Kenneth Brown
of The Clarion
The family responsible for the Addison Sod House has received a Lieutenant Governor’s Heritage Award for its long-term stewardship of a provincial heritage property.
Two granddaughters of James Addison, the man who built the historic sod house between 1909 and 1911, were at Government House in Regina on June 14 to accept the award.
Photo by Pam Lamon
Shirley Kucher (right) of Kindersley holds the Lieutenant Governor’s Heritage Award she, her husband and cousin Lenore McTaggart (centre) of Lloydminster received at Government House in Regina June 14 for their family’s long-term stewardship of the Addison Sod House. Kucher and McTaggart were joined by the Lieutenant Governor, Vaughn Solomon Schofield (left) for the photo.
The awards night is held each year to recognize the dedication of building owners, the wisdom and skill of designers and builders, the commitment of heritage workers and creative people – essentially, all those who contribute to Saskatchewan’s living heritage.
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Lenore McTaggart, a resident of Lloydminster and granddaughter to Addison, is the now registered owner of the property and she still spends weekends at the home.
She was joined at the event by her cousin Shirley Kucher, a long-time resident of Kindersley.
The awards were presented by Lieutenant Governor Vaughn Solomon Schofield, herself, a special honour for the Addison family members.
The Lieutenant Governor Heritage Awards are presented for architectural conservation, architectural rehabilitation, long-term stewardship of a heritage property and education, heritage events and publishing. There were 10 awards handed out, including one to the Saskatchewan Legislative Building Dome conservation project.
Two members of the committee working to form a Friends of Addison Sod House (FASH) group, a group that’s looking to take over the sod house property and to help preserve it for future generations, were also at the award ceremony.
The Addison Sod House is both a provincial heritage property and a national historic site. It is the only sod house from its time that’s known to have descendants of the builder still living in it. And the way the sod house was built gives it additional historical significance.
McTaggart said she and Kucher, whose husband has been helping to maintain the sod house and its property for several years, arrived at Government House just on time for the event. She said it was proud moment for her, her cousin and the whole family.
“We’re very proud and honoured to have received this award,” she said, recognizing her grandfather would be thrilled to know the family has received an award for being stewards of the sod house he built more than 100 years ago. “It was just an extra special moment for us to have received this award in Canada’s 150th (year).”
McTaggart said she could recall riding her bike with Kucher from the homestead where she lived near the sod house to visit their grandfather when she was a child, and that she has a lot of memories of the property from over her life. Of course, the sod house has been a home to her for several years.
She noted that her grandfather lived in the sod house until about the time of his death in the early 1960s, and then her aunt Edith Gardiner took over the house and property before she ended up with the property several years later.
The property owner said she had never been to Government House and she had never met a lieutenant governor, so it was a big honour for her in more ways than one. She said she and her cousin had a good time at the event, and two of her children were in the crowd.
A member of the FASH steering committee filled out and submitted the application to honour the family for its long-term stewardship of the home. McTaggart said when she first found out about the award, she was struck by an overwhelming sense of pride.
She noted that the sod house is the only one in Canada still standing today that was built by a pioneer, and the only one with a second floor. She knows of just one other sod house in North America that is standing and was built by a pioneer, but that sod house is part of a museum collection in Oklahoma.
McTaggart said she hopes the recognition helps the FASH committee to build momentum to aid the group’s efforts to assess and preserve the sod house. The Addison family is working with FASH to transfer the property to new stewards.
Kucher said it was a lovely ceremony in Regina. After the awards were handed out, people were able to tour Government House and spend time mingling with other guests. According to Kucher, there were about 150 people on hand for the ceremony.
The Kindersley resident said she also felt as though it was a huge honour for her and McTaggart to receive the award on behalf of the family. She said it was a great privilege to accept the heritage award in person. Kucher said she has wonderful memories of the property but it was always just a part of the family.
“You live with it because it was my granddad’s when we were young,” she said, recognizing that family members have realized the historical significance of the house. “Later on in life, they realized how important it was the way he had built it.”
She noted that the family is grateful the structure was built so well. Addison enclosed the original sod structure in the 1920s.
Kucher said she is very proud of the property and its historical significance, and her husband has enjoyed taking care of the house and property through the years.
Michelle McMillan and Fay Krenz were the two FASH members who travelled to Regina on June 14. Krenz, who completed and submitted the application, said she believed the award would be the perfect fit for the family due to its ongoing commitment to the house.
McMillan said it was important for the family to be recognized for its efforts because older structures are often taken for granted and neglected, but the original sod structure is in place despite natural deterioration through the years.
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