Yukon Register of Historic PlacesYRHP

Smith House

Smith House

The Smith house was named after Jack Smith, the original purchaser of the lot. It is presumed that he built the house but there is photographic evidence suggesting the house may have been moved from White Pass land outside the townsite. In 1905, the year of its appearance on this lot, the house consisted of two sections that were later joined. Smith only stayed in the Yukon for two years.

Billy Shaw purchased the house in 1906. Shaw worked for BYN Co. as a port steward, a position he held for roughly twenty years. In 1907 Shaw divided the half lot in two, selling the house and 1/4 lot to William L. Lawton and his family. Lawton worked as a stableman for White Pass, eventually becoming stable foreman.

In 1909, the house was sold to A.P. Hawes, a veterinarian for White Pass and inspector for the Department of Agriculture. In 1923, White Pass stopped using horses on the stage route to Dawson and Hawes left the Yukon shortly thereafter. John E. French, a carpenter and undertaker, owned the house until 1941. The house changed hands numerous times after 1941 until it was purchased and refurbished by the City of Whitehorse in 1984.

At least two rear additions were made to this house. The first and largest was in place by 1905. The middle addition was in place by 1914. There is some physical evidence that doors and windows were moved and covered over. The present door on the south side of the building was originally a door, then became a window, and now a door again. A new basement was put under the building during the renovations in 1983-84. One of the windows on the south side of the building was replicated using the two front (east side) windows as models.[51]

Citations:

51: Rob Ingram, Midnight Arts, Whitehorse Heritage Building Report: Smith House, prepared for City of Whitehorse, April 1999. Personal Communication from Brent Riley, Historic Sites Unit, Government of Yukon.