There’s so much new construction in Chilliwack these days! We often long for “the good old days” when neighbourhoods were peaceful and established; like Kipp Avenue, in downtown Chilliwack, which is a quiet street with very little traffic. But back in the early 1900’s, it was booming! Chilliwack’s population was growing rapidly. Lots were being surveyed. Houses were being built. And trees were being planted!
In 1906, a house at 45723 Kipp Avenue appears on the fire insurance maps. It had a fine front porch, flanked by matching copper beech trees (Fagus sylvatica Atropurpurea ). Although I can’t confirm when the trees were planted, they appear on the 1954 aerial imagery from the City of Chilliwack web map and were already quite mature at that time. Today, they dwarf the 2-storey house which can barely be seen behind the purplish brown foliage. I think it is safe to estimate those two grand trees to be about 120 years old!
Image Credit: Debora Soutar
This house is labeled the Dundas House in the registry of heritage homes at the Chilliwack Archives and was owned by Mrs. Helen Dundas. She died in 1943 at the age of 90. Helen married David Swain Dundas on January 4, 1877, in Ingersoll, Ontario. They later moved to the United States for several years before coming to Ladner in 1896 and to Chilliwack in 1904.
In 1909-10, Mr. Dundas built the Royal hotel, retired in 1913, and died in 1931. Mrs. Dundas was a member of Cooke’s Presbyterian church and a charter member of the Seaford chapter of the IODE.
Susan M. Murray references the “two huge trees, the largest in Chilliwack” in her book,
Our Sylvan Heritage. It’s astonishing to think that these grand, stately shade trees are not protected in any way from being harmed or removed. I encourage you to make a point of visiting this site and consider all the things that have happened in the world over the past 120 years!
May the (urban) forest be with you.
Debora Soutar, RPF (Ret.)
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