The way into this property is overgrown, so much so that it’s not likely many people would stop to investigate what lies beyond the entrance. For those who do venture down the path, a treasure awaits.
This is the Lover’s Getaway. The details behind the property are somewhat unclear at this point and probably will remain unclear as I don’t wish to intrude on the family’s privacy by contacting them.
There was a man named E.S.H. who lived with his wife in this part of Ontario. He would have been born in 1913. There’s a framed certificate from the Province of Ontario congratulating E. on his 85th birthday which took place on October 2, 1998. E. passed away the following year, 1999.
This is where things get a little cloudy. Inside the house are letters and cards addressed to a couple with the names B. and B. The couple has owned this property since 1976.
Throughout the house are several indicators of this couple being grandparents. These include a handcrafted, “Grandma is my name, spoiling is my game” figurine, photos of children on the fridge, children’s hand drawn art given to their grandparents.
I often get caught up in photographing everything in front of me, and neglect to read the letters. A return visit would be necessary. I believe that after E.S.H. passed away, his wife moved in to be with her daughter (the B. and B. couple). Another possibility is that the woman remained in her own home, and B & B handled the mail and bills that came in the woman’s name. I say this because mail in the house is addressed to B and B, but also mail to B’s father (E.S.H.)
If I had to give my best guess, I would say this was a seasonally used property and B & B moved away, and the elderly mother moved with them.
The outdated cars on the property such as the Lincoln Continential would seem to indicate a timeframe of approximately late 70’s to early 80’s (if I’m mistaken, please correct me on this). Property records reveal that B. & B. has owned the house since 1975.
I was able to find the woman on social media, and she appears to be in her 70’s (I made no attempt to contact her). What makes this house peculiar in a way is the assortment of Playboy magazines and the large mirror placed above the master bed. Now you can understand why I’d be reluctant to reach out to the family, right? The hobby has always been about exploring other people’s memories and this seems a little too intrusive to attempt to make contact.
One can’t help but wonder what led to the family walking away and leaving appliances, hundreds of photographs, antiques, china, clothing and everything else behind? Even if the daughter moved in with the mother or vice versa, why leave EVERYTHING behind?
I believe that B. now lives with, or close by her mother although she would be close to 100 years of age.
The best explorations I have always said, are the ones that leave you with questions.
Approaching The House
The trek in to this house is mildly difficult, and there are neighbours close by. Three old cars guard the outside of the property. The roof’s in rough shape and the property is becoming overgrown as nature takes over.
As you make your way inside the entrance, you enter into a small foyer. There’s a back room, which I didn’t explore. Turn 90 degrees to your right, and you’re now in the kitchen. An antique wood burning stove was probably the original cooking appliance. A more modern stove is a few feet away. Turning on the light switch led to a pleasant surprise – there was still power!
On the fridge are several photographs of young grandchildren. There’s a hand-drawn card for “Grab pi” (grandpa?). The fridge by the way, was empty. A calendar in the kitchen shows June of 2001.
The cupboards still have dishes and cups inside, as well as an assortment of cooking supplies. I didn’t spend a lot of time investigating the contents of the kitchen. A piece of paper on the kitchen counter reminded someone that the water had been shut off and the taps were left open. This makes me question if this may have been a seasonally used property.
The kitchen area opens up into an open space where you can either go downstairs to the basement, enter the dining room, or proceed down the hallway.
Dining Room
The dining room table was filled with items such as photos, newspapers and general clutter. There’s a lovely antique glass cabinet with china inside of it. I’ve seen these in several abandoned houses. A wood burning stove is in the corner of the room. A hutch contains plates and glasses, and there’s a bottle of homemade berry wine. The fruit and plants by the way, aren’t real.
Newspapers, Christmas decorations, photos, artificial plants, antiques on shelves, boxes, envelopes of photos and so much else… I found it difficult to process all of this at once.
Living Room
The living room used to be immaculate… the ceiling was at one time intact. The television sat on a table next to the VCR cabinet. The couches looked clean and inviting. Now the water damage in the ceiling has caused the drywall to collapse. To make things worse, the table has been flipped over and everything is just a general mess. Photos have been removed from the wall. The air is dusty and leaves a taste in your throat.
Documents pertaining to firefighting were found in the husband’s name as well as firefighting shoulder patches and clothing. In the living room, I found various firefighting figures. Large stuffed animals and children’s toys new in the box suggested to me that there were grandchildren in the picture. There are model cars on display upon the fireplace mantle, and several unopened Hot Wheels collectables. The stereo equipment consists of an amplifier, dual cassette deck, tuner and turntable. There’s an extensive VHS collection consisting mainly of videos taped on them, rather than commercial releases.
The assorted snowmen and Santa’s found scattered in the house room seem to indicate that the house was vacated around Christmas, although the calendar showing June contradicts the winter season.
In the bathroom I found the drawers opened, and filled with what looked like ceiling insulation though the ceiling was intact. It appeared like someone had rifled through the drawers and tossed the items on the countertop.
Bedroom
The bedroom was what I’d call a time crapsule. Everything was left behind… the clothes were hanging in the closet, the bed had been made, the dresser’s were filled with clothing. That is until the thieves found this house and tossed it. When I say they tossed it, I mean they tossed it. Drawers were ripped out of the dressers and thrown on the floor. The contents were scattered across the floor. Papers and clothes were everywhere. It was disgusting… all because some people felt they were entitled to take jewelry or other valuables. In the interest of transparency, I did spend 20 minutes tidying the place up to take photos as the bedroom would have looked a year ago. The kink factor was evident here with the mirror above the bed and assorted adult magazines. I’d find it difficult to sleep under that, concerned that it might one day fall down upon me.
The inability to drive into this property also has a silver lining – it has prevented people from leaving with the larger antiques. The nightstands appear to be the only thing missing from the bedroom.
Sewing Room
The lady of the house enjoyed her crafting. Her sewing room contains boxes of Simplicity patterns, buttons and other sewing accessories. The opposite wall contains dozens of fabric paint bottles, which might have been used for patterns on fabric. Out in the front room we found an antique Singer sewing machine, the kind that hides away down in the desk. The woman still sews, has a presence on Pinterest, and works on quilts.
2023 – Demolished!
