“William Lyon Mackenzie King & His Mysterious Estate”

“William Lyon Mackenzie King & His Mysterious Estate”

William Lyon Mackenzie King governed Canada for 22 years — a record that no subsequent Canadian Prime Minister has ever equaled.
But his legacy wasn’t just political.

He was an eccentric, lifelong bachelor who bequeathed his nearly 600-acre estate in Gatineau Park, with its gardens and parks, to the Canadian public when he died in 1950.

Today, the estate welcomes tens of thousands of visitors each year who come to admire his life’s work.

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Here we are at the Mackenzie King Estate, the summer residence of Canada’s 10th Prime Minister, William Lyon Mackenzie King. We begin our tour at Kingswood.

👤 Is this Mr. King himself?
Yes — this photo is from 1901, one of his first visits to the area. At just 25 years old, King had recently landed his first public service job in Ottawa. He was immediately drawn to the Gatineau Hills.

How did he discover the area?

Friends in Ottawa invited him to visit the Kingsmere region in 1900. He fell in love with it and, three years later, bought a 2-acre plot of land — the start of what would become his estate.

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Even as a young man, King had a passion for politics — and architecture.
He drew up plans for a cottage and took a hands-on role in constructing what became known as Kingswood, the first of three homes on his estate.

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Inside Kingswood, you’ll notice how modest it is.

🛏️ “This room was originally a bedroom,” the guide explains. “People might expect something grand because he was Prime Minister — but he started small, just like anyone else.”

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🛋️ This was King’s favourite room:
The drawing room, complete with a fireplace inspired by Shakespeare’s home in Stratford-upon-Avon. A writing table by the window overlooked Kingsmere Lake.

🌲 Over the years, trees grew back naturally and obscured the view, but originally the lake could be seen clearly from inside.

Although King never married and had no children, he hosted many guests. He spent every summer at Kingswood and eventually expanded it to accommodate visitors.

💼 He had a well-paying job with the Rockefellers in the U.S., and his income allowed him to transform the cottage into a full estate — a peaceful retreat away from the city’s noise and pollution.

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His political career soon took off.

🗳️ After serving as Labour Minister in 1909 under Sir Wilfrid Laurier, he became leader of the Liberal Party in 1919 and was elected Prime Minister in 1921.

At that point, Kingswood was no longer sufficient. So he purchased a new home on the estate — Moorside — about 100 metres away, and moved in.

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🏛️ Moorside was more luxurious than Kingswood.
King bought it in 1924, rented it briefly, and moved in permanently in 1928, after renovations.

One bedroom here was often used by his sister Jennie, whose embroidery can still be seen on display.

Despite the luxury, King sometimes slept in other rooms due to the howling northwest wind. The wooden shingles rattled loudly, making sleep difficult in some parts of the house.

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📻 In this room, you’ll find a radio gifted by the Ottawa Electric Company, where King could hear broadcasts like:

“The Right Honourable Mackenzie King, Prime Minister of Canada, speaking to you from Ottawa…”

During WWII, this estate was his place of peace and reflection.

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🌸 King loved gardens and designed them himself.
He had a romantic soul and admired Victorian architecture. He created:
• A formal French-style garden, inspired by Versailles, with a symmetrical layout and annual flowers.
• An English country garden with perennials, appearing more organic and natural.

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🪨 Then there’s his eccentric side.

King bought ruined stones from demolished buildings in Ottawa and reconstructed them as monuments across his estate.

For example:
• Rocks from the British North American Bank on Wellington Street.
• Stones from the Canadian Parliament, destroyed by fire in 1916 (the library was the only part that survived).
• Stones from the home of Quebec’s first premier, Sir Étienne-Paschal Taché.

He called one monument the “Arc de Triomphe” — commemorating his return to power in 1935.

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👤 King frequently walked the estate with guests — including his beloved dog, Pat — and received prominent figures like:
• Winston Churchill
• Franklin D. Roosevelt
• Charles Lindbergh

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🏡 In 1943, King purchased a third house on the estate called The Farm, an old house he restored and where he spent much of his final years.

He died there in 1950, two years after passing the political torch to his successor, Louis St. Laurent.

Today, The Farm is the official residence of the Speaker of the House of Commons — and is not open to the public.

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🎁 Why Did He Leave His Estate to Canada?

Two likely reasons:
1. He had no heirs — never married and had no children.
2. According to his personal diary, he wanted Canadians to have a place to relax and reflect. He felt blessed to enjoy such a peaceful setting and wanted to share it with all Canadians.