Abandoned home in Chatham-Kent coined most photographed in southwestern Ontario

An old abandoned farmhouse sandwiched between green fields and blue skies is an image that kept emerging in photographer Christine Croucher's social media feeds. And like so many others, she has travelled across the countryside to snap her own shot.

Located off of historical Talbot Trail, which hugs the north shore of Lake Erie in Chatham-Kent, is where you can find the most photographed home in southwestern Ontario, the title coined by curious photographers all over Ontario.

"First of all it's beautiful, it's just a lovely structure," said Christine Croucher who travelled from Lambton Shores for the photo a drive that would have takenroughly an hour and a half.

"In a good photograph you want to evoke emotion or caption mystery or suggest a story, and when I look at that building I ask myself all sorts of questions," she said.

Only Peter Anderson can answer those questions.

Guyitt house history

"As kids we came here on weekends to get haircuts and a bath and we watched television,"said Anderson, who owns the home and property.

Anderson's grandparents, Roy and Ethel Guyitt, bought the house in 1908. At that time the house was already about 50 years old.

Over the years, several adjustments have been made to the house. The brick, which was falling off, was removed, as well as a front porch and two barns in the back that have since burneddown.

"All those things you wish you can bring it back but you can't but it can only leave memories," said Anderson, while standing outside of the decaying farmhouse.

As he recounts the fond memories he's had in the home, he's pleased that others have found find it just as appealing.

He said when one car leaves his property, another car stops to look.

"If I got a dollar of every person that stopped and clicked their camera I most likely would be able to enjoy retirementa little bit more," Anderson laughed.

"To me it's good that we preserve our heritage I am only leaving it there for people to enjoy."

He wishes there was a way to financially support the building, but due to its condition, the only thing he can do now is make sure the lawn is cut,"in honour of [his] grandfather," he said.

Early settlement in Chatham-Kent

Although photographers call it the most photographed, the Guyitt houseis not the only abandoned home located on what used to be Highway 3.

Talbot Trail, a frequently used road sits right off of the shore of Lake Erie where boats coming from Europe landed, explained Anderson, whose great grandfather came to Canada in that way.

Remnants of early settlers can still be spotted between overgrown brush and trees.