Literary lovers or period era thrill seekers would appreciate the former summer home of “Grandfather of Canadian Humour”, Stephen Leacock
About two hours drive away from downtown Toronto, tucked beautifully on the shores of Lake Couchiching in Orillia is The Leacock Museum, a national historic site in honor of Stephen Leacock (1869 – 1944).
I was lucky to arrive on a pleasant sunny day with blue skies and sun rays sparkling on the lake waters. The wind was blowing just enough to make you feel glamorous, or if you are the romantic kind, make you miss holding the arm of your better half.
Up the front lawn, you find a place well-preserved in time. The two-storeyed structure with 19 rooms completed in 1928 held potential to give a glimpse of what life in the 19th century (for a certain section of society) would have looked like.
Inside, there were less than five visitors at the time, perhaps because it was a weekday or because no guided tours were scheduled for the day.
My self-guided tour was made simpler via trivia cards and posters placed strategically across the rooms. If you wish or have the time to take a deep dive, read through select passages from original manuscripts laid open for the visitors. These are eye-opening, especially if you haven’t read any of the author’s work, yet. Particularly moving was the short story, “How We Kept Mother’s Day.” Naturally, my curiosity was piqued to understand the depth of connection between the mother and son that inspired this piece of writing. And I didn’t have to look far as one of the posters chronicled the life story of the mother, Agnes Butler Leacock.
Knowing an author posthumously by physically walking through their personal space — the bathroom even had the original chamber pot on display — felt intrusive in an unfamiliar way …even as the lavish display of influencers’ lives through different filters and edits pander to our predisposition for parasocial relationships.
One of the rooms was dedicated to honor children’s books such as The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien. The child in me was thrilled to see the replica of The Wardrobe from The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis.
From candlestick telephone and Thor washing machine to wooden tennis rackets with square presses, the walk down history lane at the museum is as rich as can be within the space allotted.
Outside the mansion, a stony path leads to the boathouse allowing guests to spend time closer to the waters. The interior of the boathouse is accessible only on guided tours. It was something I truly missed as I wanted to see something that the people of Orillia had come together to rebuild within two days. While fascinating this gesture by the community is also fitting. Leacock’s love for the city led him to immortalize it in one of his best works Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town (1912) in which the imaginary town of Mariposa is heavily based on Orillia.
For fans of the literary legend, visiting this place would be an obvious choice. For lovers of entertainment shows such as Bridgerton and The Crown this might be an interesting immersive experience. For newcomers, the story of an immigrant who made sacrifices to support his family might strike a chord. And, give hope that if Leacock became a successful and beloved author, Canada might just be the land to nurture your ambitions too.
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Grub hubs: The closest restaurant is Fare, however they close between 2pm to 4:30pm. The other option, a ten-minute walk away is Atherley Diner, an unassuming family-run place.