The Strathcona
404 Laurier Avenue East
Written by Bytown Museum
on
03/Dec/2009
Opened in 1927, this five-storey apartment building is an excellent example of the shift toward apartment living that characterized the redevelopment of Sandy Hill in the early 20th century. Famous past residents at the Strathcona include John Diefenbaker (before he became prime minister) and Tommy Douglas – voted “Greatest Canadian” by CBC viewers in 2004.
The building is named for Donald Smith, who was Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal of Canada. During the Boer War in South Africa, at the turn of the 19th century, he mounted an army regiment at his own expense. The regiment, known as “Strathcona's Horse,” was largely made up of cowboys and frontiersmen from western Canada, who were commanded by famous North West Mounted Police superintendent Sam Steele.
