Tucker House History

Tucker House is a stately Georgian mansion built in 1870 by Stephen and Lucy Tucker as a gift for their son Stephen Jr. The foundation stones were fashioned from an on-site quarry still visible today. The floors and wood trim are from local white pine and the bricks from local clay. An extensive verandah once surrounded three sides of the building. The house was originally heated by wood stoves, lighted by oil lamps, and dependent on rainwater collected from the roof. Now the heating, lighting and water systems have been upgraded to modern standards.

Mr. Tucker, a successful lumber baron and entrepreneur, became a committed Baptist and was the first person to be baptized in the Ottawa River. The white house across the street was his dairy farm, and the red brick house to its west accommodated a store and bank operated by the Tuckers.  Tucker Road served as part of the old Ottawa/ Montreal highway at that time. The Tuckers were renowned for their generosity to Ottawa valley residents in general and to the Baptist churches in the area in particular.

The manor house remained in possession of the Tucker family until 1964 when it was sold to the Clarence Fellowship which developed it into a Christian retreat and conference centre. An additional 27 acres of land was purchased in 1978. The estate was deeded to and held in trust by the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec.  In the 1990s the property became managed and maintained by an ecumenical “Tucker House Commission” to develop a new vision as an independent, not-for-profit, retreat, and learning centre for spiritual and ecological renewal. Rooted in the universal and Christian principles of love for neighbour and care of creation, the programs and services of Tucker House were open to people of good will from all walks of life.

In August, 2005, Tucker House Renewal Centre became incorporated an independent entity to expand this new purpose as a charitable retreat and environmental learning centre to promote sustainable living.  The new Board of Directors of the Corporation successfully applied for and obtained Charitable Status with the Canada Revenue Agency in January 2006.    The current priority of Tucker House Renewal Centre is best expressed in its Mission Statement:

Tucker House Renewal Centre is an charitable retreat and environmental learning centre to promote sustainable living by:

• Providing interactive ecological programs for children, youth, and adults in Prescott-Russell, Ottawa, and Gatineau
• Operating and maintaining an environmentally-friendly retreat facility and organic garden in a natural, healthy, and historic setting

Since faith-based groups and individuals have been essential to the history and development of Tucker House, it is important that the newly registered charity maintain a strong connection with these communities.    We are pleased to continue to offer a facility for faith retreats, as well as to support the continuation of the Country Fun Nature Camp and we invite members of all faith communities to learn more about the new ecological vision and how we can work together.

For more information about Tucker House History, you can read an engaging article by Alexandra D. de Quimper Tucker House, the Grand Old Lady