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Page last updated September 9, 2015
© Michael Kluckner
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2002: I believe this place is called the Marlow house – it's one of the very few buildings along the road running from the Beaton turnoff to Trout Lake along Highway 31 in the Lardeau region of the Kootenays. The road follows Beaton Creek, which is marshy and flooding in spots, probably due to beaver dams, the high water drowning the aspens along its bank. On the late-November morning I was there, a clammy mist had risen into the pale sunshine from the rank grasses along the edge. The house, with attached shed and privy, is about as close as a British Columbia place gets to the house-barn combinations typical of Mennonite farms on the prairies. In this case, though, the old log and frame barn buildings are on higher ground--on the other side of the road. Note from Rosemarie Parent, Arrow Lakes Historical Society: I see from the last BC Historical News that you have painted the Marlow house. Milton gives all the info in our book Circle of Silver and if you don't have it, he wrote out the following: The Arrowhead and Kootenay Railway charter was granted to the CPR in the 1890s. The proposal was to run the line from Lardo on Kootenay Lake up through Gerrard and Trout Lake to the Beaton Arm. It would then continue on to Arrowhead to make a conection with the main line at Revelstoke. Although the Gerrard-Lardo section was completed, lack of faith in ore production from the Lardeau mines caused the company to delay further extension until eventually it was abandoned. The Marlow house was originally built as a proposed CPR station by a man named Crawford. He was a CPR man who bought 60 acres on the south side of Trout Lake City, built the house for the above stated purpose in hopes that the line would be finished. Years later, a man by the name of Anderson bought the house and moved it to its present location. Minnie Marlow was the last to domicile there. Her brother, Alan Marlow, is the only remaining member of the family. The old house is abandoned. Note from Jay Hunt, 2008: The attached photo is of Minnie's old house along the dirt road to Trout Lake. She passed several years ago and as a child I can remember her walking alongside the road to go to her brother's house or to Trout Lake village. Or, she'd be up at the small barns that contained a horse or two. She'd always wave as we went by.  The house was recently torn down and there is virtually no evidence that a house was once there -- except to look across the road and see the horse barn. The Marlows have a rich history in this area and when I noticed Minnie's house was torn down it left an empty feeling in my heart. Note from Paul Derden, Virginia, 2010: We passed Minnie's place several times from 1977 to 1981, often seeing her outside carrying a pail and followed by cadre of animals. We were told enough stories about her that we respected her privacy, so we had never stopped. When we returned in 1986 and were headed to Trout Lake when we impulsively stopped to pay our respects. She was suspicious at first, but warmed up once she knew who we were. She'd heard some about us and judged us to not be a threat. She had a Cockney accent and a sparkle in her eye. Her mind as sharp as a tack. Her hair appeared to be completely matted. I was quite humbled that she consented to having her photo taken.   1986 photos of Minnie Marlow by Paul Derden |
