Mickey Mouse Houses in Warfield LOC -CCASTL} FC/3fim/yE7/N41 C. 1 NELSON-, P A T T I STUDY OF THE tllCKEY Pattl nb/12^2fla HOUSE HOUSES Kelson A n t r o p o l o g y - 101 A p r i l , 1976. S t u d y o f t h e Mickey Mouse Houses i n W a r f i e l d , B.C. Note: A S you sug[':ested, I expanded my t e r m paper f r o m li:.st t e r m . I f e l t t h e o n l y way t o do j u s t i c e t o the p r o j e c t was t o i n c l u d e x^hat I had v . r i t t e n l a s t t e r m and combine i t i n t o one p r o j e c t SBW« cmiKi w t m Table o f C o n t e n t s f Subject Page Kap shovri-ng l o c a t i o n o f V,^ r f i e l c i 1 Introduction History 2 Houses 6 Peaked Poof (1) p 2 • . ' 16 P e a k e d Roof (2) ' Hip Roof 2 0 32 Cottage S t y l e P i c t u r e s o f C o t t a g e S t y l e house ^ f ' k-0 Carl#s Vferfield 43 Conclusion 46- Bibliography 47 r SIUORK COUEGI UWARY O. 5 A Tadanac Trail Cominco Warfield w i t h t h e g i v e n / a i t t o p o i o g y R e p o r t , I decided t o do a s t u d y o f the c'eveiopment (shovm i n p h o t o s ) and t h e st^'-le o f Houses i n the V i l l a g e o f W a r f i e l d . T h i s s u b j e c t i n t e r e s t e d me n o t o n l y becsuse o f the u n i q u e s t y l i r g b u t a l s o the v a r i a t i o n s t h a t can be found v / i t h i n one style. s v a r f i e i d i s loci-:ted a p p r o x i m a t e l y T r a i l Bnd t h r e e mAles v/est o f t h e v/hoie area i s v e r y p r o s p e r o u s h e a v i l y dependent upon t h e Cominco o p e r a t i o n s . P o p u l a t i o n growth was w i t h the creation o f a u t o m a t i o n , a number o f heavy, but j o b s had been l o s t r e s u l t i n g i n a c o m p a r i t i v e i y s t a b l e p o p u l a t i o n growth. B e i n g the l a r g e s t i n d u s t r i a l complex i n B.C. Lower M a i n l a n d , outside of the people moved i n l o o k i n g f o r j o b s o c c u p y i n g the s u r r o u n d i n g a r e a s : R o s s l a n d , M o n t r o s e , T r a i l , Tadanac, V m r f i e l d , and several unincorporated communities. History B e f o r e 1920, Comdnco u n d e r t o o k s o l e l y the p r o d u c t i o n of m e t a l s . Large amounts o f carbon d i o x i d e v/as d i s c h a r g e d int® t h e a i t due t o t h e process o f m e t a l s e p a r a t i o n . S u l f u r d i - o x i d e v/as a l s o emi\tti*dd i n t o t h e a i r , g i v i n g : a v e r y p l e a s a n t s m e l l and killing the v e g e t a t i o n un- toythe surrounding Board o f I n t e r n a t i o n a l J o i n t Commission encountered hillside. The t h i s problem and demanded t h a t t h e gas be e l i m i n a t e d , l i f t e r much t h o u g h t and problem was experim.entation by Comdnco i n 1929, the s o l v e d . They l e a r n e d hovi t o c a p t u r e t h e gas and change i t i n t o s u l f u r i c a c i d combined v / i t h s y n t h e t i c ammonia and phosphate roclcfrom. Montana t o produce chemical fertilizer Virith t h e a d d i t i o n o f t h