Laurier House

Laurier House was the home of two famous Prime-Ministers: Sir Wilfred Laurier and William Lyon Mackenzie King. Laurier was the first French-speaking, Catholic born Prime Minister and King is the longest standing Prime Minister (22 years). Laurier lived in this house first and actually died in his bed in this very house after he had had a stroke while working at Parliament Hill earlier that day. His wife died two years later and left the house to Mackenzie King. He renovated the house and turned the third floor into his offices. His cosy office, tucked in a room on the front of Laurier House even has a crystal ball in it. He used to like to sit by his fireplace and read.

When he died, he left the house to the "Government and People of Canada" so that we could learn more about him and Laurier and what life in Canada was like at that time in history. The house is filled with all of his original furniture. Before he died though, he created "24 Sussex Drive" which is the official residence of the Prime Ministers of Canada.

A small room tucked away in the wall of the third floor was used for mediums to listen to spirits. Not everybody knows that King was a very spiritual man.

You can visit Laurier House too!

http://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/on/laurier/index.aspx