Yukon's historic places
Dateline: January 31, 2026.
North West Mounted Police Commanding Officer's Residence, Building #10
508 Fifth Avenue, Dawson, Yukon.
Formally Recognized: May 11, 1989.
The Commanding Officer's Residence, also known as Building 10, is located on 5th Avenue in Dawson City. The building is a two-storey residence with a low, hipped roof and full width, front verandah. Tall sash windows are symmetrically arranged around the main front door. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.
Heritage Value
The Commanding Officer's Residence is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental value.
Historical Value
The Commanding Officer's Residence is one of the best examples of a building associated with the North West Mounted Police (NWMP), in their role in the establishment of law and order and the exercise of Canadian sovereignty in the northern territories. The residence was built to accommodate A.E.R. Cuthbert who, in 1902, was commander of a force of 450 men stationed at the site formerly known as Fort Herchmer. The building is also associated with the early development of the community. It was one of several permanent government buildings constructed in Dawson during this period and a surviving structure from the Fort Herchmer complex.
Architectural Value
The Commanding Officer's Residence is valued for its good aesthetic design. The building is characterized by its residential appearance and demonstrates a foursquare plan with a low hipped-roof, strong roof-lines, and a full width verandah. The building's ongoing use as a residence demonstrates its good functional design.
Environmental Value
The Commanding Officer's Residence is compatible with the character of its residential setting in Dawson and is familiar to residents and visitors of the city.
Sources:
- Joan Mattie, Twenty-two Dawson structures, Dawson, Yukon, Heritage Character Statement, 88-012;
- Commanding Officer's Residence, Dawson, Yukon, Heritage Character Statement, 88-012.
Character-Defining Elements
The character-defining elements of the Commanding Officer's Residence should be respected; its good aesthetic design, functional design, materials and craftsmanship, for example:
- the sturdy, foursquare style, which consists of a two-storey box shape, low hipped-roof with shingles, strong roof lines, and a full width verandah;
- the wood-frame construction with wood siding;
- the tall sash windows that are symmetrically arranged around the main front door.
The manner in which the Commanding Officer's Residence is compatible with the character of its residential setting and is a familiar building in Dawson, as evidenced by:
- its Foursquare style, wood-frame construction and materials which complement the
surrounding buildings in the community;
- its ongoing historical relationship to the Territorial Administration Building across the street;
- its ongoing use as a residence for government employees, which makes it known to the
citizens of Dawson and to staff and visitors of the Klondike National Historic Site of Canada
North West Mounted Police Commanding Officer's Residence. Side view, showing the low hipped-roof with shingles, strong roof lines, and a full width verandah, 1903. Photo by Library and Archives Canada.
North West Mounted Police Commanding Officer's Residence. Front elevation, showing the tall sash windows that are symmetrically arranged around the main front door, 1987. Photo by Department of the Environment.
North West Mounted Police Commanding Officer's Residence. Corner view, showing the wood-frame construction with wood siding, 1987. Photo by Department of the Environment.
North West Mounted Police Commanding Officer's Residence. Street view, July 2009. Photo by Google.
