Harris Family House

This house (WDM-1988-NB-58) was built in 1915 by Richard Barlow Harris for his wife Hattie (née Borden). The couple moved to Saskatchewan from Nova Scotia in 1906 for the sake of Richard’s health. Shortly after arriving in Fielding, Richard opened a successful hardware and general store. 

In 1915, Richard’s health deteriorated and he took up farming on the advice of his doctor so that he could spend more time outdoors. He began to purchase parcels of land near Fielding, intending to move onto one of the farms with a pre-existing house on the land. Shortly before the couple planned to move, a fire broke out and burnt the house to the ground.  

With no house to move to, Hattie began to draw up plans for a new one and hired a contractor from North Battleford to build it. Hattie and Richard moved into the house in the fall of 1915 with their children. 

The Harris family remained in this house until 1981, when Richard’s grandson left the farm, leaving the house empty. It was donated to the WDM in 1988.

Image: Richard Harris in front of the Harris family house.

Specs 

Architectural Style: Arts and Crafts and Georgian Revival with Nova Scotian influences. 

Layout is Georgian style, with four main rooms downstairs flanking a central hallway. 

Original mouldings, doors, and registers throughout the house.