11701 96 St.

This one story clinker brick house was built in 1927. Clinker bricks are found at the outer edges of a stack during the firing process. Being nearer to the heat source they were over-fired, burnt and misshapen, giving them a unique appearance. In most cases the clinker bricks were thrown away, but in the 1920s the bricks became more valued for the unique aesthetic they provided and were a popular building feature.

The design of the house speaks to the modest means of local residents. The one story bungalow was owned by James Rutherford, the owner of a local hardware store only a few blocks away at 9574-118th Avenue.

Rutherford was an active community member who played an integral role in the development of the community league, for example by hosting executive meetings in his hardware store in the evenings. As a local merchant, Rutherford was an important local resident, especially during the Depression when the kindness and generosity of local merchants helped many to survive.

He lived in this house from its construction in 1927 until 1935.