e new f e r t i l i z e r p l a n t , t h e r e was an i n c r e a s e i n t h e number o f employees. Many people were p l a c e d in a p a r t m e n t houses i n T r a i l , b u t t h e r e was s t i l l a major problem, t o be s o l v e d - v/here vmre people g o i n g t o l i v e . The em.ployees pleaded v / i t h Com.inco f o r accomadation so t h e y c o u l d r e m a i n i n T r a i l and c o n t i n u e employment w i t h t h e company. F i n a l l y Cominco r e c o g n i z e d t h e need and tSfth ^'Ql^ion t o c o n s t r u c t a lox'/ c o s t h o u s i n g p r o j e c t . They r e a l i z e d people's needs and vitth t h e 1 9 2 9 Depression** t h e i r f i n a n c e s . In 1 9 3 ^ , one hundred and f i f t y houses v^ere c o n s t r u c t e d i n Upper w a r f i e l d . The b i d was g i v e n t o a f i r m o u t o f Vancouver and M r f W i l l i a m s headed t h e p r o j e c t . There were f o u r ma.:jor d e s i g n s vriath v a r i a t i o n s and t h e c o s t f o r egch was around $2400. Ten houses were b u i l t i n Lovj-er W a r f i e l d v d t h "WWylng s t r u c t u r e and m . a t e r l a l t o see w h i c h v/ould be more s u i t a b l e f o r t h e p r o j e c t . The i n i t i a l p r i c e i n c l u d e d a f i n i s h e d main f l o o r , an u n f i n i s h e d a p s t a i r s , and a cem.ent basement . I n c l u d e d a l s o was t h e one hundred and f i f t y f o o t l o t t h e house vras t o be c o n s t r u c t e d on. The landsca-ping v/as t^testher t h i n g l e f t up t o t h e ovmer. Upper i V a r f i e l d was s u i t a b l y naimed M i c k e y Mouse Tovm t o j u s t i f y t h e f o u r d e s i g n s o f t h e houses b u i l t as you w i l l see In t h e diagrams t o f o l l o w . A l l t h e houses have sh;.rp s l o p i n g r o o f s , l i t t l e v/indows and d o o r s emphasizing t h e t y p i c a l Mickey Mouse s t y l e . Employees were g i v e n t h e i r c h o i c e o f d e s i g n s b u t had t© w a i t t h e i r t u r n t o see.xvhat l o c a t i o n t h e y would g e t , Somie people were v e r y unhappy w i t h t h e i r l o c a t i o n s as V / a r f i e l d i s v e r y hilly a n d l o c a t i o n was I m p o r t a n t w i t h r e s p e c t t o w a l k i n g driving ijnd distances. M o s t o f t h e p e o p l e d i d n o t have t h e $2i400.00 so Cominco worked out c e r t a i n arrangements. The company b o r r o w e d money from, t h e p e n s i o n p l a n and t h e n m o r g a g e d t h e homxes t o t h e e m p l o y e e s on a f i f t e e n y e a r p l a n . A f t e r f i f t e e n y e a r s o f p a y ing thirty d o l l a r s a m o n t h , a f a m i l y c o u l d own t h e i r t o own i t e a r l i e r or I f t h e y wanted own home c o u l d p; y l a r g e r portions per month. In Lower W a r f i e l d p e o p l e who c o u l d and still some l a r g e r afford homes w e r e b u i l t f o r those t o p a y more money. T h i s a r e a v/as, I s , knov/n as B e a v e r Bend. I t seems