It was supposed to be a quiet family trip. Destination: the province of Prince Edward Island and the Madeleine islands, a small archipelago consisting of a half-dozen of islands interconnected by bridges and roads. For readers outside of Canada,...
Built in 1923 by Helen Johnston, widow of William Watson Ogilvie, the mansion incorporates all the components required by the old bourgeoisie. It must be said that her husband William W. Ogilvie had made a fortune in the grain trade, and when he died in 1900 he left behind a nice nest egg of nearly a million and a half dollars to his wife and four children.
The Ogilvie family already owned a sumptuous residence in Montreal (the Rosemount house located on Mount Royal) but it was common practice at the time to own several country homes. So despite her advanced age, Helen Johnston built this luxury home north of Montreal in the woods, near a lake. Inside, there were half a dozen rooms each with a private bathroom, a large living room on the ground floor, and a small room for the maid right next to the kitchen. Outside, there were farm buildings (now destroyed) and much more.
With the death of the Ogilvie widow, the property was sold and eventually became part of a vast tourist complex comprising a private golf course, chalets and more.
Today, it's the whole complex who is in a sorry state. The golf course is closed, the company's web site has not been updated for two years, and the mansion is abandoned, left to itself. Although its structure is in excellent condition, mold has begun to appear everywhere. Fortunately, so far there hasn’t been any vandalism.
It was supposed to be a quiet family trip. Destination: the province of Prince Edward Island and the Madeleine islands, a small archipelago consisting of a half-dozen of islands interconnected by bridges and roads. For readers outside of Canada,...
The Madeleine islands are an eleven islands archipelago in the middle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. While most are interconnected by bridges or dams, some are isolated and far away from the main land.
The islands are known for their...
In 1937, we are in the golden age of cinema and in these Gaspé lands, the pastor of this small coastal village is looking for a way to finance the modern church to which he dreams. Convincing parishioners to provide wood and time to build a small...
Wyndcliffe is the ruin of a historic mansion near Rhinebeck in Dutchess County, New York. The records at the Library of Congress state that the brick mansion was originally named Rhinecliff and Constructed in 1853 in the Norman style. The design...