Wednesday, December 7, 2016

A Home Of Two Prime Ministers

On the 20th of November, I went out to Sandy Hill for a special occasion. It was snowing, as you can see. I paused first here at All Saints, a former Anglican Church that has now seen a new life. Church services still take place in this historic church, but it's also something of a community center, saved by a local group eager to use this building and the surroundings for a walking tour of history.


Across the street from All Saints is a national historic site, Laurier House, which was home to two of our prime ministers, Wilfred Laurier and his wife Zoe, and later William Lyon Mackenzie King. It's run by Parks Canada, and usually only open from May until October to public visits. That weekend, however, was the special occasion, marking Laurier's 175th birthday, and so the place was open to visits. The adjoining property you see in the following shot is the visitor center, while Laurier House itself serves as a museum to two extraordinary leaders, preserving some of their personal items. And these days photography is allowed inside, so we'll start taking a look tomorrow.

30 comments:

  1. Interesting architecture! I look forward to the next episode.

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  2. Intriguing looking building - looking forward to seeing inside.

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  3. Elegant church, but the house design is particularly fascinating with the turret like tower effect at the end corners.

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  4. Excelente trabalho e belas fotografias.
    Um abraço e boa semana.
    Andarilhar

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  5. So wonderful when places are saved and they become parks. That little house is a jewel!

    Janis
    GDP

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  6. A beautiful building with that porch!

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  7. look at you out braving the snow to bring us these pretty pictures! what beautiful architecture! glad the church was saved and that house is so pretty!

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  8. @Linda: much more to come.

    @Tomas: it is!

    @Mike: I was glad it was open to photgraphy.

    @Gemma: it is quite a house.

    @Francesco: thank you.

    @Janis: that it is.

    @Marianne: all the more so in summer.

    @Tanya: I once chatted with the woman behind that initiative. It is well worth saving.

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  9. I'm intrigued by those old houses even when PMs didn't live in them. Would love to see the interior!

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  10. That's one big wrap-around porch. Not sure I like it, but in general, I do like that kind of porch.

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  11. Looking forward to visiting inside Laurier House William, looks intriguing from outside.

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  12. Those buildings all say much, William

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  13. Amazing houses. The architecture is unique.

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  14. Interesting architecture, I like it.

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  15. I'm just reading a biography of Laurier so to see his house is a bonus.

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  16. looks like amazing architecture, design and tons of Canadian history. ( :

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  17. Even on a snowy, dull day the building look interesting. Looking forward to stepping inside.

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  18. That's a lovely house. I like All Saints, too.
    Your photos are beautiful with snow decorating the scenery!

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  19. @Lowell: it's an appealing place inside- especially King's study.

    @Pat: it has a different feel to it in summer than on a snowy day.

    @Grace: it's a marvelous place.

    @Cloudia: they do!

    @Bill: it's Second Empire, as I think I've noted in my post for tomorrow.

    @Sharon: it's wonderful that it's preserved in this fashion.

    @Jan: it definitely is.

    @Linda: I agree.

    @Karl: so do I.

    @Red: both Laurier and King were exceptional in office.

    @Beth: and as you'll see in posts to come, some international history!

    @Lauren: it was a fun day to visit.

    @Tamago: All Saints is beautiful inside. I've visited during Doors Open weekends in previous years, but I can't recall featuring it in my photoblog.

    @Norma: so do I.

    @RedPat: it is.

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  20. Love this building. Looks almost spooky.

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  21. Very cool. There are a few houses in Smiths Falls that look like this. Most are apartments, though.

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  22. The house looks interesting from the outside. I look forward to going inside.

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  23. @Whisk: no ghost stories that I'm aware of!

    @Marleen: thanks!

    @Jennifer: a lot of older homes like this have been converted into apartments. You notice them by how many mailboxes there are.

    @Kay: I enjoy visiting this one particularly.

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