1045 Parent – William J Carter Residence

This house at 1045 Parent Avenue, was built in 1926, by local architect William J Carter as his residence.

It has survived relatively unscathed over the years, a fate many of its contemporaries have not been so fortunate to endure.

William J Cater was an interesting man, he was born in Windsor in 1897, and studied architecture and engineering in night classes at Cass Tech in Detroit. He articled with J.C. Pennington from 1913 to 1917. From 1920 to 1932 Carter was the chief assistant in the firm of Pennigton & Boyde. In the late 1920’s around the same time he built this house, Carter was also the local radio inspector for the Dominion of Canada. After 1932, he left the world of architecture and became an engineer for CKLW, working on both Radio and TV projects. He designed the studio at Riverside Drive and Crawford (now CBC) as well as the broadcasting equipment, including the giant transmitting tower.

After a 25 year career in Engineering for Radio & TV, he returned to the world of architecture, partnering with his old boss J.C. Pennington in 1957 to form the firm Pennington-Carter. Their partnership would last until Pennington’s passing in 1963. He then joined forces with William Fraser, and founded the firm Carter-Fraser, until his passing in 1971.

As a side note, the last partner of the firm William Fraser inherited the archives of the firm back to the start of J.C. Pennington’s solo career in 1908, and in the late 1980’s, William Fraser donated the entire collection of records and blueprints to the municipal archives.