Description of Historic Place

Mackie Lake House is an estate which includes a two-storey mansion and a number of outbuildings situated on five landscaped acres overlooking Kalamalka Lake in Coldstream, BC, approximately seven kilometers south of Vernon.

Heritage Value

Mackie Lake House, built in 1910, is important to the heritage of British Columbia because it is representative of early twentieth-century British settlement in Coldstream, and it is a rare and intact example of a country mansion of this vintage in the province. Furthermore, it is a monument to one man's philanthropy to his community, and a good example of community-based cultural stewardship of a valued local heritage resource.

Mackie Lake House possesses heritage value because it is an important illustration of the British settlement era in the continuum of development that has shaped Coldstream since the 1860s. It epitomizes the standard of country living idealized by expatriate Britons living throughout the British Empire in the early twentieth century, and is the most physically and contextually intact example of the type of genteel orchard homes that were erected on this former part of Coldstream Ranch at that time.

Architecturally, Mackie Lake House remains practically unchanged from its original construction, designed for businessman Ronald C. Buchanan by Montreal architect Robert Findlay. Its unusual styling, which combines Arts and Crafts elements with a stately Chateau-Style roof, and its finely crafted interior elements make it one of the most outstanding surviving examples of grand house architecture in British Columbia's interior.

Mackie Lake House also possesses significant heritage value in its association with Mr. Patrick 'Paddy' Mackie, who inherited the house from his parents in 1976 and continued to live there until his death in 1999. Mr. Mackie was a Vernon high school teacher and avid supporter of local cultural and historical organizations, and his establishment of the Mackie Lake House Foundation, and the endowment of his house and estate to this organization reflect the ongoing legacy of his commitment to the betterment of the Greater Vernon community.

Mackie Lake House also possesses significant heritage value as an important cultural and historic centre, which fosters local heritage and the arts for the education and enjoyment of the public. The evolution of this house from private home to public heritage site reflects the importance of the stewardship of community-based organizations, such as the Mackie Lake House Foundation, in the preservation and presentation of local history throughout the province.

Source: Heritage Branch designation files.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of Mackie Lake House include:
- The five acre property, overlooking Kalamalka Lake.
- The situation of the house within a pastoral orchard landscape.
- Elements of the site which relate to its historic use as an orchard, including the barn.
- Elements of the site which relate to its use as a private home, including outbuildings such as the car garage, and sleeping hut.
- Elements of the layout of the site which relate directly to its original design, and to the time of the Mackies' occupancy there, including the driveway, retaining walls, and historic plantings of trees, shrubs, and flowers.
- The exterior appearance of the house, with intact design elements and detailing relating to its 1910 design by architect Findlay.
- The fine craftsmanship and intact state of original interior design elements such as woodwork and plasterwork.
- Exterior and interior fixtures, fittings, and finishes which relate to its original design.
- Exterior and interior fixtures, fittings, and finishes with relate to the Mackies' occupancy in the house.
- The Mackie family's possessions, including such items as furnishings.
- Mr. Patrick Mackie's possessions, including such items as works of art and collections.
- The connection of the historic place to the Mackie Lake House Foundation.
- Its use as a historic house museum and centre for the appreciation of the arts.