Postcard Memories is a weekly series of historic postcard views and photos submitted by Marcel Rousseau.
Some were previously published by the Orillia Museum of Art and History and in the book Postcard Memories Orillia.
In 1858, Mr. Charles Corbould, an Orillia lawyer, built a large, two-storey brick building on the lakeshore property now known as 234 Bay St..
In 1947, after several owners, the home was expanded and turned into a hotel by new owners Arthur and Kathleen Bennett. During the next few years, the Birchmere name was firmly established as a great place to stay with an excellent dining room and fine service.
Ernest and Gladys Bathgate purchased the hotel in 1950 and continued to maintain the hotel’s high standards over the next 25-plus years. The Bathgates made many changes and built a new dining room on the south side of the building.
In 1975, they retired and sold the property and, for a short time, it was named Couchiching Beach Hotel.
In the early 1980s, under new ownership, the building was converted to the Birchmere Retirement Residence and continues to provide first-class accommodation for seniors.
