Clara and Herbert Springate House (1912)

Built by contractor James Lord, 2024 marks the first time in the home’s 112-year history that it has been featured on the Homes Tour.  

Following a period of occupancy by various tenants, James Lord’s daughter Clara and her husband Herbert Springate, a lumber salesman, became the owners of this home during World War I, residing here for over 50 years. The house is a beautiful representation of Edwardian architecture, characterized by its steep-pitched, front-gabled roof and dormers, as well as sleeping porches that were  common during that era.   

The exterior exhibits classic Craftsman-style characteristics, with the front door positioned on one side and a triple window and transom on the opposite side. The gabled roof features a broad overhang and sizable shed dormers extending from the sides. The façade combines rectangular, course-pattern shingles, and clapboard siding, complemented by an expansive front porch supported by four square columns.

Inside, diamond-shaped windows in the east-facing dormer illuminate the bedroom closets with natural light. An upstairs balcony off the original master bedroom is framed by an elliptical archway with intricate keystone detailing.  

Significant updates include a new kitchen, powder room, and a substantial two-storey addition at the rear of the house, completed by the previous owners in 2006. They also added opulent pink draperies to the main floor and transformed the front yard into an ultra-low-maintenance oasis. 

The home’s original details, including woodwork, wainscoting, pocket doors, and fir floors between what would have been a front parlour (now a home office) and dining room (now a living room), have been meticulously preserved across generations; likely aided by the care of generational mother-daughter owners who helped maintain so many of the home’s original details.

The current owners are gradually leaving their mark, beginning with a stunning brass dining room chandelier sourced from a popular resale and social media platform. Their decision to graciously open their doors is a gesture of gratitude for the many years they spent admiring heritage homes on the tour, nurturing a dream of one day owning their own. Their generosity is especially remarkable, considering they have lived at 43 Sixth Street for less than two years.  

Article by: Anna Camporese

Presented by: Heritage New West