1915 Cement House
Over the years, we’ve explored countless abandoned farm houses. The great majority are constructed of wood, the most common building material for rural dwellings, then as now. Occasionally we’ll come across ones of brick, but not terribly often. Very rare, but still seen every now and again, are ones of stone. There’s been examples of each. Here’s a new one for us and clearly something that’s a bit strange and out of the ordinary, the stately old home seen here with walls of cement.
Majestic and elegant the building sits in the middle of an overgrown yard. Being swallowed up by encroaching vegetation the exterior is hard to photograph and once things green up, something near impossible. In spite of being open to the elements (no glass), the inside is oddly pristine, clean and tidy, and overall in better shape than one would ever expect. Bizarre since it’s been abandoned for close to five decades. Structurally it seems very sound. Of course I guess it should be given what it’s built of.
Particularly charming are all the nice touches and sometimes subtle details found all about the building, inside and out. The textured concrete with alternating smooth bands is a wonderful feature. The dormers with those pleasant reverse-curve fronts are super nice. There are little carvings everywhere, the gorgeous turned railings. corner details, decorative window frames, they’re all wonderful and impressive. At the same time the entire place reflects a quiet confidence and in form is both sort of understated and reserved.
To protect the property from vandals, we’re going to be vague when it comes to certain details, like in regards to location and the names of people connected to it. This old house is on private property (and is watched) and is not publicly accessible.
The immediate region where the house stands was not heavily settled until just before World War One. Most newcomers to the area, including the couple who built this fine structure, were immigrants from the Ukraine. The region today is home to many descents of those early pioneers.
The house is from 1915, confirmed by a date stamp seen on one outer wall. The couple that built it raised nine children here. They had big families back then! Around 1940 it was acquired by one son. This person stayed until the mid-1950s when they sold it. The new owners were the final ones to live here and only stayed until the latter half of the 1960s before moving out. Once bursting with life, the house has stood empty and quiet ever since.
We’re terribly curious why it was constructed of concrete, but have found no hard evidence in regards to why. To impress: I’m not really convinced. Maybe they just wanted the most solid structure EVER, one that would last to the end of time. Clearly, it’s not going anywhere soon!
Some old documents seen while researching this post, make mention it was hard to heat in winter. Here, the temperature can drop to the -20s and -30s and was often accompanied by a blustery wind and cement is not known for holding heat. I guess on those cold, cold days condensation inside was also an ongoing problem. Come summer it would be nice and cool, one advantage perhaps, but not one to overcome the other. No doubt it was costly and challenging to construct too.
In the end, it’s just not a practical material for a farm house, at least in this part of the world and that’s why it comes as such a surprise. I doubt we’ll see another. It’s not completely clear if the walls were made from separate cast blocks stacked atop one another and joined somehow or if some manner of slip-forming technique was used instead. Either way, it’s something. The back end of the house is rather plain in comparison to the front and to a lesser extent the sides.
On the main floor there is a living room, dining room, kitchen and one bedroom (the PINK room) and porches connected each to the front and back entries. Upstairs are four bedrooms and off the hallway, a door to a small outside balcony. A large open attic, easily accessed by stairs, was no doubt used for storage. Of course only the outer walls are of cement. The interior is traditional with wood framing covered by lath and plaster. The house is certainly on the big side of what would be usual for the locale and era. We noted a lack of insulation in any walls we could see into, which may seem odd, but was common in old farm dwellings. I know, they’re pretty exposed out there and it’s damn winter half the year! What the heck?
The dirt basement appears to have been used as a root cellar and is home to a huge central heating plant. There is no bathroom, so outside biffies must have been the norm to the end. What fun is must have been doing one’s business in the middle of the night or during inclement weather. Of course, people were tougher back then. It looks like the home was wired for electricity early on.
Looking at a few old photos we found of the place, at one time there was a covered porch with gentle arches and square pillars, presumably where the current front entrance is. The curved elements in the dormers are actually a false front with a normal peaked roof in behind. The interior is nicely painted up in many pleasant colours. Of course, it’s all peeling exposing older layers of different shades.
