The Ogilvie widow's abandoned mansion
The Ogilvie widow's abandoned mansion

The Ogilvie widow's abandoned mansion

The Ogilvie widow's abandoned mansion

Bourgeois mansion in the woods

Laurentides (Quebec), 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.
 

Related content

The abandoned Dundas Castle
Roscoe, New York (United States)

Built in 1924 in Roscoe, New York state, the Dundas Castle was modeled after a 15th century’s castle in Scotland, located near Edinburgh. The American version of the Dundas Castle was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001....

The abandoned Laurentian military base
Saint-Adolphe d'Howard, Quebec (Canada)

Closed in 1987, the former Canadian military base located in St-Adolphe-d'Howard began its operations in 1950. Its mission: monitor the airspace in southwestern Quebec and northeastern Ontario. True vestige of the Cold War between the Western...

The old parochial cinema
Gaspésie, Quebec (Canada)

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...

The old chapel
Great Montreal, Quebec (Canada)

This domain’s history is rooted in the nineteenth century, back when industrialists in Canada are mostly English or Scottish men. At that time, French-Canadian people, who form the majority of the population, do not participate in the economic...