319 E 47th Ave

The address that this house is located at was previously 119 E 49th Ave. but the number later was changed to the present-day address of  319 E 47th Ave. The low gable-roofed home at 319 E 47th Ave. is similar to its neighbour at 335 E 47^th Ave in that it pulls from a couple architectural pools including Early Cottage and Gabled Vernacular homes. The home also includes an asymmetrical staircase with subtle ornamentation, features that are could suggest a nod to Colonial Revival style.

Permits for this residence were issued in February of 1912 to owner Eugene J. Richards who was a conductor at BC Electric Railway. Alex Mains, the architect and builder, is also credited with building several other homes on the same block such as 335 and 341 E 47th Ave. In 1920, records show that Jack G. Pope, a bolter at Coughlans, moved into the home. The home was later occupied by Wallace J. Woolsey who was a blacksmith at Vulean Iron Works.

Although now part of the city of Vancouver, the neighbourhood of Sunset was formerly located in the then separate municipality of South Vancouver. It remained a small district for many years and it was not until 1911 that the population began to see a significant increase in numbers. Land that had once been cheap was then being subdivided for profit margins far above the cost only 10 years prior. Growth of the area levelled out after the initial boom leading into the 1920s but soon thereafter, the agricultural land became the site of homes for World War II veterans in the 1940s. In the 1950s, the Sunset area welcomed the additions of Wilson Park and John Oliver Secondary School. In the 21^st century, Sunset is a diverse, working-class area, home to many independently-owned shops.

Source

British Columbia City Directories 1860-1955, VanMap, Heritage Vancouver Building Permits Database