Life at Ardara

POST FALLS - Visitors from around the world flocked to Katherine Ekhoff's home in Northern Ireland.

But Ekhoff didn't mind too much. She knew exactly what they were interested in.

For a decade, the Post Falls woman lived in Ardara, the same 36-room Victorian house as Titanic shipbuilder Thomas Andrews.

"When people found out about the town Thomas Andrews lived in, the village (of Comber outside Belfast) would just point them up to Ardara," Ekhoff said. "Quite often I'd see people snooping around the grounds looking slightly lost, but I met some fascinating people that way."

Visitors were interested in seeing Andrews' home that was built in the late 1800s. Andrews was the managing director and head of the drafting department for the shipbuilding company Harland and Wolff in Belfast.

Andrews duplicated some of the home's features with the famous luxury giant ship Titanic, which sank after hitting an iceberg 100 years ago this month. Andrews was one of the 1,517 people who died in the disaster and a character in the popular 1997 movie.

Ardara's main central staircase, woodwork of the indoor shutters, the billiard room and orangery (greenhouse) are among the home's features duplicated on Titanic. Nordic pine was the wood of choice both on Titanic and in Ardara.

Ekhoff raised her two children - Crawford and Nadia - in the home in the 1980s, about 70 years after Andrews lived there.

"There was always a sense of history in that beautiful old house," Ekhoff said. "Despite the fact that it looked pristine, I always sensed a lot of happiness and love in the house. It was very much a family place."

Ekhoff's children used the hidden walkways as an adventure playground. Nadia's christening party and Ekhoff's mother's 80th birthday celebration were held there. The home has been featured on magazine covers.

"It's a great place to entertain in and have dinner parties," Ekhoff said.

Part of the estate has now been converted into condominiums.

Ekhoff, a former Miss Ambar who represented Ireland, gets emotional over some of the memories of Ardara, especially those tied directly to Andrews.

Two elaborate mirrors remained in the home dating back to when Andrews lived there, but Ekhoff's ex-husband sold them after the couple moved, not realizing the significance, she said.

"That really upsets me," Ekhoff said, fighting back tears.

When Ekhoff moved to England and later France she took with her during each move a rose bower from the estate, but those have also been left behind.

The Andrews family, which continued to live in Ardara after Thomas died and still lives near the home, gave Crawford momentos, including a post card Andrews wrote to his family before he left on Titanic and a shaving mug.

All Ekhoff has from her days of living in Ardara - besides fond memories - are two photos that she has largely kept under wraps because it is still a private residence. One was taken from the outside and the other is inside of a day room.

But Ekhoff and her husband, Don, continue to be interested in Titanic memorabilia and information. The couple has books on the disaster, replicas of the ship and one of its lifeboats and other items.

Don, as an engineerhimself, admires Andrews' work and the industrious nature of Irish shipbuilding.

"He's a bit of a hero," Don said of Andrews.

Titanic also played a role in bringing Don and Katherine together in France about seven years ago.

"Don came to buy a boat and, just before he left, he started to talk to me about Titanic as he had been to Belfast the previous year," she said. "He was fascinated about Thomas Andrews, and we laughed when I told him that actually Andrews' home was my home when I lived in Ireland."

Katherine said living in Ardara was a contrast between hope and joy and loss and sadness. It was a place of family happiness, yet a home where Andrews' wife Helen mourned the tragedy.

"There will always be a part of me that will remain connected to Ardara," Katherine said. "It was such a major part of my life and where I raised my young family."