1
The General Store is now called the Whitehouse because it is painted white. Its history is a bit uncertain and more research is required as there are three possibilities:1) Its is the original Hudsons Bay store built in the 1860's
2) Barrington Price used the logs from the original Hudsons Bay store to build it in 1878.
3) Barrington Price used new log construction to build it in 1878.
In any event, the log store was there by 1878 and used until the Mill shut down in 1895.
2
John Coulhart converted the store into a home and added a west wing in 1894. An East wing was added sometime later maybe 1906; of sawn frame construction ( a sawmill was operational on the Similkameen by 1904).Coulhart sold the property to W H Armstrong in 1905 who ranched the land. By 1912, when the first photograph of the Whitehouse is known, it was painted (or likely whitewashed) and had a south kitchen added. There were also several out-buildings including a milkhouse. An apple storage building built into the ground as a root cellar was added by 1910.
3
Log Store Convert to the Whitehouse20th Century, Circa 1912
Whitehouse at Keremeos Creek, Keremeos British Columbia, Canada
Credits:Grist Mill Collection
4
A number of families called the Whitehouse home even after the Province purchased the property in 1979. Still, few photographs of the Whitehouse exist.During the1980's restoration, the southern kitchen was removed.
5
When the Millar Group took over the operations of the site in 2009, a number of items for the Whitehouse were addressed. Firstly, the fire suppression system that caused flooding in 2008 repair was started.6
The 1980 Whitehouse and Mill fire supression system20th Century, circa 1980
Whitehouse at Keremeos Creek, Keremeos British Columbia, Canada
Credits:Jim Millar
7
Restoration of the Eastwing of the Whitehouse continued by removing the lathe and plaster addition on the log wall in the staff room8
Preparing the 1906 doorframe after removal of lathe and plaster on the east wing of the Whitehouse27 December 2010
Whitehouse at Keremeos Creek, Keremeos British Columbia, Canada
Credits:Jim Millar
9
Installation of door hinges into the 1906 East Wing frame of the Whitehouse20th Century, cica 1906
Whitehouse at Keremeos Creek, Keremeos British Columbia, Canada
Credits:John Millar
10
1980 log wall restoration using motar chinking20th Century, circa 1980
Whitehouse at Keremeos Creek, Keremeos British Columbia, Canada
Credits:Jim Millar
11
Detail of earthen chinking used by Millar Group on Eastwing south restoration18 May 2011
Whitehouse at Keremeos Creek, Keremeos British Columbia, Canada
Credits:Jim Millar
12
The drop drywal; lathe and plaster ceilings were removed and the 1906 wood ceiling patched.29 December 2011
Whitehouse at Keremeos Creek, Keremeos British Columbia, Canada
Credits:Jim Millar
13
The Whitehouse shingle roof was replaced with cedar shakes in 2011. When the shingles were removed, details of the roof construction was revealed.The original 1877 pine shake roof is still on the log section - a second roof was added over top. The Westwing has whip sawn boards. The Centre log section has circular sawn boards the same as the 1906 Eastwing.
14
Whitehouse roof before shingle replacement 201130 October 2011
Whitehouse at Keremeos Creek, Keremeos British Columbia, Canada
Credits:Jim Millar
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