Laurier House National Historic Site

Two of Canada's most prominent prime ministers lived under the same roof on Laurier Avenue East, though not at the same time. Laurier House National Historic Site, at 335 Laurier Avenue East in the Sandy Hill district of Ottawa, is a three-storey Victorian mansion of 1878, a short walk east of the Rideau Canal and downtown. It was bought for Sir Wilfrid Laurier in the 1890s by friends and supporters, and he lived here from 1897 as Liberal leader and later as prime minister, until his death in 1919. His widow, Lady Laurier, remained until she died in 1921 and left the house to William Lyon Mackenzie King, who became the longest-serving prime minister in Canadian history.

Mackenzie King made the house his own. He lived here for nearly three decades, added a library and a study, and filled the rooms with books, portraits, mementoes and antiques that reflected his tastes and preoccupations. When he died in 1950, he bequeathed the house to the people of Canada, and it is now cared for by Parks Canada. The rooms have been preserved largely as they were during his time, and the furnishings include pieces from both families, so walking through the house is a chance to see the domestic setting of political life in the first half of the 20th century.

Guided tours are the best way to see the house. They lead through the main rooms, showing the Laurier-era drawing room, the dining room and the library, and the upstairs study, where King read and wrote late into the night. Guides explain the careers of both men, the political tensions of the time and the private habits that made King such an unusual figure. The tour is intimate in scale, and groups are small, so there is time for questions. A tea on the veranda is offered at certain times and adds a pleasant touch of period atmosphere.

The house is open seasonally, in the warmer months, and general admission has been free, though tours and special events may have their own arrangements. Check the Parks Canada website for current dates, hours and tour requirements before travelling.

The house sits near Strathcona Park, the University of Ottawa and the Rideau River, so a walk through Sandy Hill makes a fine addition. Visitors who follow history and politics enjoy it most.