I took photos of the Isaac Petch farm house back in mid-April, and honestly, I’m not even sure if the house is still standing. It seems like old historic houses in Aurora are disappearing left and right these days.

Watching the demolition process is pretty interesting. The crew takes their time cleaning up around the house, and then suddenly they start digging in, letting it fall, scooping it up, and then it’s all over and done with.

Just like with the now non-existent Browning House, I was able to capture photos before and after, but there’s nothing in between. It’s crazy how quickly these old houses are disappearing.

UPDATE December 7, 2012: Some say this isn’t the Isaac Petch farm house. I need to do some more research. When I first photographed this farm house, I thought it belonged to the Petch family, but I’ve since been told that’s not the case.

Have you noticed the light bulb? I wonder how old it is. I’m pretty sure all the electrical services to the house have been disconnected, so there’s no army of electrons marching in to generate light. But I couldn’t help but notice that, as everything around the house ages— including the house itself— that glass light bulb still looks perfect.

That perfect light bulb, probably not energy efficient, serves no purpose anymore. Just like the farmhouse, which probably isn’t energy efficient either, has no purpose anymore. But that’s not why we’re demolishing this house, or anything else of historical value in this part of town, is it?

Last month, after visiting Hillary House, I decided to take a stroll around the corner onto Catherine Avenue. I initially planned to just walk down the street and then head back to my car. However, I was captivated by the stunning historic houses lining the street, and before I knew it, I found myself wandering onto Spruce Street.

As I strolled down Spruce Street, one of the houses caught my eye and instantly reminded me of the Isaac Petch Farmhouse. It wasn’t just the tall chimney stack on the side of the house that stood out to me, but also the colour of the brick. The contrast between the red brick and the earthy yellow brick on the farmhouse was actually intriguing. Don’t you think?

I find it rather coincidental how the houses on Wellington Street and Spruce Street are so similar, yet still kind of far apart.

Maybe there’s a chance for that fallen tree to be saved. It would be cool to see it moved to a pond or arboretum – it could become the perfect spot for birds to perch!

I wanted to shed some light on preservation, but it looks like there’s no light to shed. The house, which once stood as a testament to the past, now feels like a forgotten relic, and I’m left wondering what remains of its history. It’s always tough to watch the slow decay of something that holds so much value, but at least it provides an opportunity to reflect on the importance of preserving the stories and structures that shape our town. I should probably go back and see if the house is still standing — maybe there’s still time to save it, or at least document it before it’s gone for good.

COMMENTS

Michael Krochter said: June 3, 2012 at 10:15

“I grew up in the town….I was very sad when they built out to the east and West of the town along Wellington St. I played and worked the farm fields around the town. The last time I was back was in 2007, I couldn’t believe how much has changed. It’s not the same town I remember. Things will change mostly because the council members are not original town members. Oh well enjoy it while you can because like the old town you too will soon be gone.”