45/47  Forsyth St     

Rathbun Lumber Co./Clairmont/Philpot House

 
 

Although we have no records regarding the building of this house,  we understand it was built around 1850 as a guest house for the operation of a lumber company. It is unclear if it was the Page,  or Rathbun Lumber Company that built this stone structure.  It was later transferred to the Gilmour Lumber Co.  around 1866,  which carried on operations until 1872.   Government records show they obtained a permit to cut the timber off three and a quarter square miles of forest in 1866,  but Gilmour continued their operations through the area at least until 1872, when they are reported to have taken 22,000,000 board feet of pine,                                                                          

Frank S. Pearce sitting in the northwest corner of the stone house, in Mrs. Campion's apartment. On the wall is a portrait of Richard Pearce.

The house had been used as a boarding house for the old Cobourg, Peterborough & Marmora Railway. Thereafter,  it was owned by Malcolm Cameron until 1884. 

The stone structure has full sized timbers in the attic and basement,  some of which still have bark on them.  The walls are about two feet thick,  and the original door bell is still on the door.  The basement had a mud floor until the late 1970's,  when it was hand dug out and cemented.  Heated by stove pipes,  the six guest rooms all had holes for the pipes to pass through,  and spaces above the doors for ventilation.

 

1973

 

According toArthur Sweet, writing in 1967,  one of Marmora's oldest citizens,  Richard Campion,  lived in this house, running a livery there when the Gold Mine in Deloro was in operation.  His photo is on the wall in the above photograph.

At some point it was purchased by Jack Clairmont and converted to a house from offices.  The lower north end was rented out to Mrs. Campion.

In 1973 it was purchased by Anne & Andre Philpot and converted to a home with a law office in the Campion apartment at the lower north end. The first employee was Betty Nobes from Deloro.

Betty Nobes, 1977

The law office remained there until 1978,  when it was moved to 65 Forsyth Street.  Extensive work was carried out over the next twenty-five years, including replacing the full length top beam,  new windows and doors,  additions to the kitchen,  installing three bathrooms,  sanding of floors and a new porch.  The back lots were also purchased,  making the property a full acre.

Upon retiring,  the Philpots sold the property to Paul and Rosalie Payer,  who make it their home as well runningthe"Limestone Bed and Breakfast".  They have added a pool, and completed extensive decorating and gardening projects..

 

1990

Limestone Bed and Breakfast

The lamp post outside the front door was originally part of the #7 Highway Bridge over the Crowe River, discarded by the Ministry of Transport when the bridge was replaced.