t h a t of Warfield, a t t h i s time, l i k e d to affliate t h e peor)le their surroundings w i t h w e l l known p e o p l e o r t h i n g s . For e g m p l i i e b e s l d e s M i c k e y mouse t o w n b e i n g named a f t e r Walt Disney's " M i c k e y Mouse", t h e s t r e e t s w e r e named c f t e r f a m o u s p o e t s such. o.s D i c k e n s , Shakespeare, e t c . After the f i r s t st.Lge o f M i c k e y Mouse Tovm was completfc.d, t h e S e c o n d Vvorld War commenced -.nd h a l t e d a n y f u r t h e r progress on h o u s i n g . When t h e w a r was o v e r a n o t h e r p o r t i o n o f M i c k e y Mouse Town was c o n s t r u c t e d , nam.ed " M i n n i e Mouse Town", t h e houses b e i n g s m a l l e r b u t s i m i l a r t o M i c k e y Mouse houses, w i t h i n a. s h o r t t i m e M i n n i e M'ouse h o u s e s v/ere f o u n d t o be i r a p r c i C t l c a l because o f t h e l i m i t e d amount o f sp^-ce. The stc.:,lrs l e a d i n g u p s t a i r s h a d t o be o n l y a l a d d e r so t h e s i z e o f t h e k i t c h e n would n o t be c u t down. T o d a y M i c k e y Mouse Town I s n o t as v r t d e i y known b y t h i s name b u t s o n l y a p ^ ^ r t o f W a r f i e l d . The h o u s e s have changed Minnie Mouse house r" \ Houses The f o l l o w i n g p&ges i n c l u d e t h e b l u e p r i n t s o f t h e f o u r b a s i c d e s i g n s o f t h e houses b u i l t i n Upper W a r f i e l d , a l l t h e houses c o s t t h e same, h-.id b a s i c a l l y t h e same f l o o r p l a n s , t h e Sc^me l o t s i z e , t h e m.ain d i f f e r e n c e b e i n g t h e shapes o f t h e r o o f s . A f t e r experim.enting Vvith t e n i n i t i a l houses i n Lov;er War f i e l d , p r i o r t o b u i l d i n g M i c k e y Mouse Town t h e m a t e r i a l s best s u i t e d f o r t h e d e s i r e d house v;as f o u n d . F i r was f o u n d t o be t h e b e s t f o r t h e I n s i d e w a l l s and c e i l i n g s w h i l e e d g e - g r a i n e d c o a s t a l f i r v/as b e s t f o r t h e f l o o r s , t h e f o r d e s i g n s were: 1 | Peaked Roof Design - m^ore o r l e s s a r e c t a n g u l a r sh._r.pe 2) Peaked Roof 2 - r e c t a n g u l a r v d t h an exten- s i o n piece g i v i n g I t v a r i a t i o n 3 ) Hip Roof - r e c t a n g u l a r and has a f i n i s h e d type design f o r t h e vdndov/s end t h e d o o r s h) Cottage S t y l e - w i t h an e x t e n t l o n and many m©re vd_ndo\\'S These f o u r d e s i g n s a r e b r o k e n up f u r t h e r f o r v a r iations within themselves. 