In one spot is the unmistakable ghost outline of a wall phone. Scribbled nearby are various numbers (one for the vet) in the old three or four digit local dialing format used way back when.
Outside a couple things left behind, a water jug, old cheese grater, a garter clip that was used to hold up stockings (oh-la-la, shades of Cameo Intimates Lingerie), the place was completely empty of personal effects. Strange, there is usually more left behind.
At one time, confirmed in old photos, there was a big barn on the property. Beside the west wall of the house is a small log structure, a chicken coop perhaps? At the far end of the property is a much larger log building, which appears to be an old dwelling. Maybe the first house here? For farm hands? Not sure. Some old granaries can be seen to the east.
Caraganas have taken over the property. These were often planted in farm yards as decorative elements or wind breaks. Hardy and quick growing, in spring they are resplendent in bright yellow flowers that mature into bean-like seed pods, and if left unchecked they’ll quickly spread taking over any land they’re upon and turning it into a near impenetrable jungle.
Once they leaf up the cement farm house will be mostly likely be lost from view with only the roof being high enough to be seen at a distance. Remains of an old picket fence can be found in the yard.
Joining us and in fact our host this day is good friend and sometimes partner in adventure Rob Pohl. An Edmonton based photographer, he shoots a monstrous large format film camera, this odd old-fashioned looking thing that seems terribly out of place among all our high-tech digital gear, but actually is something quite modern and even a work of art in itself. Set up of this “Ebony” (the brand) is not quick with each photo taking many minutes to complete from start to finish. Then he has to go home and process the film! An artist suffers for his work. Most of what he shoots is monochrome.
Rob’s site: Robert S Pohl…photographs, travels and stuff).
When we hang with Rob we break out the film camera too. Our rig is a more typical 35mm SLR, some old Minolta we picked up somewhere, similar to one that anyone who was into photography in the 1970s or 1980s might have used.
When documenting old farms we typically stay for an hour or two. This place was so inspiring, so compelling, we lasted far longer. Even with every possible angle and shot in the camera, we still didn’t want to go. It was hard to leave this special place. Here the urge to linger was strongest.
Note: technically cement is not the same as concrete and instead is but a component of. To the general public however, the two words are generally used interchangeably to describe that cast mix of stones and binders, which is how we approached it in this article too. We were in the industry at one time and even then “pros” used both. Still, we fully expect to hear from the “fact police” – haha! Anyway, “1915 Concrete House” as a title, doesn’t seem quite right.
More photogenic farm houses…
Grist Mill Farm.
The Stone House (also with Rob Pohl).
The Mink Ranch.
Check out this post…
Beachwood Estates.
If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here, by all means contact us!
Date: March, 2016.
Location: Alberta
Article references and thanks: Tom B, Theresa G, Local history books.
The cement farm house is on private property. BIGDoer.com visited with permission.
Great article, Chris and Connie! But, AMAZING photos! Thanks for sharing your adventures.
It’s our pleasure and thanks for commenting – we love it when people do that!
My Grandparents lived in a concrete house in the in the early 60’s, it was at Gledhow Sk.,I remember how cool that house was(cold!) So there was more than one built out of concrete, likely by another immigrant from Europe, was likely a good idea until winter rolled in!
Great come summer! Thanks for sharing these memories.
Someone on Facebook said the following about the house.
“All I know is the year it was built…people who had cement houses back then were rich…likely a doctor or lawyer.”
Thanks for sharing this. No to that and best we can tell only a simple farmer. With the most impressive house ever!
Fantastic article!
Glad you could be part of it. Seems so long ago now.
Absolutely wonderful journey
Thank you!
So happy you enjoyed the tour!
Cool in the summer heat. Technically it’s not cement but concrete—cement is the powder that you mix with aggregate and water to make concrete.
I’ve had connections to the industry and even there the two words are used interchangeably.
Those photos are wonderful. The ones of the front and showing the rounded roof lines really set this house apart (in addition to the stone construction) clearly the builders were either putting their hearts into it or just more optimistic than most. Great blog as usual.
