In February 1930, at the age of 25, Finnish-born Magnus Prost arrived by ship from Sweden to Halifax, Nova Scotia with a goal to settle down in British Columbia. He found forestry work in the Port Alberni area, on Vancouver Island. Magnus met Finnish–born Helmi Elisabet, and they married in Port Alberni in 1939.

The newlyweds moved to Brunette Street in Coquitlam in 1940. Magnus gained employment as a labourer and boxcar loader at Fraser Mills, the predecessor company to Canadian Western Lumber. In 1944 they purchased an undeveloped lot at 218 Gauthier Avenue, Coquitlam. Magnus built a modest four-room cottage in the rear corner of the lot in 1944. After their family grew with the arrival of two children in 1949, Magnus moved the cottage forward to the front of the lot to expand it.

The interior and exterior design of the house reflects many popular “mid–century modern” design features. The family was proud of the oak strip flooring with mahogany inlay in the principle rooms, as well as the large picture window in the rear of the house. The Prost family called this house their home through three generations and for 71 years, until 2015.