RUBY SWITZER HOUSE
Firm: William G. Milne
Address: 2712 8 Street SW
Date: 1960
Status: standing as built
A photograph of this home's construction appears in the 15 January 1960 issue of the Calgary Herald on page 26 and cites Milne as the architect. The caption claims that it is the first steel-frame house in the city. I haven't been able to find the drawings in the William G. Milne fonds.
In 1956, Ruby's sister Dorothy and her husband Sam Katchen had commissioned a house in Mount Royal designed by Bill Milne (see Sam Katchen House). I suspect Ruby was introduced to Milne by her sister.
THE CLIENT
Ruby Switzer (1909–1992) was born on 9 December 1909 in Białystok, Poland to Sam Hanson (d. 1926) and Henya Hanson. In 1909 Sam immigrated to Canada and began working to earn money for his wife's ticket to Canada. In 1910 Henya sailed to Canada from Antwerp with her one-year-old daughter Ruby. In Calgary, Sam acquired a dairy farm and delivered milk. The Hansons had five other children: Dorothy (Katchen), Samuel, Hymie, Albert, and Morris.
Ruby Hanson married David Switzer (1905–1954), the son of Mendel Switzer and Bella Rosenzveig. Ruby Switzer died on 7 July 1992 at age 82.