Living in Aurora, Town of Aurora, Ontario » Log House

Changing Aurora, New Grounds For Petch House, Near Aurora Senior Centre

Anna Lozyk Romeo — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 02:02:17 +0000

Restored Petch log house will be placed near the Aurora Senior Centre – may be this fall or next spring. I doubt that anything will happen in the winter time.

To add to my changing Aurora series, it will be interesting area to visit having Petch House, Aurora Senior Centre and Town Hall – all seconds or minutes away from each other. Not to mention Skylight gallery at the Town Hall and entrance to the Community Arboretum.

Future Location of the Petch Log House, Community Arboretum

The Petch log house definitely will stand out, especially being the only log house around all brick buildings. Looks like the area for the log house is now ready and fenced. All we need is the Petch log house. Let us then wait.

Outside Log Structure Of The Petch House

Couple of weeks ago when we were walking at the Community Arboretum we dropped by the future location of the Petch log house.

Well how much can you write about the fenced empty area, however, when I got home there was a comment written by Mike McCartney, and since the post he commented on Petch House, It Was A Lifetime Opportunity, was from last year, I thought it will be nice to re-quote his comment here in the post.

“Hi I have enjoyed reading your postings and pictures of the Petch House. I’ve tried searching the web for more history on this house but have had no luck.

A little bit of what I do know I learned from my family. The Mills family bought the property in the early 70′s, when it stood on Leslie Street, and started what turned out to be a very large Thouroubred horse breeding operation called Aurora Meadows. My uncle Alfred Mills who lived in it for many years told us that the original log cabin was apparently the scene of the last Indian/Settler skirmish in the area and was actually able to show us an arrowhead that was imbedded in one of the logs.

Not sure how historically accurate this is but thought you might find it interesting.“

A bit of interesting information – an arrowhead embedded in one of the logs? May be I should revisit my pictures and look for it.

Office/Retail Building, Nino D’aversa Bakery, Aurora

I often visit Town Hall to see the Skylight gallery, but I do also take photos from the windows on the third floor or from the parking lot. Looking North West there is a new building in town as well, office/retail space building – on the same plaza as Nino D’aversa Bakery.

Commemorative Trees in the Community Arboretum, Aurora

I hope that I am not the only one, but I really enjoy reading plaques, and when comes to the Community Arboretum if I had hours to spare I could spend those hours walking and looking at the plaques of the commemorative trees, and they don’t have to be just memorials to loved ones we have lost.

“They enable individuals, or groups, or organizations, to commemorate something that is important to them. The trees may be used as memorials to loved ones we have lost, or they may be gifts of love for husbands, wives, parents who are still living. They may commemorate special events in our lives, the birth of children, special birthdays, marriage. They may recognize achievement by individuals or groups, or by an organization to recognize the accomplishment of individuals. The opportunities are endless.” Source: Community Arboretum, Aurora.

Aurora has been changing for almost 150 years, but definitely much faster in the recent years.

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.

The Petch House, A New Journey

Anna Lozyk Romeo — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 05:19:38 +0000

The Petch house is getting a lot of attention in THE AURORA and The Banner lately. Lengthy articles are written. Columns are filled with letters to the editor. The Petch house itself is being prepared for the move.

Fenced Petch House

The chain link fence now surrounds the house. Little by little, patched up areas are being cleaned off the outside walls or surface of the logs – evidence of contrast between faded and darker wetter surface areas. The corners are now strapped and supported, especially the one which were slowly sliding out and deteriorating. Not sure, but the inside is probably being cleaned out as well.

Petch House, Strapping

After sitting on the lot on Leslie Street, just south of Wellington Street East for many years now, the Petch house starts a new journey. Its destiny for a while was in a jeopardy. There is a hope, but what’s next? A battle to determine if the house should really be placed in the Community Arboretum beside the Aurora Town Hall.

Petch House, Back

Aha, the plan and the location requested by the Friends of Petch house was clear – in Petchville near the Stronach Recreation Complex and the Urban Wildlife Park to be authentic as possible. Now we are in the pulling-a-rope-mode again. Why can’t we just help the Friends of the Petch house to follow their plan and vision, instead of altering. I see costly battle in the horizon.

Petch House, Facing Sun

I personally met Ms. Katherine Belrose who is the driving force behind saving the log house. Because of her motivation, courage and personal investment both time and monetary, the town should grant her full control to lead the project. Her vision and path is clear. Her interest is pure. She is the person to trust right now.

