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SATURDAY, JULY 14, 1956
DAILY STANDARD FREEHOLDER
Old Mille Roches Home
Filled With Nostalgia
By RAY DEXTRAS
Ever since work began on the St. Lawrence Power and Seaway development, the people of this area have, en masse, literally "opened their eyes" to the treasures of local history stored away in attics, cellars, closets, artistic and antique fireplaces, woodwork, furniture, papers and just as important, the house themselves.
The grand, old houses of this area have attracted the attention of many observant and interested people, including a recent investigation and research program carried out by architectural students form the School of Architecture, University of Toronto. An Ontario College of Art teacher is presently writing a thesis for her Master's degree for the University of Illinois and she is using local and district house for subject material.
One of these precious treasures of local history is the Keezer house at Mille Roches. Standing handsomely on a square stretch of green, amidst shrubberies, plots of red roses, lilies of the valley, irises, flocks, and peonies, the nine room mansion is the picture of gay society life of 100 years ago.
The curving sidewalk leading up to the arched entrance is cracked with wear from generations of anxious and happy feet, hurrying up to the house which seems to emit a promise of comfort and luxury, in an elegant manner. (only the houses that have been lived in for a long time seem to absorb the collective or predominant atmospheres of the succeeding families that have occupied them). The atmosphere in the Keezer House (now occupied by Miss Lera Fyckes) is one of graceful, dignified living; happiness, with maybe just a tinge of tragedy, ironically enough, the house will be torn down with the flooding of the Seaway.
Miss Ruth Home, head of the museum department at the Ontario College of Art, while visiting the Keezer House for research purposes, not long ago remarked as she was leaving: "It's fascinating, I can almost see laughing women gliding down the stairs in colourful hoop skirts. Which goes to prove that the house affects you that way.
ANOTHER WORLD
Climbing up the front stairs, you pass between two slender columns of the piazza, then through arched doors, surrounded with coloured glass in hues of red, blue, yellow, and green. As soon as you enter the house, it feels as though you are stepping into another world; it's not a frightening sensation, but more like what a poet must feel when he sees something beautiful and inspiring.
At late forenoon, the entrance hall was dark, except for the sun shinning through the coloured glass. Blue, green, yellow, and red sunrays played on the dark wood of the staircase (the one Miss Home mentioned) the marble coloured stairs, and reflected off the chandelier up to the high white ceiling.
The your technicolour introduction into a pleasant world. You proceed to your left and enter the parlour, and the first thing that strikes you is the fireplace, solid marble. The Brilliant highlights on the stone are caused by sunshine pouring in through the floor length window at your left. Another brilliancy attracts your attention to the right: great white French doors leading in to the library. The piano against the wall is not just a decoration, Miss Fyckes teaches the instrument to Mille Roches children.
The library is small and more of a den, cozy and comfortable. What thoughts filled this room for over 100 years, the changing ideas, possibly amazing but forgotten fore thoughts? In a house like this, one can't help but feel that great things have happened here.
Upstairs, we arrive at a large wide landing, the high walls and ceiling of the long hall resounding with the "tock tock" of an old fashioned clock. In each of the five spacious bedrooms stands the inevitable large, extremely comfortable looking and inviting bed, with the slim brass work at head and foot.
Up another flight of stairs we go to a much smaller landing and a door leading into the attic. Beside the door stand some slabs of board, and on one is the faint outline of the carpenter's sketch for lathe work, probably the design for the columns of the piazza. Speaking of the piazza, it covers three sides of the house, the front, east and west walls, a simmer porch and shed extending at the back from the north wall. There was probably many a Sunday afternoon promenade along that wide broad walk and about the spacious lawn.
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