Macdonell House

Constructed in 1817-1819 by Montreal craftsmen for John Macdonell and his Métis wife Magdeleine Poitras, this house was one of the finest of several built in the area by retired North West Company fur trading partners. An elegant local adaptation of the Palladian style, it was situated in an extensive working estate with easy access to the river and Macdonell's forwarding business. The family called it Poplar Villa. Its impressive stone exterior and exquisitely detailed interior proclaimed Macdonell's position as a major business and political figure along the Ottawa River.