“The phenomenal mansion in Oshawa’s Parkwood Estate allows any journeyer a worthwhile step back in time”
Globe trotters or seasoned travelers have said it often that traveling stimulates the brain by introducing people to new experiences, environments, and challenges.
We saw this gospel truth during the nearly three months we were off the computer keyboards rejigging opinion pieces or chasing the latest in world news developments.
There is an apothegm that the constant stream of new stimuli can spark creativity and can allow the traveler to immerse himself in new cultures.
One travel agent, echoing the experiences of travelers, said the tourist or voyager exposes himself to different ways of life, customs, and traditions, the exposure broadening perspectives and fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of the diversity in the world.
“We learn to see the world through different lenses, which enhances our empathy and cultural intelligence,” one said, quoting a sightseer.
Journeyers say traveling stimulates the brain by introducing wanderers or tourists to new experiences, environments, and challenges.
Others say the experiences and memories we gain from traveling stay with us for a lifetime. And the memories become a part of our personal story, contributing to our sense of self and providing a source of joy and nostalgia.
Such experiences and memories run parallel to our experience very recently when our children, acting as tourist guides and event annotators brought us to the Parkwood Estate in the heart of Oshawa in Ontario, Canada.
As we drove past the gate of the nearly five-hectare Parkwood National Historic Site, declared by he Canada federal government as such in 1989, our daughter Hermione, a family medicine practitioner in her area, told us we were not just entering a grand estate, but a portal into the captivating history of Oshawa, Ontario.
Each room – there are 55 rooms in all – whispers stories of a bygone era, ensnaring the tourists’ senses with the echoes of laughter, debates, and heartfelt conversations that once filled the air.
We did stroll down through the luxuriant gardens in that mid afternoon of a weekend, and try to retrace the steps of the McLaughlin family, the auto barons who shaped Oshawa’s destiny.
We were impressed we were not just a visitor from the Philippines making a quick swing in the True North but, as one of our children said, an integral part of reviving and preserving the enchanting narratives.
The incredible structure of the richly decorated mansion was, so we were impressed, inspired by early 20th century Beaux-Arts design, built between 1915 and 1917. The art, architecture, gardens, landscaping and original furnishings are all faithfully preserved in this National Historic Site.
The interior of the residence is decorated in revival styles suited to the function of each space and contains a large collection of period furnishings, fine and decorative arts.
Ancillary buildings at the estate include a gatehouse, garages, a teahouse/gazebo, and extensive greenhouses. Substantial hedges delineate the major areas of the property (entrance court, pleasure grounds, service area and stable and farm sectors) as well as individual garden areas.
The extensive formal gardens include a sunken garden with a Japanese pavilion, an enclosed Italian garden with a lily pool, a sweeping front lawn with terrace and walkway gardens leading to a summer house, a tennis court, a monotone “white” garden, a rose garden, a cutting garden, an orchard, and an Art Deco style water garden.
The estate takes up an entire city block, and is surrounded by a masonry wall along its front and wooden fencing along the other three sides and is centrally located in the city of Oshawa.
The national significance of Parkwood National Historic Site of Canada, the estate of Colonel Sam McLaughlin, lies in the house, with its collection of period furnishings and decorative art, and in the grounds, with the formal gardens.
Further significance lies in the succession of prominent designers associated with the estate.
The phenomenal mansion, kept up exactly the way it was when R.S. McLaughlin lived there, allows any journeyer a worthwhile step back in time.
An enriching travel to the past.
