BACKGROUND:The oldest abandoned house in East Gwillimbury was recorded by the township as being built in 1856, but strangely does not show up on county maps until 1878. Known as Benjamin Lepard House, it is set back significantly from the roadway, surrounded by trees, and is only visible on satellite imagery. It is a Georgian-style residence with a symmetrical facade and gable roof.
Born to Silas Leppard and Juliette Wilson on September 2, 1873, Benjamin Lepard (note the difference in spelling) lived most of his life in this old house. He raised two children who, in turn, gave rise to pretty much the entire family tree of Lepards in the area.
What's interesting about this house is that the original, one-room stone farmhouse is still present here sandwiched between two later additions that were built on to either side. Whether these were done by Benjamin or not is unknown--he died in 1956 in Cascade, Montana. For abandonment explorers, the original home portion is the absolute highlight of the property, with a soaring stone fireplace unlike anywhere else.
This is a registered heritage house that has not been vacant for very long. There were subtle signs that a family with young children occupied the house until very recently. A metal-sided barn/outbuilding features a fairly modern upstairs residence that was either a sublet or perhaps quarters for farm help. I did not get to explore these outbuildings, as I ran out of 'comfort' time. There is virtually no parking in this entire area and I was uncomfortably hijacking the lot of the golf club across the road. The outbuildings await the next explorer, but plan your visit well in advance. Getting dropped off at the driveway gate would be ideal.
Rather than post the address, I tried my hand at creating my very first interactive "slider" to overlay the Historical Atlas of the County of York (1878) with current Google Earth imagery. It was a heck of a lot harder to make than I thought it would be. Grab the white line in the centre of the screen at this link and give it a try. You'll figure out where it is. Please let me know what you think!:
LOCATION SLIDER:https://cdn.knight...-bf88-a15b6c7adf9a(Benjamin's driveway is just below the Highway 8 symbol)
[01.]This overview shot shows the positioning of the original stone farmhouse and the two later additions that were built onto it.
[02.]The interior of the stone farmhouse is quite decrepit and dangerous due to high levels of wet-rot from water intrusion through the roof. This spiral staircase was far too rotten and untrustworthy.
[03.]Seemingly more suited to lavish ski resort, the giant fireplace is the jewel of the house. I wanted to get closer and take more shots, but the soaking wet carpet was a no-go for me. One thing you learn in this hobby is to never trust carpets.
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[06.]As much as I wanted to climb this ladder and see if there were some antique leftovers in the attic, the terrifying orbs scared me away. It awaits the next explorer.
[07.]A pair of photos with a few modern leftovers that show a young family recently lived here.
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[09.]I have discovered so many pianos and organs in abandonments, but this one was a unique colour and design. Unfortunately, this was as close as I was going. The floor in this area was just too risky.
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[17.]Behind the house is a modern barn outbuilding that may hold some interesting finds for the next person to visit this location.
[18.]I was parked at the golf course across the road from the driveway entrance and sensed that I had overstayed my welcome over there, so all I did was climb the metal stairs and take a single photo of the live-in suite. What a fantastic bachelor/bachelorette pad! It really is too bad that this property is now abandoned.
I could not find any historical photos of Benjamin or his children, as they lived in a time when photography was only just beginning. I did, however, find this class shot of nearby Holt School in 1918, with school teacher Daisy Watts. Benjamin's grandchild Arthur Lepard is in the front row, sixth person from the left. As all of these children went on to populate the entire East Gwillimbury area with their families, the full list of names is as follows.
Back Row L-R: May Luck, Mildred Cupples, Edith Thompson. Front Row: L-R: Howard Couch, Ross Thompson, Carmen Rolling, Colin Pegg, Ira Luck, Arthur Lepard, Marjorie Knott, Velma Smart, Gladys Hogg, Velma Cupples, Florence Gibney, Maude Knott, Marion Hopkins, Alan Hopkins, Erne Marles, Etoile Rutledge, Foster Hopkins, Floyd Pegg, Ethel Pegg, Stella Marles. 
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