Laurier House
335 Laurier Avenue East
Written by Bytown Museum
on
03/Dec/2009
Originally built in 1878 for jeweller John Leslie, Laurier House is best-known as the home of two Canadian prime ministers, Sir Wilfrid Laurier and William Lyon Mackenzie King.
Laurier and his wife Zoé lived in the stately Sandy Hill home from 1896 until her death in 1921 (Wilfrid Laurier died in 1919). She left the house to King, who would become Canada's longest-serving prime minister. He is better-known by some as the prime minister with a crystal ball and an interest in communing with spirits, particularly those of his mother and his dog, Pat.
King bequeathed the house to the Canadian Government upon his death in 1950. Today, Laurier House, a national historic site, is operated by Parks Canada and is open for public tours. Inside, artifacts on view include Laurier's death mask and Mary Queen of Scots' prayer bench.
Did you know that Zoé Laurier received the first speeding ticket in Ottawa? She was travelling all of ten miles an hour.
