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1867-1952 In June 1906 Strong purchased hilltop property in Calgary’s exclusive Mount Royal District from the Canadian Pacific Railway and built a three-storey mansion. Strong’s business partner Judson Sayre built an equally impressive home right next door. For a time Mount Royal was called American Hill in reference to Strong and Sayre who were the first to build in the newly developed area. During the 1930s Strong lost much of his wealth, mortgaged the house and even rented rooms, in order to survive the economic depression. But by the time he and Julia celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary they were able to burn the mortgage. The Strong house stayed in the family until 1975 when it was sold. During Strong’s ownership the house accommodated family and friends including the United States Consul General and Genevieve McCall, the widow of First World War Flying Ace Fred McCall, who lived there for a time around 1949. Louis and Julia died in 1952. In January 1998, the house was destroyed in a tragic fire that claimed two lives.
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© Calgary Public Library. 2000