Allied Arts Centre house tours, 1959–1969
Annually from 1959 to 1969, the Women’s Committee of the Allied Arts Centre hosted a house tour. The tour always took place in September, with the exception of 1962, when it was held in June. All tours featured five houses. This event is a great example of the kind of work voluntary associations did in the post-War era. It also demonstrates the high level of social trust that existed then. Today it’s impossible to imagine Calgary’s wealthiest letting strangers tour their homes.
The tours were reported extensively in the “World of Women” section of the Calgary Herald. The coverage was most comprehensive in 1960 when staff writer Karen Miller profiled each of the five houses and their owners.
Most of the houses included in the tours were relatively new when shown. Furthermore, they were among the most elegant and expensive homes in the city. Although not intended as an architecture event, the tours none the less showcased some of Calgary’s most interesting and original houses of the time. A total of 54 houses were displayed over the 11 years (the Gustavson house was shown two years). Several of the houses are also featured on this website.
I’ve listed all of the homes included in the tours along with their addresses. Also, for each year I’ve compiled the newspaper reports on the event.
First annual – 10 September 1959
H. Davidman – 2104 10 Street SW
J. J. Stattler – 2220 Hope Street SW
N. A. MacPhee – 4415 Britannia Drive SW
J. J. Schumiatcher – 812 Madison Avenue SW
George L. McMahon – estate
Second annual – 8 September 1960
E. R. Barnett – 200 Malibou Road SW
Charles R. Hetherington – 1305 Glenmore Trail SW
Linden J. Richards – 46 Medford Place SW
L. W. Caspell – 4811 14A Street SW
Wilbur Griffith – 38 Discovery Vista Point SW
Third annual – 7 September 1961
Norman E. Gustavson – 1104 Baldwin Crescent SW
Jack M. Moon – 5815 Elbow Drive SW
Frank L. Sparks – 920 Riverdale Avenue SW
J. M. Boyd – 635 Sifton Boulevard SW
Samuel Katchen – 804 Hillcrest Avenue SW
Fourth annual – 14 June 1962
J. J. Simpson – 812 Riverdale Avenue SW
Norman E. Gustavson – 1104 Baldwin Crescent SW
Samuel Hashman – 1100 Baldwin Crescent SW
A. D. Kingsford – 14 Street s. of Anderson Road
Ross Calder – 14 Street s. of Anderson Road
Fifth annual – 11 September 1963
Robert C. Armin – 18 Eagle Ridge Drive SW
Clinton W. Roenisch – 102 Eagle Ridge Drive SW
Morris Hector – 53 Massey Place SW
Nicholas Hardinge – 716 Elbow Drive SW
Richard A. Locke – 1242 Lansdown Avenue SW
Sixth annual – 29 September 1964
R. A. Orr – 2823 Linden Avenue SW
M. A. Sager – 2356 Longridge Drive SW
Wilder H. Ripley – 5909 Elbow Drive SW
Dave A. Scatcherd – 509-815 50 Avenue SW
William Switzer – 3624 13A Street SW
Seventh annual – 29 September 1965
L. I. Brown – 155 Eagle Ridge Drive SW
B. H. Gelfand – 1025 Bel-Aire Drive SW
Jack Abugov – 1243 Bel-Aire Drive SW
Matt Newell – 1014 Prospect Avenue SW
Max Bell – 1031 Durham Avenue SW
Eighth annual – 7 September 1966
Ellis V. Keith – 615 Willow Brook Drive SE
N. W. French – 431 Willow Grove Crescent SE
Merle J. Derochie – 6725 Laird Court SW
M. B. Longinotto – 718 Riverdale Avenue SW
Abram A. Shelly – 946 Rideau Road SW
Ninth annual – 20 September 1967
E. J. Madill – 3243 Alfege Street SW
A. P. Fishman – 1101 Baldwin Crescent SW
Gordon Gibbs – 178 Springwood Drive SW
Harry Cohen – 1311 Cabot Street SW
W. D. Graham-Brown – 715 Sifton Boulevard SW
Tenth annual – 18 September 1968
W. G. Pattemore – 167 Eagle Ridge Drive SW
Morris Kowall – 1239 Bel-Aire Drive SW
R. C. McMichael – 6907 Livingston Drive SW
E. D. D. Tavender – 724 54 Avenue SW
G. A. Blum – estate
Eleventh annual – 24 September 1969
Maurice Sunderland – 6119 Belvedere Road SW
Frank Stewart – 10716 Fairmount Drive SE
John Fuller – 2331 Longridge Drive SW
D. C. Jones – 1411 Beverley Place SW
A. W. R. Carrothers – 1356 Montreal Avenue SW
