Yukon Register of Historic PlacesYRHP

T.C. Richards Building

T.C. Richards Building

T.C. Richards Building

This house was constructed by Bob Campbell and Martin Marx in July 1944 for T.C. Richards and family, following Mrs. Bernadine Richards specifications. Whitehorse resident Joe Krautschneider constructed the brick chimneys. It was furnished and decorated expensively by Mrs. Richards. T.C. Richards was a generous and 'colourful' character, and his home, with its stone fireplaces in the study, living room, and rumpus room, became a social centre in Whitehorse.

T.C. Richards came from Leicester, England to manage Burns Meats. In 1921, he began the first cattle drive to the Mayo area mines to provide the camps with fresh meat. Cattle were transported by steamer to Pelly, then driven overland the remainder of the route. Also in 1921 he and his partner, W.L. 'Deacon' Phelps, inaugurated a winter tractor-train and passenger service from Whitehorse to Dawson. In 1928, they acquired the mail contract, and improved their service with snowmobiles and caterpillars. The enterprise was called "Klondike Airways" although they never owned a plane. In 1937, T.C. won $20,000 in a poker game that he used as a down payment on the Whitehorse Inn. The family operated and lived at the Whitehorse Inn until 1944 when their log home was constructed.

After the family left their home in 1951, it was purchased by Yukon Government and used as a teacherage, then later occupied by the Whitehorse Game Branch, the Labour Standards Department, and the Tourism Department.

The Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce took over the management of the building in April 1976 for the Yukon Government and a major rehabilitation occurred in 1981 to create office space. The Chamber of Commerce hired the architectural firm Kilrich, Metz, Bowen, and Rose to design and oversee major interior and exterior renovations. The contractors were Kewes and Sons. These renovations were completed to meet current building codes, increase insulation values, create more useable office space and provide an area for a Visitor Reception Centre on the main floor.

While Thomas Cecil Richards is the larger than life figure most associated with this house, it was his wife Bernadine (Piper) who actually designed the house and furnished the interior. She was born in West Plain, Missouri in 1897. When she was only four months old, her family moved north to Dyea, Alaska where her father ran a store. They stayed until 1901, when they crossed over the Chilkoot Pass and on to Dawson along with her older sisters Nelly and Mamie. In 1905, her family moved to Whitehorse where Bernardine lived for the next 51 years. At the age of 16, she was police matron at the police post. Her mother was later widowed and married Fred Langholtz who had a dray business in the store operated by John Sewell, and a fox farm across the river. In 1918, Bernadine married Thomas Cecil Richards at a ceremony officiated by Bishop Stringer.51 She was considered one of the most beautiful and talented young women of her generation. Known as the consummate host in their home, where many parties and social gatherings were held, she also worked at the Whitehorse Inn supervising staff.

Citations:

51 Whitehorse Star, 12 July 1958.