“This was the first concrete block house to be built in Chilliwack. Starting in 1909 William Walker began to manufacture the blocks, then hired Ernest Mill to assemble them. This was the prototype for a number of others that Hill went on to build. The Chilliwack Progress of February 28, 1912 reported “Walker… has the satisfaction… of knowing his work is a permanency and should last many decades after he has ceased to need it”. In the 1940’s the house was owned by the Count and Countess Van Rechteren, who named it ” Zoeterwoude” after a village in Holland; Princess Juliana was one of the visitors to the house during the Second World War. The house was designated a Heritage House in 1989.
(Page 15,The District of Chilliwack Heritage Inventory, Chilliwack Heritage Advisory Committee, 1991, Chilliwack Museum and Archives reference collection)
Photograph by Ted Sauriol February 2014
The Chilliwack Progress of February 28, 1912 reported “Walker… has the satisfaction… of knowing his work is a permanency and should last many decades after he has ceased to need it”. In the 1940’s the house was owned by the Count and Countess Von Rechteren, who named it “Zoetermeer” after a village in Holland; Princess Juliana was one of the visitors to the house during the Second World War. The house was designated a Heritage House in 1989.
Question: In the 1930s issues of The Chilliwack Progress the Walker House was regularly identified as “Zoeterwoude”, not once as “Zoetermeer”. Has anyone referenced this carefully? Also, the surname is actually Van Rechteren, not Von Rechteren, the Von is a German prefix for its nobility. Your attention is appreciated.
Hi Albert.
I know this has taken me forever to rectify but I have made the changes you have observed were incorrect.
Cheers
Ted