Lougheed House in Calgary
Lougheed House was once a private home of one of Alberta’s most influential families, the Lougheeds. Today it is a National Historic Site. The mansion is located in the Beltline area of Calgary, Alberta. Lougheed House was built in 1891 and known as Beaulieu when it was first built.
Lougheed House (Beaulieu) was built in 1891 and expanded in 1907. The scale of the house and furniture and art and antiques inside the house reflected the prestige of the Lougheed family. The Lougheed family was once among Calgary's most influential families. Their house was a political, artistic, and social centre of the burgeoning prairie town, and the mansion received many dignitaries and international visitors in its day.
Lougheed House Historya and Facts
James Lougheed was appointed to the Senate in 1889, and worked towards acquiring provincial status for Alberta in 1905. After the Conservative party victory in 1911, James Lougheed held a number of large real estate portfolios and was a very wealthy man. He was knighted in 1916 for his part in building hospitals and establishing social services for Canadian veterans. James Lougheed also vigorously supported the arts: he built Calgary's Lyric and Grand Theatres. Sir James Lougheed died in 1925.
Because of the Depression in 1929, the Lougheed estate was unable to pay the property taxes on its real estate holdings. In 1934, the City took ownership of the house; it was one of the many mansions that it acquired during the depression: many wealthy families couldn’t pay their debts. Lady Lougheed was permitted to remain in the house until her death in 1936. A public auction in 1938 saw all the contents of the mansion sold to antique dealers.
Lougheed House has continued to play many municipal functions since 1936.
In 1939, the house was the classroom for the Dominion-Provincial Youth Employment Training Program. Forty women lived at Lougheed House while they learnt nursing and housekeeping skills.
During the Second World War the house was used as barracks for the CWAC (Canadian Women’s Army Corps). It has been the headquarters for the Red Cross, a dormitory for returning women soldiers, and a blood donor clinic for the Red Cross before it was officially purchased by the province of Alberta in 1978.
Lougheed House is operated by the Lougheed House Conservation Society. The society is an independent, non-profit society that is committed to the preservation and public usage of the mansion and its gardens. The conservation society also runs a variety of educational programs (walking tours, luncheons, children’s programs). Lougheed House is available for rental for private events as well.
Explore Lougheed House, experience its grandeur and history, wander through the in the Beaulieu Gardens, and have a meal in The Restaurant or go to the Treasures Gift Shop.
Melissa Montgomery