Swords Schoolhouse © 2009 Michelle Basic Hendry
With rain in the forecast for the next 4 days, I decided to abandon the studio for a drive out to a couple of my favourite locations in north and west Muskoka. On the way, I picked my Mom up to show her the place that inspired last year’s “Old General Store – Swords“.
The clouds were moving in, bringing quick waves of bright sun and ominous dark shadows with the old spot of rain as we made up toward Parry Sound. It was exciting to see the first building come into sight. We walked the grounds of this beautiful white schoolhouse and discovered the old outhouses out back. One set was completely derelict, the other had a fresh pink toilet seat and toilet paper on the bench!
Outhouses © 2009 Michelle Basic Hendry
We arrived a little further up the road to the big imposing house on the side of the general store. This place is a beautiful one, the yellow and purple wildflowers pepper the grounds and bright orange day lilies were in full bloom. The sun broke through briefly lighting up this chaotic garden.
Outhouses © 2009 Michelle Basic Hendry
On Tuesday evening, I attended on of the lectures held at the Muskoka Heritage Center, Grace & Speed. The subject of this talk was the exceptional book by Maria Da Silva and Andrew Hind, Ghost Towns of Muskoka. There I learned that the fate of these two oldest remaining buildings in the ghost town of Swords are in danger.
Swords General Store, A year later… © 2009 Michelle Basic Hendry
The old general store is beginning to become quite derelict. The weight of the higher than normal snowfall has taken its toll on the roof and the spine is beginning to bend away from the main house. Vandals have taken to smashing a couple of windows and nearly set fire to the old front doors. It is one of the last on the old rail line of its kind and is occupied.
Swords General Store, 24×30, acrylic © 2008 Michelle Basic Hendry
Last year, a couple of ladies attended my show, saw the Swords painting and told a story to Terry at Auburn Gallery. Back a little ways in the bush is the ruin of an old shack used as a brothel by the lumberjacks. The bugs were too bad yesterday to wander in and see if we could find it, but when they subside, we will try! The full history of Swords.
I also learned that the old schoolhouse which has been lovingly maintained by the community is struggling to get enough money to remain in such good condition. The community has appealed to the district, but, so far, to no avail. If anyone has any more info on this, or if there is a fundraising effort, please let me know! The next generations deserve to be able to see the fragile legacy of early Canadian settlers and the businesses that followed the rails in Northern Ontario.
**I have since learned that the Swords General Store is occupied and loved by the current owners. They have asked me to please ask visitors to respect their privacy and enjoy the house at a distance.**
see its stories like the one that the ladies said that makes it sad when these old building get ruined, they are so many stories behind a lot of these buildings. and a story like that would get the next generation into looking at the history of the area.
Great phtos and story Michelle, especially the pink Toilet seat :>)
Love,
Linda
General store rendition just lovely!
Great stories as usual, and full of the melancholy of the loss of our history, but you help spread the memories to all of us.
Ermm. and after all that eloquence, um…jeepers, I’d love to see the pink toilet seat!
What a GREAT story Michelle. I wish I was there to explore with you. I LOVE this post, all of it. The painting is extraordinary as are the photos. My word you are talented. I loved the part about the pink toilet seat and then the part about the old brothel our the back. Oh yes, there is definitely a return trip to explore that. I just LOVE LOVE exploring old buildings. There is just something sooooooo irresistible about them. I’m drawn to them like a magnet. I not only thrive on exploring them, but love photographing the way they slowly weather and return to the earth.
I also was struck by the way you made the grass and flowers bend in your painting. It adds such a LIFE and motion to the painting. When I lived in Maine I would see whole fields that looked just like this. You did an excellent job of completely capturing that.
Last thought: It’s like these old buildings are just saturated with memories. Maybe that’s what I feel when I am around and in them. As if the very wall boards have absorbed all the years of voices and emotions of their occupants.
You are amazing!! Thank you dear Michelle.I so enjoyed this. Sending you hugs, Robin
Thanks everyone…! 🙂
I was actually so flabbergasted by the pink toilet seat, I forgot to photograph it! I’ll get that next time too…
Old buildings say so much if we listen!! A pink toilet seat…would like to see a photo of that?
Cheers