As I discussed last month, I attended the opening of a new exhibit at Lougheed House in Calgary. I am ashamed to say I had never visited this National (and Provincial) Historic Site before. It provides a touchstone for many ways to view Alberta’s past.

My sister went with me and when asked about the event, stated, “The people there sure are passionate about history.” Her view from the outside (of the historical community) registered surprise at the emotional commitment and physical dedication of the numerous people who worked tirelessly for years to restore the gardens and the house to their former glory. More used to the obsessions of the historically-minded, I merely appreciated the result of all this work.

Although the current exhibit features 1920s fashion, it was the many and varied stories surrounding the house that struck me. The house itself, named Beaulieu, went through several stages of use from its construction in 1891 as the family home of Senator James Lougheed until the death of his wife Lady Isabella Hardisty Lougheed in 1936, to Youth Training Program residence in 1939, to WWII Canadian Women’s Army Corps barracks, to Canadian Red Cross Society clinic and office from WWII until the province took over ownership in the late 1970s. The Lougheed House Conservation Society worked ten years restoring the estate and it opened to the public in 2005.

Of most interest to me were the initial residence period and the restoration period. An example of the significance of this grand sandstone mansion during its first phase is the inclusion of electricity and modern plumbing, features not usually found in western homes of the 1890s. An intriguing discovery during the restoration was a child’s shoe found within a wall. Despite initial speculation about how it had found its way into such a location, workers later realized this was the manifestation of a superstition of the time: including a used child’s shoe in a wall during construction was thought to protect the house from harm!

Needless to say, the house is awe-inspiring in its structure and details and the gardens are rich in colour and texture. Interesting architectural features include gorgeous stained glass windows, unusual wall treatments, rich wood paneling, spacious rooms and soaring ceilings. Additionally, several windows have been constructed on the interior walls to show various details of the many stages of use and reconstruction. The gardens are lush and I was particularly drawn to the roses, which included a variety of climbing rose covering an arbor in pink blooms. Coincidentally, I found this same variety at the Bergen market last week and took it home to add to my own humble flowerbed.

While Beaulieu itself is worthy of study, it also allows a glimpse into the lives of its most famous residents, the Lougheeds. I would hazard a guess that most born and bred Albertans already know the story of how James, son of a carpenter, became a lawyer and a Senator, and was eventually knighted for his role in providing care for Canadian veterans of the First World War, but I wonder if the story of his wife Isabella Hardisty is as well-known and appreciated.

I discovered a great book about the Lougheeds, written by a professor I was fortunate enough to take classes from in University, titled Calgary’s Grand Story: the Making of a Prairie Metropolis from the Viewpoint of Two Heritage Buildings, by Donald B. Smith. He explains Isabella’s personal background as well as James’s. She was the daughter of a Hudson’s Bay Company Chief Factor, the niece of one of Canada’s first multi-millionaires – Lord Strathcona, and the niece of the first federal Senator from the Alberta region – Richard Hardisty; she brought wealth and status to James when they married. Although technically Metis, because both her parents had aboriginal ancestry, her native background was downplayed through time as western society became more British in form. Well-bred and well-educated, she provided the initial social standing her husband needed to rise in rank to Senator. James took the place of her late uncle in the Senate. In her grand new home, Beaulieu, she raised six children, was western society’s highest ranking hostess, and entertained royalty such as the Duke and Duchess of Connaught and their daughter Princess Patricia, and the Prince of Wales, Prince Edward, among others. Besides all these duties, Isabella found time to work for the betterment of her community. She was the first vice-president of the Calgary chapter of the Council of Women and later a national V-P, first treasurer of the Women’s Hospital Aid Society, and first president of the board of directors for the Calgary branch of the Victorian Order of Nurses; and this is only a partial list of her social and charity roles.

My trip to Lougheed House allowed me to look through many windows on the past. I saw my sister’s modern era view from the outside looking in on the historic community. The view from inside the house to the outside environs occurred through the lovely stained glass illuminated by the setting sun or through the clear panes out onto a beautiful garden-scape. The internal view of the house was framed by the interior construction windows, which reminded me of three-dimensional colour X-rays. And the ethereal windows of my mind’s eye allowed a shadowy peek into lives of the past residents of the house. Any direction I looked, there was more to see.

This article was originally printed in the Bergen News and is being reprinted with permission.