1 ) Peaked Roof T h i s d e s i g n o f house v/as t h e s i m p l e s t from^ t h e o u t s i d e .Front vie\ v/as b a s i c a l l y t h e f r o n t door and a vdndow v;hile t h e back has o n l y one windov/ u p s t a i r s v d t h a s m i d l e r one d o v m s t a i r s . The m a i n f l o o r c o n s i s t s o f a bedroom, b a t h - room, k i t c h e n and l i v i n g - r o o m . I t c o n t a i n s a f u l l and u p s t a i r s l e f t f o r t h e ovmer t o f i n i s h A variation basement themselves. o f t h i s d e s i g n i s shovm a l s o . The house i s extended g i v i n g i t more f l o o r space. The f r o n t sists of a con- f r o n t e n t e r a n c e v d t h vdndoxvs on each side.As v;e move around t h e back t h e r e i s one l a r g e window and two sm.aller ones v d t h a v e r y s m a l l vdndow i n t h e basement. The s i d e viev/ of t h i s v a r i a t i o n shows t h e s i d e d o o r , a vri.ndow and, u n l i k e t h e o r i g i n a l d e s i g n an u p s t a i r s vdndow. the v a r i a t i o n Agin the f l o o r plan o f i s v e r y m.uch l i k e t h a t o f t h e d e s i g n . Ft^®3at viev/ o f peaked r o o f d e s i g n 2/ V rjucco X :/ I r I hi I ^ L Back v i e w o f Peaked r o o f d e s i g n I 7 -1—1- No-re ' SO// graai'e /oA^.^ . X. t c i . r v c u design "V. ACROSS (Z>" S'TUD •PA^T"' --iON D E T A I L OF ,^.E1L1M5 J C ' S T S ^VgR,,, S " . 5 X U D F - ' - ^ X J T J J O M . . . ^ \ 'It I I I I I I I J_J I I .e ttori > 1 I ^'1 4 SAi/Z/ers <0 , 7 A^0 7-.i5T'hg'se e'/ev^t?//ons a/^yOrox//r7<7/(f/^ /pkv/ /oAs. I I I I I i Ll i6 -V2 ^4 or L (\Q_^\o^Y^ . z - AVOID BB.EAk.lN(4 IN T" SKJION 7 ' - G V 2 " 4 J^' WlMDOWf. ^te..^.V.,. - - - 1 V \ L:.^ W ^ ^ , 3 ) K i p Roof This s t j l e style it c o n s i s t s o f , as a l l do, t h r e e f l o o r s . The o f t h i i s house i s c h a r a c t e r i z e d by t l i e sli£ pe o f t h e r o o f , c u r v e s i ; round t h e doors and s l a n t s o f f a t t h e s i d e s , Win- doxfs o f t h i s s t y l e a r e b i g and on e i t h e r s i d e o f t h e rounded door.The back shov/s t h e windows on t h e main f l o o r and one on t h e b o t t o m f l o o r . The s i d e s shov/ a VY'lndov^r on t h e m a i n f l o o r , one on t h e upper f l o o r , and one on t h e b o t t o m f l o o r . T h e d e s i g n s have one bedroom, ©n t h e m a i n f l o o r , k i t c h e n bathroom., end l i v i n g room. The b-.sem.ent i s u n f i n i s h e d as i s t h e u p s t a i r s . There a r e two v a r i a t i o n s o f t h i s on d e s i g n . One shov/s an extension on t h e f r o n t w i t h t h e door on one s i d e and t h e tv/o v/indov;s t o g e t h e r . The same f l o o r - p l a n i s p r e s e n t i n t h i s v a r i a t i o n , T h e second v - . r i a t i o n does n o t have an e x t e n s i o n on t h e f r o t . The s i d e s and back v i e w s a r e t h e sa.me f o r a l l v a r iations. P'ro'y/ c/e 6>ase/r7fy7/ a/oor- Ao STUCCO ; 1 8" Vr LiNiNcj -Cortc. Cap 4- C 8t8 Co^ ^oo'^iKCfS srePi l^V^ipf Sfcicio 3EHIMD -ON EACH - 10/ 4z I I a3 ^4"'G" B E A M See DEtAlL 2X 11-9" ^4 " - U-f-ii L 1 LAftiDrnG-f 7'- G" 4 7- G u : i_i REQUKIED, B"_ C0f1t>lJ;OA(S SEE OJHER. • 27'- o" o -4"CI j" c V Mo f N'?H OH DM 13 CLEAN ftOlCIC a ,2«A pL T*^ C E I l . .3 - -2 < A 9TRJJCW. ju)INJS. RA1L5. SHIpLAp FL DiflG, • j Fla sbI nc) 1 1 1 - Ao/7eAi - I .1 I -LL 1^/ Cone Foot \ncp j n d e r Lowest Sttp Posts. *ll stepn "7^ rise S"ron /^/ue /.