Living in Aurora, Town of Aurora, Ontario » Demolition

Not Isaac Petch Farm House, The Un-Demolished Version

Anna Lozyk Romeo — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 05:20:17 +0000

I photographed the Isaac Petch Farm house back in mid April and I tell you the truth I don’t even know if the house is still standing. These days old historic houses in Aurora drop like flies.

Correction, this is not the Isaac Petch Farm House. I need to find out more. When I photographed this house I was under impression that this house belonged to Petch Family, but hanging around people in Aurora, I learned that I am completely wrong here. December 7th, 2012.

Demolishing process is actually interesting process. First they, the demolishing guys, take the longest time to clean up around the house, then suddenly dig into, let it fall, scoop and go – and its all done and gone.

Just like with the non-existent now the Browning House – I managed to take photos before and after and absolutely nothing in between.

Isaac Petch Farm House, Wellington Street

Noticed the light bulb?

I don’t know how old that light bulb is? I am sure that all the electrical services are disconnected to the house so there is no army of electrons marching to generate light to illuminate the house. But I happened to notice that as everything ages around the house including the house itself, that glass light bulb seems prefect.

That perfect light bulb probably not energy efficient has no purpose anymore. That farm house probably not energy efficient as well has no purpose anymore. But this is not why we are demolishing this house or everything else of historical value on this end of the town. May be just why not?

Isaac Petch Farm House, Wellington Street

Last month after visiting Hillary House I ventured out for a walk around the corner, the Catherine Avenue. I thought that I will just stay on that street and then turn around to go back to my car, but I was so overwhelmed with the beautiful historic houses on that street that I ended up on Spruce Street.

Isaac Petch Farm House, Wellington Street

As I walked on Spruce Street one of the houses reminded me almost exactly the Isaac Petch Farm house. First it was that tall chimney stack on the side of the house. But that was not it. It was also that color of the brick. I think we all can see that the contrast between the red brick and the kind of yellow earthy brick on the farm house is quite intriguing.

Isaac Petch Farm House, Wellington Street

I find that rather coincidental for the two houses, one on Wellington Street and the other on Spruce Street to be somehow apart yet to look so alike.

Well, may be there is hope for this fallen tree. I hope someone gets an idea and relocate to a pond or even arboretum. It would make a great perching tree for birds.

Isaac Petch Farm House, Wellington Street

Every year ready for Christmas, but those Christmas lights will not shine again.

Isaac Petch Farm House, Wellington Street

Probably the only thing now that is trying to hold on to the farm house. Surreal.

Isaac Petch Farm House, Wellington Street

So I thought I shine some light on preservation, but oops there is no light. On the other hand I think I should go back and check if the house is still there.

Petch House, It Was A Lifetime Opportunity

Anna Lozyk Romeo — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 04:37:37 +0000

Theoretically Petch House will never be the same. As of a last week August 4th, 2011 in the late afternoon, the house was totally taken apart and all logs and other parts of the house were moved to the storage on the local farm where it will be restored. In the future, it will have a new and restored look.

However, it will take a great skill to restore the house, as it took a great skill to built this house in 1840s, and in the future this will be definitely a historical event.

Petch House - roof off

I must say it was a lifetime opportunity to photograph the Petch house before it was labelled and dismantled. I was inside in the early spring. I many times visited from outside. I saw and photographed the gradual deterioration, especially of the logs on the corners. I saw embraced by nature and guarded by wildlife.

Petch House - log by log dismantling

Lastly I was able to photograph inside again when town went go ahead with the dis-assembly. I was inside once again by permission equipped with my camera, safety boots and hard-hat. Once the roof was removed, the logs inside got to see the natural light and beautiful wood log textures were revealed.

Then on August 3rd, 2011 I found a spot across the Leslie Street to witness and photograph the dismantling process of the walls, down to the floor. I had my little Matthew with me that day, so going closer to the site with a heavy equipment was a big no for us.

Petch House - last corner

To see the Petch house photographed at different stages of disassembly by Peter Van Nostrand, his team and with the help of town on August 3rd, 2011 and much more you can visit The Friends of Petch House the Restoration web page.

Petch House, August 4th, 2011, all done

Hope everyone enjoyed my little photographic journey of the Petch house last few months, but before you move on note something I just realized – the background. There was nothing else, but trees, lots of green trees.

So until next time … it may be quiet for a while.

Petch House, That Is Strange? Alive Again

Anna Lozyk Romeo — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 19:28:51 +0000

Three months elapsed since April 21_st, 2011 – my first visit inside the Petch house. Destiny of the 160 year old log house was then unknown, but was promising.

On July 28 of the same year I am inside the Petch house taking photographs again. It was different this time. The natural light, better for photography, entered through the windows and the roof, and from the corners of the heavily deteriorated logs. Much more was uncovered and there was much more to see. This time the house was giving off different sense of feeling – a positive one.

Embraced and nurtured by nature for many years, the Petch house was happy to have friends inside once again. Friends that were now effortlessly working to save the weak standing structure on the side of Leslie Street in Aurora.

Petch House, Deteriorated Corner, July 28th, 2011

The house is being restored by Peter Van Nostrand and his team. It is interesting to know that the Petch house is restored by someone who has deep roots in Aurora community. The house would not have survived one more year, so they say, and I was able to see it myself. The photographs do not lie.

For many days the house was being aired and cleaned. The results are stunning. The house inside is beautiful again. Of course it does not look like any decorated house we live in now, but if you have sense and appreciation for the workmanship and the skill people had back than to build their own houses, the beauty is there.

The Petch house is definitely on the new journey. It will never be the same, meaning original, but it will be a stronger, renewed, restored log house that will survive many more generations to come.

It will never house a family again, but it will definitely have a valuable purpose in our town. I am so honored to be part of the project and photograph the restoration process that is in place now. This is all thanks to Katherine Belrose – it is a life time opportunity to be part of the historical event that is taking place here in Aurora.

Our experience and technicality of the restoration from July 26th-28th, are now published on the The Friends of Petch House website – Petch House Layers Tell Us Many Things by Katherine Belrose.

The Petch house will have a new location once restored. I will miss this log house, not for long, but still standing lonely on the one side of Leslie Street. The house will be gone, and never know, that beautiful country road view may go with it in the near future.

Petch House on Leslie Street

Later that day …

I wondered into the garage. I knew I put my sealed plastic container somewhere. I found it sitting on the shelf, the same shelf I placed my Petch box three months ago. This time I had a rusted nail from late 1800s and I wanted to include with my other collection, with the deteriorated log pieces I collected back then. They were just wet dark pieces of wood that fell on the ground and were about to fall apart even more if disturbed.

Piece of Deteriorated Wood Log

I gently opened the box, and I saw it to my disbelief to be alive again. The color of the wood chips changed and some sort of plant species was rooting itself to the wood chip which I have not seen before. Separated, but not far from the Petch house, the pieces were glowing and breathing the same way the Petch house was blooming on the day I photographed it, July 28, 2011.