Sharon Lawrence said that her husband, Canadian author Ronald Douglas Lawrence, found his favourite refuge on the 100 acres of land that they purchased in 1984 near Gooderham, in Haliburton County, Ontario. He had, by then, lived in Spain, England, and several places in Canada including British Columbia, the Yukon Territory, Manitoba, and Ontario. However, R.D. said that it was only on this beautiful piece of land, with its diverse ecosystem perfect for rambling or exploring, that he felt truly at home.
R.D. and Sharon Lawrence called the property Wolf Hollow. They did not initially intend to create a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation sanctuary, but a large demand coupled with their love for wild animals meant that almost immediately they found themselves with two rescued wolf pups and a baby raccoon. These were the first of dozens of different animals that they worked with for over two decades. The Lawrences were well known for having a very high release rate for their rehabilitated animals, successfully introducing countless numbers back into the wild. R.D. said that those that were unable to be released died in peace.
For R.D. Lawrence, Wolf Hollow provided him with source material for many of the colourful animal characters he used in his later works. He used his books to teach the public about wildlife and the necessity of better environmental stewardship. The sanctuary also became a place where students, photographers, artists, journalists, and even fans came to learn about wildlife. Sharon Lawrence said that over 10,000 visitors came to visit Wolf Hollow over the years, even though the sanctuary was never open to the general public.
In this short virtual exhibit, we invite you to take a look behind the scenes of Wolf Hollow through a showcase of some of the everyday items from the Lawrences' Gooderham sanctuary. We also invite you to visit R.D. Lawrence Place at the Minden Hills Cultural Centre in Minden, Ontario to learn more.
