31
May
2010
2010
The Magnificent Ferndale
Further eye candy on the lakes …
This is the majestic Ferndale on Lake Rosseau in Muskoka. The site of the original Ferndale House as mentioned previously. I watched this place being built over the past two or three years. It attracts quite the boat traffic as it is one of the most grand of all Muskoka cottages on the big three lakes.
Please click on the image for a grandiose sized photo
you can not get that size of cottage anymore with the restrictions. I do believe that this particular place is zoned resort, which is how the size got to be there and the boathouse size.
Yes it is registered as a resort so peter gilgan can bring his friends up!
There are always wild parties in the boathouse making noise around the lake. Oh well, big money partys big.
Hi All,
My ancestors, the Pensons, were the original settlers in 1869 on the property.
They lived in a log cabin on the other side of the bay, then built Ferndale House in 1885. Their son, Seymour Penson, rebuilt in 1895. It was sold in 1915.
You may be interested in my book “Beloved Muskoka” -Diaries and Recollections of Elizabeth Penson – published 2009
I have photos of original hotel if anyone interested.
[…] What I find interesting are the comments I found on this blog. […]
My cottage is on Edith Island, which is directly across from Ferndale Bay. I used to go up that old watch tower and take pictures years ago before it got locked up. I have a few nice aerial shots over looking Edith island and Ferndale house if you’re interested. I could give them to you to spruce up and post on your blog. I don’t care about the photo cred, I just think they would look really nice on your site. Let me know. Cheers.
My nephew is the great Grandson of “Aunt Betty”……I had the great pleasure to meet her a couple of times about 1966. She was a grand woman whom I have never forgot. I stayed in the upper cottage across from the Keswick with the Hanna family.
Dear Joan, I am retively sure you do not remember me but I was one of Katherine Hanna’s sisters. I had the one of the most amazing summer experiences in my life as a guest to stay at the upper cottage approximately 1966? I remember swimming across the bay to the Keswick with Peter Hanna and getting to meet his Aunt Betty.
‘Came across this picture. Nice shot of the place. I was the mason who built the front gates, fireplaces, flagstone, and retaining walls there. An interesting project with all stone coming from the 300 acres there. Mr Gilgan was good to deal with and fair with me at all times. The contractor there was difficult though… I’m thankful for the opportunities like this to do the work I do.
Hi Dean, Thanks for checking in. I’m sure the stonework you did for Peter was magnificent. I checked your website out and I can see why you were selected to look after this beautiful estate. Thanks for checking in and continued success.
Hi Ed,
The Canadian Keswick resort hotel and adjoining executive guesthouse appear to have been merged and turned in Peter Gilgan’s summer cottage. The original hotel is mamouth, with three levels. The dining room overlooked Ferndale Bay on Lake Rosseau and those of us who worked as waiters and waitresses will recall the fun we had after the guests departed. As the daughter of a nurse, Mom taught me some of her favorite practical jokes and pranks. Those on the receiving end will know what I did…so let’s leave it there. 😀
Chef Georges Bourbeau ran a lively kitchen, usually with 2 sous chefs from the college where he taught during the school year. The food was fantastic. His daughter, Renée, worked with him on occassion and she was on staff with us for a year or two.
Staff nights were always hilarious. Music, comedy skits and good advice from sage ministers who preached in the soaring chapel by the lake. Staff also put on events for guests such as our ski show. With the help of the Moller brothers and a guest from Michigan, we put a tripod in the air and entertained guests.
We were there doing our summer jobs but, off-the-clock, we had LOT of fun in and around the resort. The lookout tower was a favorite place to go with a goup of people, their guitars and some French pastries that the pastry chef was puzzled to find missing. Most of us could sing, which we did at weekly staff meetings – and no, it was not hymns. On our day off we could take a boxed lunch from the kitchen and go hiking, walk into Port Carling or drive to Bracebridge or canoe to an island with friends. Only on our day off could we eat with the guests in the dining room.
After 5 summers at Canadian Keswick I have fond memories of the resort, the fun and, most importantly, the people. Just a few of my room mates included Karen Sawkins, Beth Driver, Barb Miller, Mary Sift and Glenda Foster. Those friendships continued for many years and, during freshman year, I found myself in the same university dorm as Glenda and fellow Keswick alum, Karen Henrickson. Working at Keswick was not work. It was an unforgettable experience that concluded on Labor Day for those heading back to high school. Campus life gave us another week, but it wasn’t the same without everyone there. There are moments and places that shape our lives and, for a girl from a small town in SW Ontario, Canadian Keswick left its mark with amazing friendships, opportunities to grow and live among some amazing people – if just for the summer. Today I’m far away from Port Carling – and Canada, for that matter.
The owner of Mattamy homes is building in adjacent North Carolina and, at this moment, I’m sending clients there to purchase his company’s homes. It’s somewhat ironic that Peter Gilgan lives in the place where I once worked all those summers ago. The resort sat empty for a decade or more and I’m glad that it is still functioning – even if it is a private home. That its resort status remains is a tribute to the scenic beauty of the area. And, as someone who now does restoration and renovation work, improving on the grandeur of the original Ferndale House is a tribute to its long and storied history.
Hello Susan, thank you for sharing your beautiful experiences at Canadian Keswick. I know it brings back incredible memories for many. You might consider looking for the Facebook Group as there are many stories and historical photos posted in that group. You may even recognize some of the names of people that worked there.