Touchstone of our legacies, a reprint from Toronto Star

 OPINION

READERS' LETTERS

Touchstone of our legacies

Wed., Oct. 3, 2012 timer 1 min. read

Re: History gets a swift reprieve, Sept. 27

This is an Erin Brockovich-type story for Oshawa’s residents. If a bird in the hand is a chimney swift, then delays until the bird flies from its nest are no rescue. This house built by George McLaughlin is a human touchstone of Canadian legacies intertwined. Why care and who is George? Farm life, auto foundations in Canada and our war efforts to save world peace all get told through George and his stone house. A founder of Oshawa up until WWII and brother to Sam McLaughlin, together they built auto transportation. George became known this year as a significant Canadian to the war effort.

We experience history in our senses. George designed and built a world-class Arts and Crafts architectural beauty in the 1920's in a stone farmhouse. His design is the inspiration for Minto homes to be built here. Minto will destroy their source. Profit and loss puts human experience and heritage in a puzzling place.

Kathie Vanular, Oshawa

© Copyright Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd. 1996 - 2020 The Toronto Star and thestar.com, property of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, One Yonge Street, 4th floor, Toronto, ON, M5E 1E6


Written when I worked to preserve the George McLaughlin Arts and Crafts style architectural home in north Oshawa near the Ontario Tech university, prior to its demolition for a subdivision.
Location: Oshawa, ON, Canada

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