This residence is more than a stately family home, it is definitely one for the books, of great architectural and historical importance to the city.
It is significant on several counts. First, it showcases Spanish Colonial design, which is certainly not typical for the area. Second, two local luminaries are associated with this house, each representing industries that have played a key part in Sudbury’s development: mining and lumbering. Third, the building has strong ties to Laurentian University, the first major institution of higher learning in northeastern Ontario.
179 John Street, which is currently on the market, was built in the late 1920s. A resident named Mina Bayne Todhunter had wanted to build her dream house and fashion it after the homes she had seen that belonged to the stars in Hollywood and Beverly Hills. In the 1920s, movies were the leading form of entertainment and people were enamoured by both the films and the films’ stars. At the time, Mina was married to a mining engineer in Timmins.
The Parker era
Douglas Parker, a Californian mining engineer, was the Assistant Mine Superintendent of the McIntyre Porcupine Mines in Schumacher, Ontario (close to Timmins), from 1921 to 1928. In 1928 he was appointed Superintendent of the International Nickel Company of Canada’s Creighton Mine in Copper Cliff, Ontario.
Parker moved to Sudbury in 1928 and his mother came to live with him, moving all of her belongings with her from California. He had intended to build a house for her, but she didn’t want to stay and returned to California a year later.
Meanwhile, Mina’s first marriage ended and Parker, who was “crazy about her” wanted to build her a fine house in Sudbury—something that was “fit for a star”. He bought a large lot on an elevation above Paris Street, which at the time was just a quiet side street. There weren’t many trees yet in Sudbury and the lot had a great east-looking view towards Ramsey Lake.
The house’s design was Mediterranean, developed for the warm climate of Southern California. Parker spared no effort or expense modifying and adapting it to suit the landscape and climate demands of its northern Ontario location. It featured several details that were typical of the impressive California homes that belonged to the day’s biggest movie stars, including: a stucco exterior, arched windows and doorway, canvas awnings, wrought iron accents, a tile roof and sweeping lawns crossed by multiple paths.
The house is solid, built to high standards in 1929 and 1930, right at the beginning of the Depression, by skilled Italian stonemasons, bricklayers, carpenters and plasterers. It was built right on top of Precambrian rock, which you can see evidence of to this day in parts of the basement.
While it was being built, Mina travelled extensively to Europe and the United States buying furniture and artwork for her dream home. She modelled her purchases after the décor of the stars’ houses: a baby grand piano in the living room, a polar bear rug, a massive antique Persian carpet and an oversized dining room set done in the neo-renaissance style are just a few examples.
Parker and Todhunter married in New York on January 1, 1930. It is believed that they honeymooned in London and Paris, and moved into their new dream home later that year.
While they were not many rooms in the house, each was very spacious, and many of the original architectural and decorative details still exist. The historic property now includes 6 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms. It’s a house that naturally lends itself to entertaining, which Parker and Todhunter did a lot of.
In 1935 Parker was promoted to General Superintendent of the Mining and Smelting Division of the International Nickel Company of Canada. Soon, however, thanks to a new company policy, the couple were moved to Copper Cliff.
The Merwin years
Ben Merwin, the owner of Pineland Timber Company Limited, bought the home from Parker, who was his friend. Benjamin Foote Merwin and his wife Dorothy Margaret Cowcill had four children and made good use of the space.
Back then, there weren’t any restaurants in Sudbury and people entertained in their homes; the Merwins certainly did. With the house now full of children, it became a fantastic family home. The Merwins made some changes to it and once the children had grown and left, Ben built a smaller house for his wife nearby.
Parker had by now become the Ontario president of the International Nickel Company, but he was also Chairman of the Board at the new Laurentian University. There were plans to build a house for the President of the university somewhere on campus, but nothing ever came of it. Parker arranged with his old friend Ben that the university would buy 179 John Street for the university’s president to live in.
Laurentian University
The house has served as an excellent official residence of the university since Stanley Mullins, the first president, and his family lived there from 1963 to 1970.
Over the years, many formal events were held here, with the home welcoming people from both the academic community and the town to mix, over dinners, Falconbridge lectures and other events. In one seven-year period alone, for example, more than 8,000 people enjoyed an elegant three-course sit-down dinner here. The list of guests who visited or stayed overnight at the home reads like a who’s who of the country’s most famous Canadians.
Owning this home is a truly unique opportunity for the right buyer, as 179 John Street is a treasure that holds a special place in many hearts.
For more information about this property, view the full listing or take the virtual tour.
You can reach REALTORS® Didi Martin at 705-698-4340 and Angele Chartrand at 705-923-7355. You can also follow Unreserved Brokerage on Facebook.
*Credit: A House Fit for a Star, Jenna Ramsay Best, 2002