Petch House

This is something to think about. The Petch house is a relic of our town and it should be preserved. The proper location for the house to grow its new roots is also an important factor in its new journey.

A Photo Journey To The Petch House In Aurora

Anna Lozyk Romeo — Tue, 03 May 2011 03:06:22 +0000

Just before the Easter weekend I had my first photo journey to the Petch house – yes, I was invited inside. It was very interesting and inspiring journey to be part of – to explore the 167 years old family house built in Aurora. I like the old log houses. There is so much character in them even though they look very simple – one might say. The condition the Petch house is now, is not the best. There is nothing fascinating about it if you just look. The house been renovated many times over 100 years so we may never really know the original look inside. However, if you look closely then you will find many interesting treasures to admire.

Petch House, Leslie Street, Town of Aurora

Someone said treasure? Yes, I was hoping to find a real treasure, but not this time. However, let me take you and show you some of the things that can be seen now in the Petch house. If the house gets a new place and new purpose for years to come, then it will have to be taken apart, mainly for safety reasons because the bottom support is in a bad condition, and structurally poses safety issues. According to the Friends of Petch House the house is not going to be a museum because it does not have a collection of artifacts, however, it is going to be used for community events and educational programs.

Interior Wood Log Walls of the Petch House With Contrasting Wall Paper

As you can see the house was built from the thick and long wood logs. You can see the same log on the outside and inside. The light wasn’t very good for taking pictures, but if you look closely you can see the rough chiseled marks. Not sure if chiseled is the right word to use, but one can definitely see that the uneven surface is definitely worked by hand. Aha, contrasting wall paper on the above picture. I thought it would be interesting to see the difference in wall decoration then and now. I am sure it all started with bare wood walls.

Interior Wood Log Walls of the Petch House

The same uneven surface is also seen on the top beam on the side wall, in the room that was probably a kitchen, to support the cross beams. However, the cross beams that run across the ceiling looked much more refined – little too perfect. But then, as the house will be examined further in the future by experienced crew, we will know more then about the beams.

Ceiling Support Beams, Petch House

The shown before contrasting wall paper is probably from 1980s, but then we found this (see below). It looked like painting, however, it was a definitely some sort of wall paper which we observed on the second floor. Well, that wall paper definitely is not ordinary wall paper, it has much more historic look and a feel. I was able to capture couple of nice undamaged areas. Again, probably from early 1900s, but this to be determined yet.

Wall Paper Sample Inside The Petch House

When I first time visited the Petch house by myself, I only saw the outside. I was kind of surprised to find modern features, one of them being electrical wiring, but then the house was always occupied, until recent few years. The original site of the Petch house was where the current Rona store is. The house itself has one main floor and the second floor. There was also a basement, but at this moment the house sits on the iron beams so there is nothing underneath. On the second journey, when we first time came inside, surprise, surprise, the entrance door on the side was swinging. We found broken lock. I guess we will never know the purpose of the break in.

Outside Log Structure Of The Petch House

The outside log is a photographer dream. There is so much abstract there. The old rusty nails add sense of security to the whole structure. However, the logs below are slowly deteriorating and shifting apart. Now the cycling weather condition is not helping at all. The inside is also exposed to weather conditions. Lets hope that some hidden treasure inside the house is well hidden and preserved, otherwise there will be none. To conclude, probably there is no treasure, but for Aurora the Petch House is a treasure by itself, and must be preserved.

Outside Log Structure Of The Petch House

I would like to extend special thank you to Katherine from the Friends of Petch House, who made the arrangement for my photo journey. If you want to learn more about Petch House, you can visit the Friends of Petch House web site or even better you can meet the volunteers in person at the Aurora Farmers Market on May 7th, 2011.

Petch House, My First Visit

Anna Lozyk Romeo — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 05:43:16 +0000

In couple of days I will explore the insides of the Petch House located on Leslie Street, Town of Aurora, and I will be allowed to take some pictures. Stayed tuned for an update and my experience of a life in early 1800s.Too bad that someone already lived there, and not everything is original, but still I am excited. My first visit was about a week ago. I walked around and too few nice pictures. The front has the Flying Club sign – it kind of sucks, because just did not belong there on my photo.

Petch House, Town of Aurora