appears this address may be a typo. A 1916 ad in The Sun newspaper, stated “The H. M. C. S. Rainbow Chapter of I. O. D. E. will meet at the home of Mrs. Winton, 2487 Eton street on Wednesday at 3 p.m.” The HMCS Rainbow was one of two warships operating on the west coast during WWI. In 1914, the HMCS Rainbow was sent to Vancouver to intercept the Komagata Maru and eventually forcibly escorted the ship out of Vancouver’s harbour. I.O.D.E stands for Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire and still operates as a Canadian charitable organization.

The house was occupied by L. S. O’Mailley from 1934 until 1940, after which it stood vacant for one year. Subsequent residents included J. Pollock in 1942, A. L. Willson in 1943, and S. Lenko in 1952. A Vancouver Sun article in 1952 reported on Stanley Lenkov, a Ukrainian immigrant, inventing a new coat hanger that folds into a clothes brush in his basement workshop at 2487 Eaton Street.

Archival photographs from 1960 to 1980 shows the recessed balcony screened in, with one colour image depicting the house painted red with cream window trim and green asphalt roofing. The City of Vancouver Property Parcel Map indicates that the house underwent major improvements in 1970, possibly coinciding with the balcony renovations. As of 2026, 2487 Eton Street is finished in a cool blue-gray with warm ochre-yellow trim and accents. The recessed balcony has since been extended with a built-out railing to replicate the balcony at 2439 Eton Street.

Source

City Directories