Building Location:
5128 Fifth Avenue
Whitehorse, YT
Location Context:
The Cyr house occupies the 500 block of Wood Street, significant for its concentration of heritage homes. Refer to the Chinery House; the Harvey House; and the McKinnon House
Description:
Two Storey Log Structure with Stucco Exterior Finish
Architectural History:
The building is a two storey squared log house with gable roof. A stucco finish covers the exterior along with a Tudor style façade. The front façade has a gabled roof entry. The foundation is a wood sill construction.
In 1965 a new exterior stucco finish was added.
Cultural History:
This house was built in 1907 by Antoine and Mike Cyr for the McGee family. Although it was stuccoed over in 1965 the structure consists of hand-hewn squared logs. The McGee family occupied the house for only a short period, vacating the premises in 1912.
The Cyr family resided in the house for a number of years after the McGees vacated it in 1912.
In 1917 the house was occupied by Joe Wilson, a fuel agent for White Pass, who drowned in the Yukon River near Five Finger Rapids in the 1920’s. Norman Murray and his family lived in the house until the 1930’s. Murray worked as a carpenter in the White Pass shipyards.
The house was utilized for a brief period of time in the early 1950’s as a teacherage. In the 1960’s Tip Mah, a restaurant proprietor, purchased the house for use as a staff residence for his restaurant employees. It has been used as a Bed & Breakfast since 1998.