215 Oakwood Road

“The Echoes” Story from the owner himself….

“ In the early 1880’s, my great- grandfather, W. F. Clark, travelled overland, eastward from the northern Georgian Bay coastline, seeking out a location to start a new farm. He was a true pioneer, and the first homesteader, and original founder, of what was to become the small village, and later town, of Powassan. These were tough challenging times, W. F Clark , along his family and farmhands, had to clear land to build a tiny log-cabin, then build a brick-yard, and eventually construct a spacious brick farmhouse. The farm eventually grew to cover some 400 acres. Present day Powassan sits almost entirely on his original farm land.

As farming, social, and general business activity grew around the central hub of the farm, my grand-mother, sought a more peaceful, quiet refuge, on the northern outskirts of the newly emerging village.. In the early 1920’s she purchased the 100 acre property which became known as The Echoes. The name was immediately obvious to her; standing on the back stoop of the very small newly constructed cabin, one could yell out and hear about eight crystal clear echoes ringing off the hills of the sheltered valley behind the house.

This 100 acre property had originally, around the year 1900, included a small barn and farmhouse, both of which my grand-mother had demolished. About eighteen acres of this small farm were originally used to farm several crops of hay each year. And, there were apparently a few dairy cows as well. Today these eighteen acres are covered in a mature managed, plantation pine forest, planted in 1955 by my father with the financial support of the Department of Forestry of the province of Ontario., The balance of the property hosts a rugged, natural northern Ontario forest.

The Echoes has been recognized as the formal postal address of the property for about 100 years!

Today, our home sits on the location of the original barn foundation, with a superb view of the valley and pond below.”

PROPERTY DESCRIPTION

THIS 100 ACRE PROPERTY HAD ORIGINALLY, AROUND THE YEAR 1900, INCLUDED A SMALL BARN AND FARMHOUSE. ABOUT EIGHTEEN ACRES OF THIS SMALL FARM WERE ORIGINALLY USED TO FARM SEVERAL CROPS OF HAY EACH YEAR. TODAY THESE EIGHTEEN ACRES ARE COVERED IN A MATURE MANAGED, PLANTATION PINE FOREST, PLANTED IN 1955. THE BALANCE OF THE PROPERTY HOSTS A RUGGED, NATURAL NORTHERN ONTARIO FOREST, ABUTTING 200 ACRES OF CROWN LAND. SITUATED IN POWASSAN ONTARIO, 25 MINUTES SOUTH OF NORTH BAY WITH ALL OF ITS AMENITIES INCLUDING THE WATERFRONT, SHOPS, FINE RESTAURANTS, AND THE NORTH BAY JACK GARLAND AIRPORT.

TODAY, THIS MAGNIFICENT 4100 SQ. FT LOG HOME SITS ON THE LOCATION OF THE ORIGINAL BARN FOUNDATION, WITH A SERENE VIEW OF THE VALLEY AND POND BELOW. LOCALLY DESIGNED, BUILT AND SOURCED, THERE IS TRUE CANADIAN PRIDE EVIDENT IN THIS HOME. THE MODERN INTERIOR FINISHES AND FIXTURES IN THE KITCHEN AND BATHROOMS WERE DESIGNED TO CONTRAST MAGNIFICENTLY WITH THE MASSIVE TIMBER STRUCTURE ITSELF. A BRILLIANT COMBINATION OF RUSTIC LUXURY. THE STONE USED FOR THE FEATURE WOOD BURNING FIREPLACE IN THE GREAT ROOM COMES FROM THE COASTLINE OF GEORGIAN BAY.

ALL BEDROOMS IN THE HOME EACH HAVE THEIR OWN ENSUITE. BEDROOMS 1 AND 2 EACH HAVE ACCESS TO A SCREENED IN PORCH OVERLOOKING THE FOREST, OFFERING A PLACE TO CHILL AND TAKE IT ALL IN. BEDROOM 1 INCLUDES A 4 PIECE MODERN ENSUITE, BEDROOM 2 INCLUDES A 3 PIECE ENSUITE WITH GLASS SHOWER. THE MASTER-BEDROOM HAS AN OFFICE OR OPTIONAL SITTING AREA JUST OFF THE MAIN PART OF THE BEDROOM. GORGEOUS VIEWS OVERLOOKING THE POND AND FOREST OFFER SUCH A SENSE OF PEACE AND STILLNESS. THE TRANQUIL ENSUITE INCLUDES DOUBLE SINKS, GLASS SHOWER AND SOAKER TUB WITH A PRETTY SPECTACULAR VIEW OUT THE LARGE WINDOWS WITH NATURE AS THE BACKDROP. JUST OFF THE MASTER IS A WALKOUT TO YOUR OWN PRIVATE SCREENED IN PORCH AREA WITH ACCESS TO THE OUTSIDE.

FOR THE STRUCTURE ITSELF, THE MASSIVE WHITE PINE TIMBERS WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE TEMAGAMI FOREST, TOGETHER WITH PINE STANDS ALONG THE MATTAWA RIVER AND THE UPPER OTTAWA RIVER. EACH TREE WAS CAREFULLY SELECTED, SOME OF WHICH WERE 58 INCHES IN DIAMETER AT THE BASE OF THE TREE. THE RESULTING LARGE TIMBERS WERE TRUCKED TO THE BUILDING SITE TO BE CLEANED, SQUARED, DRIED AND AGED FOR ONE YEARS BEFORE EACH WAS HAND ANZED PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTION. THE CONSTRUCTION PROCEEDED SLOWLY, WITH EACH LOG, INDIVIDUALLY CUT AND ERECTED ACCORDING TO A COMPREHENSIVE, AND ARCHITECTURALLY COMPLEX BUILDING PLAN. ONE CAN UNDERSTAND HOW THIS PROCESS TOOK ABOUT 8 YEARS TO COMPLETE.

THE CURRENT OWNER’S INTENTION WAS TO ALWAYS ENSURE THE STRUCTURE BLENDED INTO THE SURROUNDING FOREST, INSPIRED BY FRANK LLYOD WRIGHT’S ABIDING CREDO, NEVER ALLOWING IT TO COMPETE IN ANY WAY, INCLUDING ITS HEIGHT, WITH THE NATURAL SURROUNDINGS. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

THE ECHOES AWAIT YOU.

Features:

Style: Bungalow

Type: Residential/Recreational

Lot Size: 100 acres

Exterior: Log

Garage: No

Basement: Unfinished; Full; Crawl Space

Driveway: Gravel

Heatsource: Radiant Propane/HRV system

Wood burning fireplaces x 3

Square Footage: 4100 sq.ft

Total Rooms: 12