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2007

Heritage 2007: Places for People - Our Heritage of the Everyday

As its heritage education theme in 2007, the Heritage Canada Foundation decided to identify and feature the lesser-known but important structures of Canada. This involved delving into the histories of communities where buildings are located as well as the characters and places that shaped them.

Heritage places of the everyday—our vernacular architecture—can be as familiar as the corner store, small town bakery, or church on the Prairies. Yet when it comes to defining exactly what vernacular architecture means, it is not easy to come up with a universal definition.

The word vernacular was originally used by linguists to mean the “native language of a region” as opposed to a superior (often imposed) language like Latin or Greek. Architectural historians borrowed “vernacular” to mean the native architecture of a region.

Vernacular architecture is a form of building that is distinctive to the region where it is practised, based on local needs and preferences. It is an aspect of cultural expression rooted in a particular place, a set of values, and sometimes in an institution.

Across Canada there is a wealth of vernacular heritage—some recognized, some undiscovered. This selection of 12 vernacular buildings and places described below is a starting point to explore historical riches in other communities, large cities, small towns and villages, and every place in between. These buildings differ from coast to coast, region to region, in style, materials, and purpose. Vernacular heritage helps to define and, in turn, is defined by the place in which it was built and the individuals who built it.

Despite the romance and charm of much vernacular architecture, these structures were built to be used. Their purposes are many, but they seem to fit into simple categories: Where we settle, where we grow, what we need, where we live, where we work, where we do business, where we learn, and where we worship. Each building in the selection had an original purpose and remarkably many continue to function as originally intended.

As these buildings and stories show, vernacular heritage buildings are often taken for granted and frequently undervalued. Many of these structures have had close calls and were very nearly demolished. Some hold on to life by a slim thread, ignored and generally forgotten.

We hope that this project contributes to a greater appreciation for what vernacular heritage means to Canadians and our communities. Everyday buildings and places are the link to our history and shared experience. Vernacular heritage architecture is a legacy that helps us understand ourselves. It is a legacy the Heritage Canada Foundation considers worth conserving and passing on.

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2007

Past Themes