This beautiful home was built in the early 1900’s.
Mr. M. came to Manitoba in 1899 and married Bella in 1890. Both were from Ontario. Together they had 4 children but sadly lost one girl at just 3 years of age.
My photograph above was taken before I seen the photograph of the family and house from the Municipality history book. A fellow abandoned seeker, Lee, who also photographed the house just days before me, took a shot at the same angle. The house is a magnificent sight and I was determined not to miss a thing.
I was told by the present land owner that when he purchased the home more than 20 years ago, the home was in excellent condition. Over the years people have attended the home and stripped the brick of the front of the house, removed wood trim from the inside and broke the windows.
If you note the door on the second floor, from the other side of the house I could see the staircase that leads up there. All of the wood banisters have been removed as has most of the wood trim around the doors and windows. The lack of glass in the windows has caused extensive damage to the inside of the home and there are now large holes in the floor. The owner asked me not to go inside the house so I only peered through the windows.
There were many outbuildings on the property and a long stream flowed through the property. The views from the home would have been spectacular at any time of the year.
Mr. died in 1938 at the age of 77, 15 years after he lost his wife. At that time, his youngest son, whom never married, took over the farm. I am told that he lived in his own home across the road. A friend asked his mother about the home and the family. She grew up in the small town near the home and she can remember them. She remembers the son, a bachelor who wore a black top hat and smoked a pipe.
Years later when his sister lost her husband, he took her and her children in and eventually they moved back into this big, brick house. When he retired in 1967 his nephew took over the family farm.
CRUMBLING MEMORIES 