Thank you. Yes, it’s a beauty in every way, shape and form. They must have been very proud of it. It’s not actually stone but concrete that looks like stone blocks. We found a device in an old catalogue that could be used to make these walls. A lot of work for sure, but in the end you’d have a house that’s not just impressive but one that’d pretty much stand forever.
Was certainly a beautiful home – would have loved to see it in it’s day. Thanks for exploring and sharing!
We’ll send you a pic when it was lived in. It was nice. Glad you enjoyed the article.
Nice house, love the roof.
They put a lot of work into it.
Beautiful find! Love the interior, so well preserved it’s like stepping back in time. Thanks for sharing this gem 🙂
A little sweeping and you could move right in. Glad you liked our presentation.
Love your work! 👍
Thank you…we do it for you.
Love the detailed trim work!
What an amazing house.
Walls of CONCRETE!!
Really? The two words are so universally accepted as interchangeable, why stress it?
What a fascinating place! Thanks for sharing!
Is sure is special!
Excellent work Chris!
Thank you Johnnie!
This is incredible. What a gift that the landowners let you explore.
Thanks! We’re so blessed we get to do these amazing things.
Absolutely stunning love it !
Thank you, we so loved presenting this piece.
Such a beautiful spot.
Can you recommend any articles regarding abandoned homes with a similar kind of atmosphere? Love the vibe of this place. Looking to shoot a scene for my movie in an abandoned house. Though preferably one where I won’t be intruding on someone’s private property.
The places you guys have seen… even just these images. Wow!
It sure was a cool old house. Yes, we do see many amazing places – we’re so blessed in that regard. With the issue of private property being a problem, why not ask an open air museum type place if you can shoot after hours or something? Heritage Park Calgary, Fort Edmonton, the Ukrainian Village or some other – there’s lots. They’re usually pretty accommodating, at least so we’ve found. Do tell us about your project.
Amazing!
Been said a lot when speaking of this place. It truly was.
This home was only 45 years old or so when it was abandoned…that surprises me. I thought the concrete houses had a longer life span, or did it simply go out of style?
Yes, I too find it odd that it wasn’t lived in for long. The building itself couldn’t have been the reason. It’s in fine shape even today. Odd indeed.
What a place in its day!
I know, so stately!
AWESOME! What a find! That must of been a neat place back in the day – very interesting architecture!
It really stands out as unique. Only seen a couple houses, and none outside cities, made of concrete.
Gorgeous! Nice shots and amazing article!
Thanks, we enjoyed sharing it with you!
That’s a beauty! Much respect that you obtained permission as well. Great capture shots.
Permission is a must. These places belong to someone else and trespassing is not an option. That’s how we roll.
A little paint and some care and the house would shine!
I know, it’s in such nice shape.
(via Facebook)
Thanks for sharing. I really enjoyed the pictures and the descriptions.
Thank you, and we had a ton of fun shooting and researching the place.
Shared to Ghost Town Hunters.
Was waiting for you, we knew you’d come…
If these walls could talk, what a great find, Thanks for sharing the pictures and the story.
Agreed, if they could talk. I can just imagine the stories.
(via Facebook)
Bet that was an even more amazing house back in its day… If only walls could tell stories sometimes. Thank you for sharing.
What stories are contained within? I bet they’d be interesting for sure.
This house is incredible, and your descriptions bring one right along with you, exploring. I have enjoyed this so much! Thank you for sharing! I love history so much, and have been working on a family tree for 35 years, since I was 23.
Wow, now that’s a drawn out project. Thanks for commenting!
What a unique home, great shots! I recently came across a very secluded farm house near Two hills AB where I was able to discover which of the two small upstair attic bedrooms belonged to the girl. My son didn’t figure it out until I pointed to the little keyhole stuff with rags on the window side bedroom. Little funny details that are there if one takes the time to really look! We were hunting on the property with permission.
Cool! Glad you sought out permission for that adventure. Not enough people do.