1

Estevan Lodge was built in 1887. Constructed for Sir George Stephen, he used it as his fishing camp for a decade. He chose Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii) as the wood for the house, the first use of this wood in residential construction in eastern Canada.

Stephen was president of the Canadian Pacific Railway at the time, which likely allowed him to transport the wood from the west to the east at a reasonable cost. It was a challenge to the builders in the region to build a house of 5,005 square feet (465 square metres) entirely made of wood.

2

Estevan Lodge
Jardins de Métis / Reford Gardens, (Québec), Canada

3

The drive leading to Estevan Lodge
Around 1904
Jardins de Métis / Reford Gardens, (Québec), Canada

4

Having retired to England and childless, he left his estate to his niece Elsie Reford in 1918, who, like him, adored salmon-fishing. She was a regular visitor. But she had no inkling at the time that the estate would become over time one of the most popular tourism destinations in eastern Québec. In 1926, she expanded the house to provide herself and her guests with greater comfort. Montreal architect Galt Durnford prepared the plans. It was at this time that the second storey was added.

5

The project to expand Estevan Lodge
Around 1924
Jardins de Métis / Reford Gardens, (Québec), Canada

6

OIn 1955, Elsie Reford left her Grand-Métis estate to her eldest son, Brigadier Bruce Reford. In 1961, unable to sustain the high costs of maintaining the site and frustrated by the absence of any potable water on site, he sold Estevan Lodge and the surrounding property along the Metis River to the government of Québec. The following year, the gardens opened to the public as the Reford Domain.