Landmark Building
RAYMOND CLIFFORD RESIDENCE
314 – 4 Avenue East, High River
Built in 1914
'); "Raymond Clifford Residence")
In 1886, Bert Wilder, a cowboy from Chicago, was contracted by the Powder River Cattle Company to trail a herd of cattle to "The Crossing". He stayed on in the area and later worked at the Bar U Ranch as wagon boss eventually becoming a foreman at the Eden Valley Ranch. At the turn of the century, he left ranching to homestead four miles north of High River. He began construction of this house in town in 1914.
The present owner of the house, Mr. Raymond Clifford, has also had close association with the ranching industry and, in particular, with the Bar U, one of Alberta's largest and most famous ranches. His father worked for the Bar U for a number of years while Raymond himself also served there as Ranch Manager for Pat Burns. This house is a reminder of High River's dependency, both past and present, on the livestock industry.
This large and imposing brick home was built in the Georgian Revival Style popular across Canada in the early twentieth century. The truncated hipped roof, symmetrical front facade, square plan shape with few projections, and the large dormer are common in this style. The open front verandah resting on turned supports and the brick surfacing both serve to emphasize the solidity and grandeur of this beautiful home.
The Landmark Buildings and Places Database draws on the series of walking and/or driving tour booklets produced by Alberta Culture (now Alberta Culture and Community Spirit). The Heritage Community Foundation gratefully acknowledges the support of the Ministry through permission to reprint these materials online. Extracted from A Walking Tour of High River. Heritage Inventory Program, Alberta Culture, and Town of High River, with permission from Alberta Culture and Community Spirit. Visit the Alberta Culture and Community Spirit for more information. Visit the Alberta Culture and Community Spirit for more information.