McFarlane Residence

The McFarlane Residence is valued as one of several residences constructed by the Hammond Cedar Company for its mill workers who had served overseas during the First World War. This area of Hammond was once known as 'Swede Row,' named for the Swedish families that lived along this street, reflective of the multi-cultural nature of the wood products workforce in the early twentieth century.

The community of Hammond can be characterized by its relationship to the commercial and industrial activity that still occurs in the area. Settlers were originally attracted to Hammond due to the opportunities provided by the junction of water and rail transportation. The ease of transportation in the community provided a natural draw for the lumber industry in the early twentieth century. Many immigrant groups and individuals, attracted by the lumber mill's demand for labour, settled their families in the affordable homes in the townsite of Hammond. The association of the community to industry is valued because of the small number of historic industrial sites remaining in Maple Ridge. Noted for its growth relative to that of the company, the connection between community and industry creates a unique pattern of expansion in the community.

The modest size of the McFarlane Residence is indicative not only of the influence of the Craftsman style fashionable at the time, but also of the fast paced construction and economic situation that followed the end of the First World War, when houses such as this were built to accommodate both returning soldiers and a growing immigrant workforce. This house was built by the Hammond Cedar Company; McFarlane, the first resident, occupied this house while working as a sawyer at the mill.

The McFarlane Residence is also valued as a representative example of the popularity of the Craftsman bungalow, which became the most widespread local residential style. It is exemplified in the full open front verandah and tapered columns that are hallmarks of the style.