The little brickyard house, built in 1905 and nestled deep in Riverdale, was formally designated a municipal historic resource Tuesday.
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The house sits on the former site of the J.B. Little and Sons Brickyard.
The Littles were a prominent business family in Edmonton’s early history. They ran the brickyard from 1892 to 1990, were integral in Edmonton’s building industry and leaders in the community.
The Little family lived in the brickyard house for four generations and helped develop the Riverdale community.
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The city said few traces of the many industries that were situated on the flats of the North Saskatchewan River remain, making the brickyard house a significant landmark.
“The J.B. Little Brickyard House serves as a reminder of the changing use of the river valley in Riverdale from an area of industrial development to a residential neighbourhood,” the city said in a news release Wednesday.
It is now home to Little Brick café and general store.
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The house itself has “modest utilitarian design,” features a central gable roof, steps and landing constructed of brick, as well as beautiful brick detailing over some windows.
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A report to city council showed the request for designation came from the owners this past winter.
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“I think it’s a good news story,” Coun. Ben Henderson said in February. “It’s one of the real original buildings on which, in some ways, Riverdale was built.
“That’s where the Little Brickyard was and this was the house that was with it, the family was there. I think it’s been really nicely redeveloped into a coffee shop,” he said. “It’s just really encouraging to see someone say, ‘OK, let’s designate, let’s fix this place up.’”
For more information on the city’s Historic Resource Management Plan, click here.
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