Parkwood Estate facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Parkwood
A view of the front of the house in 2007.
Location	270 Simcoe Street North Oshawa, Ontario, Canada L1G 4T5
Original use	Residential estate
Current use	Historic house museum
Website	parkwoodestate.com
National Historic Site of Canada
Designated	1989

The Parkwood Estate is a beautiful historic mansion in Oshawa, Ontario. It was the home of Samuel McLaughlin, the man who founded General Motors of Canada. He and his family lived there from 1917 to 1972.

The mansion was designed by a famous Toronto building company called Darling and Pearson. Construction began in 1916. Today, Parkwood is a National Historic Site, which means it's a special place protected by the Canadian government. You can visit it for tours all year round.

The Grand House

Walking into Parkwood is like traveling back in time to the 1920s and 1930s. The design of the building, the furniture, and the gardens are all from that era. It's a rare example of a grand estate from that time that is still in almost perfect condition.

The house was the McLaughlin family's home for 55 years. In 1989, the government made it a National Historic Site to preserve its history for everyone to see. In the same year, R.S. McLaughlin was honored as a National Historic Person for his importance to Canada.

Inside the Mansion

The inside of Parkwood shows what life was like for a wealthy family in the early 20th century. It is filled with the family's original belongings, like books, photos, art, and trophies.

The walls are decorated with beautiful murals painted by Canadian artists like Frederick Challener. You can also see fancy carved wood and plaster designs. The house even has fun secrets, like hidden panels and secret stairways!

The huge mansion has 55 rooms and is 15,000 square feet (1,400 m²) in size. This includes the basement and the rooms on the third floor where the servants lived.

The Beautiful Gardens

The beautiful Formal Garden at Parkwood Estate.

The McLaughlin family loved gardening and plants. They had eleven greenhouses and a team of 24 gardeners to take care of the grounds. Mr. McLaughlin hired the best garden designers to create the estate's amazing gardens.

The gardens at Parkwood were inspired by famous gardens in Europe, but with a modern twist. The style is based on the English Arts & Crafts gardening movement. This meant that the gardens closest to the house were very neat and formal. Farther away from the house, the gardens became more natural, with large, perfect lawns.

The gardens were divided into different "rooms" using cedar hedges. These hedges created separate spaces for formal gardens, play areas, and places to grow flowers, fruits, and vegetables. The hedges also made exploring the gardens more exciting, as you couldn't see everything at once.

Designing the Garden Rooms

After the family moved in, they hired designers to create a beautiful setting for the mansion. They made sure that each main room in the house opened onto a terrace or garden.

In the 1920s, designers Howard and Lorrie Dunington-Grubb created spectacular outdoor "garden rooms." These included the Italian Garden, the Sundial Garden, and the Sunken Garden. They were very important in their field and also started Sheridan Nurseries, a company that still supports Parkwood today.

The last major garden project was the Formal Garden, designed by architect John Lyle in the 1930s. This two-acre garden is so well-designed that it won an award.

Today, the gardens have been restored to look just as they did in the 1930s. Three of the greenhouses are still used to grow plants, including palms, orchids, and other tropical plants.

Parkwood in the Movies

Because of its beauty and history, Parkwood is a popular place for filming movies and TV shows. It is often used as a background for fashion photos and commercials. Many famous actors have worked here.

Movies and TV Shows Filmed at Parkwood

Parkwood has been the set for many well-known movies and TV shows. It can be seen in big-screen adventures and popular series. Here are just a few examples: