Abandoned Places: The Bishop House

This unending search for abandoned places has us visiting the Bishop House, well hidden away and in surprisingly good condition given the last residents lived in decades ago. It’s mostly empty inside and while the paint’s peeling and plaster falling away in places, it’s easy to imagine that with a bit of work it could be made habitable again. It seems quite sound in structure and perhaps with a thorough sweeping, new wallboard and windows one could move right in.

The yard’s not even all that overgrown.

The house is on a tract of industrial land, so protected in a sense and this likely the reason it’s in better than might be expected (all things considered). We were allowed a short window with which to visit so picture a chaotic scene with us trying to get it all in before we had to go. At least we had the chance.

Joining us is photographer (and good friend) Rob Pohl, someone perhaps not unfamiliar to regular readers of this website. He’s that strange fellow you sometimes see in our photos that shoots an old fashioned looking view camera (using film). He also processes his own prints, but that’s another story. While our styles differ greatly (and what I mean he takes time to make true art while we take snapshots) and the methods complete polar opposites, we share common interests so it all works. BTW, given the long set up time with his rig, I think he got in a couple frames tops.

It was requested we be vague in regards to certain details to help protect the property. A troubling trend, we’re seeing this asked of us more and more often these days.

Despite browsing endless volumes, we’ve not found a great deal of history on the house. That’s due to time running out for the research phase and not for a lack of trying. Time always bites us in the hindquarters.

It’s thought the house dates from the (late?) 1920s and certainly a good sized dwelling for both the era and area. We don’t know anything about earlier occupants but the last or one of the last (circa early 1960s to mid-1970s, it’s suggested) were of the name Bishop. Mr Bishop worked as a manager at a local coal mine and with his passing in 1975 the building either left empty or someone else moved in. But who, for how long and even if it happened is not said (conflicting data too). Either way it’s clearly been empty for many decades, that much we can say with certainty, so if someone came afterwards it wasn’t for long.

The house makes an appearance in some old maps and variously listed as the Bishop House, or alternately (or additionally) the mine manager’s house which tells us the structure was likely specifically set aside for this purpose. With it forever connected to the Bishops, even if many people lived in it over time, means those folks must have made quite an impact on local community. What little we could find tells us they were well respected and liked by fellow miners and their families.

We found cemetery records and the Bishops are buried in Southeast Saskatchewan. Mr Bishop hailed from that area, so in a way returned home on his death. Almost a quarter century later his wife followed him to the afterlife and the two buried side by side. Together again and forever.

It’s quite a large house and seemingly more than a couple would need. They did earlier on have some children but unless we’ve missed something (it never happens!), they would themselves have been adults then so probably not living with the folks. How ever the story, there’s lots of room here. A few fixtures remain along with wallpaper, carpet and other décor elements (that herringbone wood panelling!) and these are right of a circa 1970 MacLeod’s Hardware Catalogue. Those arched doorways are a nice feature.

Unfortunately a large wasp’s nest blocked the way, so a visit to the upstairs was not in the cards. You could hear the buzz all the way down the main hall and let me tell you how terrifying the sound. Given we were granted a conditional one time visit returning is unlikely (plus the building is possibly under threat of being demolished anyway) so we’ll never ever know what treasures awaited us there.

How many Leaf’s games were watched on that old cabinet TV? Rural folks were often hockey obsessed come the long dark days of winter, so we suspect a lot. It’s one of the few bits of furniture left behind.

Outside, it’s an old school clothesline off the back porch. It was normal back then to air dry laundry and most rural properties were equipped with a set up like this.

The yard’s pretty tidy overall and not a jungle as one might expect given nothing’s been done to it for eons. Patches of rhubarb grow wild in places and probably have propagated from those originally in garden. It looks like some badgers call the property home and one misstep would surely mean a twisted ankle.

The minutes rush past and while we usually like a more intimate and thorough examination it’s soon time to go. Normally, once we get to fully know our subject, we like to compose ourselves, stand there and imagine it back in the day, but not this time. We’ve run out the clock. Still as we’re writing this, we can see it in our minds, so many years ago, a home teaming with life. And we’re not talking the nasty stinging things or the spiders currently occupying it either.

Sadly, we don’t know much about the story here, but at least it’s something.

Then there’s one last look around and we’re gone. We’re guessing it’ll be forever too, but sometimes that’s how it plays out. Oh, and peering in that jar? Bad idea!

Go here if want to know more about Rob’s work Rob Pohl Photography and his tools of the trade View Cameras

Be sure to drop by often and comment when you can.

They’re saying…

”Interesting explorations of BC’s forgotten history.” Andy Jorgensen. (We love exploring BC and all over!)

More places well hidden…
The Amazing Brady Mansion – Shag carpet and deep wood panelling!
Green Door Ranch – Rustic cabins, remote and snake infested.
80 Years Empty – Vacant longer than lived in.

If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here or just want to say hi, don’t hesitate to contact us!

Article references and thanks: University of Calgary Archives and FindaGrave.com.
The Bishop House is on private property and visited with permission.

Welcome to the Bishop House.

Rhubarb growing wild.

Stylish…for 1970.

The Leafs are playing tonight!

Draw!

Well hidden, it’s in fairly good condition.

It’s been empty for decades.

So many meals prepared.

Danger underfoot.

This old school clothesline.

The yard’s not terribly overgrown.

It’s in fairly good condition all things considered.

No yellow to be seen.

We were given mere minutes to get in and out.

A door on the left lead upstairs but we could not go.

Rob Pohl’s strange view camera.

Ducks in a row…and almost a photobomb.

Looking in that jar was a bad idea.