A stone outhouse at this wooded site in the Rural Municipality of Argyle was constructed in the 1950s by Clarence McLaren (1897-1982), a son of the original homesteader, Archibald D. McLaren (1852-1932) who arrived here in the late 1870s or early 1880s. The stone foundations of the associated house and barn, abandoned since the late 1960s, are located nearby. A “two-holer” that is considered a municipally-significant heritage building, it is thought to be the only outhouse made of stone in Manitoba. The structure was in good condition, albeit with a detached front door, at the time of a 2020 site visit.
McLaren stone outhouse (2010)
Source: Ken Storie
McLaren stone outhouse (June 2020)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough
Stone foundation of the former McLaren house near the outhouse (June 2020)
Source: Gordon GoldsboroughSite Location (lat/long): N49.28045, W99.25290
denoted by symbol on the map above
Birth registration [Clarence McLaren], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
“Funeral service held for Clarence McLaren,” Baldur Gazette, 15 December 1982, page 7.
McLaren Stone Outhouse, Baldur area, Baldur-Argyle Significant Heritage Buildings.
Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.
Obituary [Duncan & Bernice McLaren], Jamieson's Funeral Service.
We thank the late Duncan McLaren (c1939-2022) and Barb Woods for providing information used here.
This page was prepared by Ken Storie and Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 29 October 2022
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