The Rutherfords lived a ling and prosperous life in the house they built on Saskatchewan Drive, near the University of Alberta. But in 1940, Mattie Rutherford died. And her husband Alexander put the mansion up for sale. As historian Lisa Mort-Putland explains, Dr. Rutherford, Alberta?s first Premier, was now in his eighties and had recently suffered a stroke:

It?s a very large house: it?s 3500 square feet. So he certainly didn?t need to live here on his own. Also, at the time, because of the Depression, there were very few people who could afford such a large house. And so when it came time to sell the building, there were very few offers. Lots of interest, but not a lot of offers. So he eventually settled on a sum of 9500 dollars, and he sold the house to the Delta Upsilon Fraternity. And for the next twenty-nine years, this was home to twenty to twenty-five young men, all students. And the house became a frat house.

Long gone were the tea parties and social events of high society. Rutherford House took on a new role and a new look once the frat boys moved in.

The house was dearly loved by the young men, very well used and redecorated to their own style. The house in itself basically remained the same, except for the upper levels, which became study rooms for the boys, and the attic, which became their sleeping quarters.

But by the late 1960?s, the times were threatening yet another change for Rutherford House. With an ever-expanding student population resulting from the baby boom, the university had run out of space.

Early on in 1968, the Board of Governors decided that with the crisis that it was facing that it needed more land. And so it told all of the residents in the Garneau area that they were slating their homes for demolition. And it quickly began buying up properties so that it could use the land. Rutherford House was slated for demolition in 1968.

The university planned to build a new humanities building and a mall on the site of Rutherford House. But the community was outraged, and with the help of Hazel Rutherford McCuaig and the University Women?s Club, the fight was on to save this historic home.

On the Heritage Trail, I?m Cheryl Croucher.