Lives of the Kincaid residence
Electrical engineer, watchmaker, psychiatrist, city councilor, soldier, musician, nurse, home economics teacher, carpenter… Kincaid House has seen them all. Named after James Kincaid, the house at 924 Laurier Ave. is one of the oldest homes on the street; possibly the oldest. The parade of former and current owners and residents is a “who’s who” of folks who have all contributed to our town, and the house itself.
According to lifelong Kelowna resident Charley Adam, 924 Laurier Ave. first belonged to Henry Herbert “H.H.” Millie and his wife Carrie who came to Kelowna in 1905. The connection to the James Kincaid family is not firmly established. James Kincaid came to Kelowna with his wife Jane “Jean” in 1905. James was a carpenter by trade and it is believed that he built the house at 924 Laurier Ave. for the Millie family. James and Jean’s son John “Jack” Kincaid, a local schoolteacher and talented musician, enlisted in the First World War and was killed on Sept. 11, 1918, at the age of 28 years. His name appears on the local cenotaph in City Park.
H.H. Millie was an entrepreneur. An electrical engineer by trade he also opened a watch maker’s business, started a telephone system and served on Kelowna city council beginning in 1912. His Kelowna Telephone Exchange consisted of eight telephones; he was also the agent for the government telephone and telegraph system which eventually became part of BC Tel and then Telus. He passed away in Kelowna in 1917.
Subsequent owners were Josiah Adam Shier and his wife Matilda Kirk, who came to Kelowna in 1920. Josiah became a member of Kelowna City Council in 1926 and worked for the Irrigation District. For many years the family, including daughter Arabella “Belle,” ran the home as a boarding house. In 1940, Belle altered the second floor into suites, adding dormer windows to the west and east roof.
Many of the early large houses in Kelowna were rented out as rooming houses and some later turned into suites reflecting the economy and the necessity to do this in order to keep these large houses. The Kincaid house’s change in use is typical of what happened in Kelowna and in other communities after the First and Second World Wars. There are many examples of this in Kelowna such as the Cadder House, Muirhead House, Leckie House, etc.
The Statement of Significance for Leckie House, for example, records: “The conversion of the building to a duplex in 1944 tells us about the process of urban development and the changing urban landscape in Kelowna, in that it reflects both the wartime housing shortage and the decline of the area in favour of more outlying neighbourhoods, as many large houses in this area were converted to rooming houses and apartments.”
From 1945 to 1987, 924 Laurier saw eight different owners: William Wilson and Miss A.P. Wilson; George Arnold; Estelle Irene Richmond; Robert J Richmond; Soloduko Holdings Ltd; Wenngatz Construction and Nick Augostino.
In 1990 the large lot that the house sat on was subdivided into two lots and the house moved to its current location with a new foundation and full basement.
In the following 25 years, Kincaid House saw another five owners, each of whom made improvements and continued to offer suites for rent: Bob Groholski, Rudy Kraft, Aaron and Tanya McGoran and Lidia Schuster.
Architecturally speaking the house style is considered “Dutch Colonial Revival” with a truncated gable roof and two charming dormers. A cozy covered porch graces the front of the house along with a large wooden deck off the back. There are also two small decks off the second floor on the west and north sides of the house.
The west balcony sits on the roof of the dining room projection which in turn is the roof over the stairs to the basement suite. The south side of house is built of old Kelowna brick, the only use of old Kelowna brick on Laurier Avenue.
The current owners, Michael Morrow and Margot Pridham, purchased the house in July 2015. To date, they have completely renovated the kitchen as well as changed the basement suite from a bachelor to a one bedroom and rented it as a legal suite.
Michael and Margot have also undertaken many other projects: the windows are the original sash and most of these have now been restored to their original function by Robin Digby, Kelowna heritage window restoration expert. Three windows are glazed with a unique border of green and pink stained glass.
The overgrown weed-filled garden beds have been planted with perennials
and is a colourful work in progress. The roof, gutters and rear deck have been replaced and the exterior has been repainted in a heritage colour scheme based on the Benjamin Moore True Colours Historical Paint palette.
In progress now is the addition of balusters and spindles to the front porch in the original heritage style.
In 2020, Margot and Michael won a COHS Heritage Award for the conservation of the front porch and stairs and the ongoing conservation of this timeless home. In 2021 the Kelowna SouthCentral Association of Neighbourhoods (KSAN) placed an interpretive sign in the front boulevard garden; these signs can be seen on many Kelowna heritage buildings.
The Kincaid home has seen 17 different Canadian Prime Ministers come and go; quite a legacy. There is a lot of Kelowna history represented by 924 Laurier and if only the walls could talk. This home is another example of the long life, and many lives, of some of our heritage homes.
The Vancouver Heritage Foundation writes that “Demolishing a 2,500 sq. ft. house sends 60 tons of debris to the landfill.” Congratulations to those who lovingly maintained and rehabilitated this house for a variety of purposes over the decades.
No doubt Margot and Michael will have other projects over the coming years as 924 Laurier lives on.