//7/ry —^ r |S4 ixiv r d o o o BecV sV, VAcv\v\A c-^^ .J^'^^ layAcc\\cvA e-^ These e/ci^o/'/ons S/cpe ^roond yorIn o/ ^ exccva/ed pc/y/. h-e/^/?/ ^s/a/e or? a/p/:>/-ox//r7a/f// basemen/ yrom /o /eve/ /o/s. /o /eve/ wc>//s he yom^ec/ yi^// i .1 v± ^•Cohc Op. LEAD flAXH 8o ///7 c-e 7JS DeTA/L Ol/ER or a£:/L/na (^o" STUO j-Q/sr^ F'A^T/r/ory 3\ 1 9r CD A/,*6>' /09/s to "5 0. I C/'earroiy/ _ 'p 7--6' \-Z" I '2-2' ~ 7^57^^ x^-O" 8'-o" \ 7 • • i POST 4x4 6-8 2L I ll I 8"^ -X 'S'-o' ALL p Ll J_L STEP5 1 v9 Q -* - No re. -rrt 1 / ?9-0 Cxe By POST A3 K E O D , CONOITIOHS . Coo! Bin 8 ' - 0 ' X G'-O" • A - .1 , -J. o SonP-Fk ixfe PC5ST 14'-9" , Thimble 4x6 I — Fb >T ^ T" t2 J »5'-o_ • 3k S ; Bor IH VENT ^ 4-3 ROOF e>PAcr ^ -4 / ^[g- ^?<4 P L TO - 3- Ex4. erti-'S NO HC -iHlSH ""in'iiH OH c r ' L . J O I 5 T 5 4'-9 fZOOF NOTE. These e/evaf/ons \^c,llzfobe formed t Ll ^ /or- a^^r-ox^ncj/e/y full h^^ic^hi- /eve/ ins/c/e': /o/s. 5r a? -V- -4^ i V/av rtxWo ^ o c_W O-S changed finish (oustide) and door. ^vvxp o V r o o f ^ -^v^ «^ f-2 o Very l i t t l e i s known i.s t o t h e r e a s o n v/hy t h e v i i l : : i , g e b e c a n e commonly known .:-S l a - r f i e i d . i j e t t e r s v/ere s e n t to the "Fc.gczine o f v . e s t e r n H i s t o r y " i n H e l e n a , Mont;-.na t o f i n d imformc.tion as t o t h e a c t i o n s cieved a letter little i m i o r m a t i o n , Filther was received. o f Gctiios v^iarfield. Cominco r e - f r - ^ r - t h e J-ontana H i s t o r i c a l S o c i e y g i v i g c o n t a c t v/ere m-de F o l l o v d r . g , c r e t h e two l e t t e r s out very b u t n o t answer mentioned above: Cominco Ltd./Trail, British Columbia, C a n a d a Gominco The B d l t o r Magazine o f Western H i s t o r y Montana H i a t o r i e a l A s s o c i a t i o n Helena, Montana ~ ^ " \ I r i A VVCUr-\i,e^U . June 9, 1970 S e a r Six*} I vould a p p r e c i a t e yotir h e l p and t h e h e l p o f your A s s o c i a t i o n i n o b t a i n i n g b i o g r a p h i c a l data on a gentleman naaed C a r l o s Warfield. Our sketchy r e f e r e n c e s here suggest t h a t he v a s a s e c r e t a r y , backer o r a s s o c i a t e o f 7. Augustus Heinze about the t i a e Heinze b u i l t the f i r s t s a e l t e r a t T r a i l , B.C. I t s e e s s t h a t Beinze named a s t a t i o n on h i s T r a i l Creek Traiavay a f t e r W a r f i e l d , vho may v e i l have been i n Butte v i t h Heinze during the l a t t e r * s s p e c t a c u l a r c a r e e r a s a Copper £ing« W a r f i e l d i s nov a most a t t r a c t i v e v i l l a g e a d j o i n i n g T r a i l . Hovever, n e i t h e r the T i l l a g e ' s n o r t h i s Ccnapany's a r c h i v e s c o n t a i n any background on Warfield the aan — a somevhat eab&rrassing gap t h a t I hope t o f i l l * Any information o r suggestions you may have vould be c o s t velcome and vould r e c e i v e f u l l c r e d i t i n a proposed