Heritage Register - Stark's Barn

Building Details
Name:	Stark's Barn
Address:	1526 Extension Road
Architectural Style:	Early Agricultural Building
Building Use:	Residential
Year of Construction:	1880
Builder or Architect:	Unknown
Protected Heritage Property:	No

Heritage Value Statement

Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Louis Stark made his way to California and eventually to Vancouver Island. As a black man, Stark was seeking a place where he and his family could live as free people. He eventually established a farm in Chase River in the 1870s. Stark is credited with developing what is now known as the Stark apple. His daughter, Emily, was the first teacher at North Cedar School, a significant achievement for a black woman in 19th Century British Columbia. Louis Stark was murdered in 1895. It is speculated that Stark, who had significant coal measures on his property, was murdered so that others could acquire clear access to this coal.

This small barn is an excellent example of an early agricultural building and one of the last visible reminders of the area's farming heritage. The building is located amidst mature vegetation on a large lot in a compatible rural use area, and is prominently viewed from both Extension Road and the abutting Chase River School.

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