Logwood House is part of Barrie’s history now.

The unique-looking log house on Henry Street was torn down by the Ministry of Transportation Sept. 29, to make room for the eventual reconstruction of a Highway 400 interchange at Dunlop Street.

Sandra Lawrence-Trottier, whose grandparents Grace and Wally Lawrence built the home by hand in the 1940s, was permitted access to the property for about a week leading up to the demolition. She took good advantage of the opportunity — removing plants and rocks from the garden and salvaging several handcrafted doors.

She also removed a small bathroom window that was broken but had been built by hand. It holds fond memories from childhood, when Lawrence-Trottier’s grandmother would hold her up to the window to see a robin, which built a nest and laid eggs on the sill every year.

“I did the best I could do under the circumstances; I think I broke all of my family’s backs,” she said. “There just wasn’t enough time to save it. They’re not doing the highway for another couple of years. But because of all the vagrants and things that were going on in that house, it just had to come down. If I had just a bit more time, we would have been able to come to a resolution. But it wasn’t mean to be.”

Logwood was inherited by Grace and Wally’s son, George, who in turn gave it to his six children in 2004.

The siblings chose to sell the home soon after because they all live in Waterloo Region.

But it is believed the house had been used for squatting recently. During a visit to the property , Simcoe.com observed knobs for the back door were removed and a screen had been taken off its hinges. Inside, there were cardboard boxes set up like tables and a bed sat in the corner.

Though demolition is an undesired outcome for Lawrence-Trottier, she is thankful for the co-operation shown by the ministry and the demolition company.

“It is what it is,” she said. “That’s progress, I guess.”

More information on the project can be found at .