Goainco Magazine s t o r y . Tours s i n c e r e l y . rfPf^ MON'ivVK-A iliiSTOPiCVVL nu',;/ 225 N. SOCimT /Str. Hi;l,EN'A. nOBERTS JIOXTANA or June I'j, 1970 Mr'. C r a i g W e i r Editor Cominco M a g a z i n e T r a i l , B r i t i s h Columbia Canada Dear Mr. W e i r : The name o f C a r l o s W a r f i e l d a p p e a r s i n t h e B u t t e , Montana C i t y D i r e c t o r y ^4{^&95. He i s l i s t e d t h a t y e a r a n d t h e n e x t a s C o u n t y Assessor. I S v i d e n t l y he l i v e d i n B u t t e t ' l u r i n g t h e n e x t f o u r y e a r s a l t h o u g h h i s p r o f e s s i o n was n o t d c v u l g e d . From. 1900 t o 1 9 0 4 he l i v e d i n H e l e n a a n d vras i n v o l v e d i n m i n i n g . Pic was r e p o r t e d a s m o v i n g t o G r e a t F a l l s , b u t t h e name does n o t a p p e a r i n t h a t c i t y ' s Directory. According t o an o b i t u a r y f o r Charles W a r f i e l d found i n t h e B u t t e I n t e r m o u n t a i n , C a r l o s V J a r f i e l d , a c o u s i n , was 'ta p r o m d n e n t r a n c h e r i n Choteau, Teton County," i n 1906. ^'Sarah M c N e i l s , a u t h o r o f C o r p e r K i n g a t War, a b i o g r a p h y o f F. A. H e i n z e , r e p o r t s t h a t W a r f i e l d o f f i c i a t e d a s b e s t m;dn o n t h e o c c a s i o n o f Heinze's wedding, August 3 1 , 1910. Mi^s. M c N e i l s may be h e l p T u l i n p r o v i d i n g a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n . I f we a r e a b l e t o l o c a t e h e r , we w i l l send t h e a d d r e s s . VJe r e g r e t n o t t o be o f more a s s i s t a n c e a t t h i s 3 i n c e r e l y ^ p u r s, ( M r s . ) H a r r i e t t C. M e l o y Acting Librarian HCMrbt """(Mrs. Wm.) S a r a h A, M c N e i l s 1 1 4 7 W. Woolmoan S t r e e t B u t t e , Montana 59701 time. 59601 G o n c l u s i on Today t h e V i l l a g e o f W a r f i e l d has n o t o n l y M i c k e y Mouse a n d M i n n i e F'ouse h o u s e s b u t a l s o raore n o d e r n a n d s p a c i o u s h o n e s known a s M i g h t y Mouse H o u s e s . New s u b - d i v i s i o n s a r e b u i l d i n g up i n areus o f w a r f i e l d b u t the uniqae s t y l i n g of the earlier homes i s s t i l l p r e s e n t . Many p e o p l e , a s t h e y d r i v e dov/n f r o m Rfflssland, s t i l l refer t o t h e v i l l a g e a s M i c k e y Mouse Town, Biblography R e g i o n a l I n d e x o f B.C. J a n u a r y , 1966. B u r e a u ©f E c o n o m i c and S t a t i s t i c s Department o f I n d u s t r i a l Developi'cnt. T r a d e a.nd Commerence. T.L . S t u r g e s s , Hon. R a l p h L a f i m a r k , Deput3.'- M i n i s t e r . Minister. Photographs Cominco L i m i t e d , T r a i l , B.C., R e s o u r c e PeopLe > C a m e r o n , J.H. C o m i n c o L i m . i t e d , P u b l i c R e l a t i o n s . T r a i l K i r k , F.w\e of Wtrfield, Village Clerk. N e l s o n , J.E. V i l l a g e o f w a r f i e l d . F i r e Chief. Operation