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THE RANCHE HOUSE
The Restoration In 1989 The Cochrane and Area Heritage Association sub-leased the Perrenoud property from the Provincial Government and a major restoration of the exterior and interior of the main house was undertaken. Various provincial and municipal agencies funded the extensive work that was required to complete the first phase of the property’s restoration. The site was designated a Provincial Historic Resource in 1992 and the ‘Perrenoud Homestead’ is listed in the Alberta Register of Historic Places. In 2005, on the Province’s centennial, the site was opened to the public.
In the spring of 2009 funding was received from the Alberta Historic Resources Foundation to do an architectural conservation study of the remaining buildings: the log house, blacksmith shop, and feed storage buildings, the timber framed granary and car garage, and the root cellar. The study will determine the extent of the restoration that needs to be done and the cost of that restoration. Once the study is completed, work will begin as funding becomes available.
The Perrenoud Ranche Art Centre The Perrenoud family was very artistic. Charles was particularly interested in ink sketches, Laura and Emma were photographers and Agnes was a painter. She trained under Roland Gissing who is considered to be Alberta’s best known landscape artist. In keeping with the family’s interests, the Perrenoud Ranche has become an Art Centre. Our Artist-in-Residence, Stan Phelps, an experienced art teacher, rents the facility as an art studio and for lessons.
FAMILY HISTORY
The Perrenoud Family Charles Perrenoud immigrated from Bascencon, France in 1886 and came to the Cochrane area in 1888. He met Laura Phipps, a local girl whose family had immigrated from Leicestershire, England, and they married in 1902. Their first home was Charles’ log and sod roofed bachelor cabin that he expanded with a new log addition. Later, the two parts were separated and another section was built between the two buildings. In 1910, Charles and Laura hired the Chapman Bros of Cochrane to build them a new ‘American Foursquare’ style home. The 2400 square foot house (on two levels) features flooring and paneling of center cut BC fir and pine that contain virtually no knot holes.
Charles and Laura had three children: George born in June 1903, Emma in August 1904, and Agnes in July 1909. They originally raised horses for the settlers that were coming to the area and, later, for the Canadian cavalry. As the area became more settled and was fenced, they became cattle ranchers. Their original land base of 2 quarters was increased through the years to 13 quarter sections.
When Charles died in 1929, Laura and George continued ranching on the home place. Emma married Edgar Young and Agnes married Frank Hutchinson and they moved to their new homes in the Inglis and Lochend areas. Laura lived at home until her death in 1977. After George’s death in 1981, his beneficiaries donated 11.1 acres of land including both houses and many out buildings to the Province of Alberta. |
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Site created by in-jenn-uity |
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