The Keyhole House

The Keyhole House Two magicians move into an abandoned Victorian home and unlock its secrets—expect history, mystery, and a grateful ghost.
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It looks like a milk can—but it isn’t.This smaller, slimmer container is a cream can. Dating from the 1930s or 1940s, it...
08/31/2026

It looks like a milk can—but it isn’t.

This smaller, slimmer container is a cream can. Dating from the 1930s or 1940s, it would have transported heavy cream or ice cream mix—the makings of milkshakes, ice cream sodas and sundaes.

The business began as Clark’s Dairy and became the Smiths Falls Dairy when ownership changed in 1924. It was incorporated in 1930—the same year the Briggs family moved into the Keyhole House.

Perhaps the Briggs daughters enjoyed a sundae made with cream carried in a can just like this.

Thank you to our friend Adin Daigle for acquiring this wonderful piece of local history for us.

Who remembers the Smiths Falls Dairy?

Not every winged visitor to the Keyhole House garden allows itself to be seen.Yesterday, we spotted a hummingbird hoveri...
08/30/2026

Not every winged visitor to the Keyhole House garden allows itself to be seen.

Yesterday, we spotted a hummingbird hovering beside a coneflower, gathering nectar from the tiny florets of its central cone. The towering Joe-Pye w**d was equally busy with bees and butterflies.

This morning, another visitor may have left only a clue.

Sparkling droplets had gathered in the softly folded leaves of the lady’s mantle. According to old folklore, fairies drink the dew collected there to preserve their eternal youth.

The hummingbird left no doubt—but what about the fairies? Would these droplets convince you?

Thank you to Hansen's Garden Ornaments for the beautiful birdbath that helps make all our winged visitors feel welcome.

We wouldn’t dream of making this urn look new.A gift from a friend, this concrete Campana urn has acquired a magnificent...
08/29/2026

We wouldn’t dream of making this urn look new.

A gift from a friend, this concrete Campana urn has acquired a magnificent patina. Every stain, softened edge and trace of weather has become part of its story.

Named for its inverted-bell shape, the Campana urn was one of the most recognizable features of the Victorian garden. By the late 1800s, ornamental urns were more than planters—they were expressions of taste and refinement that transformed gardens into outdoor galleries.

Now, trailing ivy spills over its weathered surface. For centuries, ivy has symbolized fidelity, endurance and eternal devotion—making it a wonderfully romantic companion for an ageing urn.

It may not have stood beside the Keyhole House in 1892, but it helps us recapture the feeling of a Victorian garden: not perfectly polished, but softened and made more beautiful by time.

Would you restore this urn to look new—or preserve every stain and softened edge?

What can an old ledger, a receipt and an envelope reveal about the life of a former Keyhole House owner?William Lorimer ...
08/28/2026

What can an old ledger, a receipt and an envelope reveal about the life of a former Keyhole House owner?

William Lorimer immigrated from Ireland to Canada at the age of seven in 1884. He went on to become a household name in Brockville, building a successful career as a grocer and real estate investor. Among his many properties was the Keyhole House, which the Lorimer family owned from 1943 until 1964.

These modest pieces of paper have survived as tangible links to his life and to an important chapter in the history of our home.

Last weekend, we had the great honour of welcoming members of the Lorimer family to a performance of Mysteries of the Keyhole House. We are deeply grateful for the photographs, stories and family history they have so generously shared with us—helping us understand not only the house, but the people who shaped its story.

What family documents or everyday objects have helped you uncover your own history?

Click.It may be one of the most satisfying sounds in the Keyhole House.These exquisite push-button light switches featur...
08/27/2026

Click.

It may be one of the most satisfying sounds in the Keyhole House.

These exquisite push-button light switches feature luminous mother-of-pearl buttons and brass switch plates with a magnificent patina. They are practical, beautifully crafted—and a small pleasure to use every day.

Can a light switch be a work of art? We think so.

Who heated the Keyhole House? In the early 1900s, the Keyhole House underwent a significant modernization when its wood-...
08/26/2026

Who heated the Keyhole House?

In the early 1900s, the Keyhole House underwent a significant modernization when its wood-burning stoves were replaced by a coal-fired boiler that circulated hot water through radiators throughout the house. This striking Art Deco ink blotter, dating to approximately 1930, advertises Ellison Bradley, a Smiths Falls coal merchant and local distributor of Jeddo-Highland Coal—promoted as “The Aristocrat of Anthracite.” Bradley operated from 7 Market Street and could be reached by the wonderfully simple telephone number 107.

Although we cannot yet confirm that Bradley supplied coal to the Keyhole House, the blotter provides a fascinating glimpse into the period when anthracite coal heated homes throughout Smiths Falls. The house’s coal-fired boiler was eventually converted to a gas-fired system during the 1960s, marking another chapter in its evolution—from individual wood-burning stoves, to coal-fired central heating, and finally to natural gas. Thank you to our friends at Gallery15 for sharing this artefact with us.

We were giving friends a tour of the Keyhole House yesterday when we noticed two small wooden dowels embedded in the sto...
08/25/2026

We were giving friends a tour of the Keyhole House yesterday when we noticed two small wooden dowels embedded in the stone foundation wall.

Sometimes called dooks, these served as early wall plugs. Before modern masonry anchors, builders drove pieces of wood into the mortar joints, creating secure points for nails or screws.

But what was attached here?

Located in the corner beside the basement entrance, whatever they supported has long since disappeared.

What do you think they once held?

08/20/2026

The premiere batch of Tears of Agnes has arrived—and we couldn’t be happier!

Thank you, Uncle Awful, for creating this hauntingly delicious hot sauce in honour of Agnes, the Keyhole House ghost.

Quantities are limited. Pick up a bottle at a performance of Mysteries of the Keyhole House before it disappears!

# TearsOfAgnes

08/19/2026

What was hiding beneath 134 years of paint?

While restoring the floorboards in the Alexander Chamber, our friend and local contractor Paul Miller helped us uncover a red painted border and dozens of tiny tacks forming a perfect rectangle—the outline of a Victorian linoleum rug.

We had already discovered a forgotten piece of antique linoleum in the attic. Could it have once covered this bedroom floor?

The work was painstaking, but the newly revealed golden softwood floorboards look magnificent.

Another piece of the Keyhole House story has surfaced!We recently discovered this fragment of printed linoleum, believed...
08/19/2026

Another piece of the Keyhole House story has surfaced!

We recently discovered this fragment of printed linoleum, believed to date from the late 1930s or 1940s. Its bold geometric pattern, warm terracotta tones and marble-like details were fashionable during the late Art Deco era.

The fragment may date from the years when Greta and Harry Buchanan operated the Keyhole House as Brock Manor, renting rooms to travellers and tourists. Their telephone number was simply 867—imagine booking your stay with only three digits!

It is only a small piece of flooring, but it offers another colourful glimpse into the days when the Keyhole House welcomed guests from near and far.

Address

182 Brockville Street
Smiths Falls, ON
K7A3Z1

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