This building has a long an interesting history. Originally, built on a private island, in Canadian waters, right off the coast of Michigan, it housed a place Americans could go to and drink Canadian gin and beer during the Prohibition Era.
Once that time ended, the building fell on hard times until purchased by Dan Blocker, of the TV fame, Ponderosa and became a retreat for he and his family, but when Mr. Blocker passed away, it lay abandoned for many years and the walls began to crumble and portions of the roof fell in.
It was purchased by a Vancouver financier who wished to restore it, but with expanded quarters on the second floor.
Two small existing dormers were amalgamated into a large single expanse, creating a master bedroom suite on the second floor. Extensive stabilization to the interior, a load bearing fireplace and north exterior wall was required and the reconstruction of the metal roof as the first phase of work. The remaining interior fit-ups were designed to recognize the building would be unoccupied for long periods over each winder with minimal heat. The final stage in the two year task was to build a small boathouse and to provide an underwater cable from the mainland to provide year round power and data to the island
