Photography
This home is tucked away in the trees just off the highway. Behind it was a bigger home.
I can’t tell you anything about it. At first I thought this was a school but as I got closer it was most definitely a home. Maybe, as the family got bigger, they built a bigger home behind this one.
I have driven by this beautiful old home many times over the years but have never had my camera with me. Today I thought I’d better do this as there have been many rumors around the abandoned talk groups that this home is coming down.
I won’t try to mask this location as just about everyone knows what home this is. While there were no signs posted around the property stating “No Tresspassing”, I did not enter past any gate, service road, etc. My understanding is that the structure of the home is very unsafe.
What fascinates most of us is the details of this structure. The brick walls, magestic staircase and huge structure for it’s time. I have only ever seen photos of the inside and if you haven’t, google it. I can only imagine its grandeur in it’s day.
The original owner, Robert Fern Lyons was born in Leeds County, Ontario in July, 1856. He moved to Manitoba in 1879 where he established a general store on the plains. When Mr. Lyon’s came to Manitoba, the town of Carberry had been platted. At that time, Mr. Lyon’s and a partner purchased the first two lots sold in the business district and built a department store.
On the 20th of April 1888, Robert married Janet Josephine Hume of Winnipeg. They had four children. In 1888 Mr. Lyons sold his interest in the department store.
Mr. Lyon’s built this home around 1896 on a part of his 2700 acres of land he owned around the Carberry area. On 1600 acres he grew grain and raised high grade stock. This two-storey, red-brick veneer residence was occupied by the Lyon’s family until 1919.
He was also said to be a stockholder in the Lone Pine Gold Mining and Milling Company Limited and was Vice-President of the corporation. He also owned a grain elevator at Carberry. A Conservative, he was elected to the Manitoba Legislature as member for Norfolk in 1892, 1899, 1903, 1907 and 1910.
Farmer Thomas Switzer purchased the home in 1919 and lived there until 1927. Mr. Switzer’s son and daughter-in-law stayed there until 1952. The home was then owned by Stanley Paluch and Madeline Sokryka Krawec who lived there until 1964 when they moved to McCreary. At that time the home was sold to Harold Shirtliff.
A couple weeks ago, in a storm, I spotted an old barn right off the side of the road that I hadn’t seen before. Not sure how I missed it as this is a well traveled route for us.
As you would expect, the building was full of “Keep Out” signs. The condition of this old building and the signs led to a discussion about abandoned farmsteads and trespassing. These photos were taken off the road and no one can stop you from doing that. But the topic of trespassing is grey, in my opinion. At the end of the day, don’t go on if you don’t have permission. And if you do go on and you do get hurt, that’s on you.
I would imagine that while this property was running, it was a nice spot with a nice little ravine behind the barn, granery and the house. And the wide open spaces. And oh so close to the highway.
CRUMBLING MEMORIES 