Yellowknife (July 16/03) - The ravages of time have taken their toll on one of Yellowknife's oldest landmarks.

"The House of Horrors," also known as the "Snake House," is on its last legs and may not survive another winter.

It's in such a state of disrepair that the Yellowknife Heritage Committee -- a local group advocating the preservation of some of Yellowknife's oldest buildings -- have given up hope of trying to save it.

The building is listed as number 24 in the Yellowknife Heritage Committee's Old Town walking tour booklet, and stands just below the promenade leading to Pilot's Monument -- a popular Yellowknife tourism destination.

The house was built in 1938 by Alphonse "Frenchy" Cyres, and has served under various circumstances as a residence, barber shop, and transient centre. It's most notorious claim to fame, however, is the reputation it gathered as a bootlegger's lair and bawdy house during the 1940s.

Heritage committee member, Bruce Stebbing, took a gander inside the building last year, and concluded that it's far beyond salvaging.

"I think it's beyond repair," said Stebbing. "We did some record drawings of it last summer and I think that's about all we're going to do is record it for posterity.

"It's so rotten inside, it's just about ready to fall down on itself, and it's full of garbage."

The two-storey house was boarded up years ago. It sags heavily on one side, and the roof is full of holes. Underneath inside the crawl space, Stebbing said, is a murky pool of water. On the front is a plaque with a brief description of the building's history.

City lands planner, Dave Jones, said even if the city wanted to save the building they couldn't because its still listed under private ownership.

The house is owned by Reg LaFleur.

"There wouldn't be anything to prevent the owner from tearing it down if they wish to do so," said Jones.

Jones said he has heard of some interest in erecting a new building on the site but hasn't seen a formal plans yet.

Strange stories abound about the old house. One undated but true account on city files tells of a man who once drowned there after "he fell into the dugout basement which was full of water while trying to reach down and get a cool beer."