Address: 646 Dunedin Street
Built: c. 1909
1912 householder: Benjamin Harris, retired

This Edwardian Arts & Crafts-style house has been stuccoed and original exterior ornaments, such as finials on the top of the roof gables, the decorative balustrade on the recessed porch, and chamfered posts on the verandah have been removed. But the left facing front steps are original and some original interior features, such as the broad bannister on the hall stairway, have survived.

The house may have been built as an investment property by Albion Johns, a successful grocer who lived in a now-demolished home on the corner of Dunedin and Gorge Road. With his brother Samuel, he operated Johns Brothers grocery and meat store at 2519 Douglas Street (south east corner of Douglas and Kings Road). Johns also built houses at 627 Manchester Road and 651 Manchester Road.

When the census was taken in June 1911, this residence at 646 Dunedin Street was the Harris family home. Sixty year old Benjamin W. Harris was retired from business in Ontario. His wife Mary J. Harris was 48 years old and a homemaker. Their eldest son, 20 year old Gilbert, was a teacher. The younger children, 14 year old Ruth and 12 year old Harold, were attending school; they probably attended North Ward School on Douglas Street. The family belonged to the Methodist congregation and may have attended the Centennial Methodist (now United) Church on the Gorge Road. The Harris family were lived here until 1914.

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