Tyrconnell Heritage Society

Whatever Happened to Lard?

2012-01-09T21:02:00.000-08:00

An interesting podcast from NPR concerning the demise of lard which was a common cooking tool in historic cuisine...Who Killed Lard?.

Albert and Victoria's Holiday Tradition

2011-12-08T06:52:00.001-08:00

Queen Victoria’s Christmas returns to Windsor Castle

Check out this link to see how they're celebrating a heritage holiday at the castle.

Hand Tools

2011-12-02T20:14:00.001-08:00

This link is to a film shot in Louisiana in 1949. Many of the hand tools used in the film are identical to a number of items that can be found in the barn collection (adzes and coopers knife) at the Backus-Page House Museum. It is interesting to see some of these tools still in use in the 20th century.
http://www.folkstreams.net/film,188

Ontario Volunteer Service Awards

2011-11-07T20:22:00.000-08:00

Know someone who could use a little recognition? Perhaps this is the answer...

http://www.citizenship.gov.on.ca/english/citizenship/honours/vsa.shtml

MCI - Active Citizenship

www.citizenship.gov.on.ca

The Ontario Volunteer Service Awards honour the thousands of people who generously contribute their time as volunteers across Ontario. These awards are an important way to recognize volunteers who have provided service over many years.

Local Choir Performs

2011-11-07T20:19:00.000-08:00

Barn Quilt Trail in Melbourne

2011-10-22T13:28:00.000-07:00

60 barn quilts are planned between Tecumseh's Monument and Delaware.

OCTOBER 26, 2011
Melbourne Town Hall, Melbourne
7:00 p.m.

Unveiling of the Design. 30 blocks. Each block tells a story.
Pauline Grondin. Guest historian and inspiration, re-enactor, story teller, and quilter

Longwoods Barn Quilt Trail agenda:
Story telling: start matching stories, locations, and barns.
Preparations to approach barn owners and start painting.
Where will we paint? Which community organizations would like to paint?
Preparation for history meeting at the Antler River Seniors Complex in Muncey: Nov 8. 6:00 p.m.
Collaborate with Tecumseh Monument Redevelopment Plan - history
Report from South Caradoc, Ailsa Craig.

On October 26th, the quilt design will be presented to the community at the Melbourne Community Hall. Pauline Grondin, a professional storyteller, will bring the period to life. Dressed in period clothing, she will tell how the war disrupted community life for three years. Ms. Grondin is also a quilter, so barn quilts have piqued her interest. She is driving in from Burlington to join the fun.

Also, November 8. First Nations history and quilt design.
More info at : http://obqt.wordpress.com/

Mary Simpson
Longwoods Barn Quilt Trail

Multiple Myeloma Cancer Research Fundraiser

2011-10-06T20:34:00.000-07:00

For tickets you can call Kevin at 519-762-2775 or Karen at 519-762-3614. Tickets are $10 each and a tax receipt will be issued for $20 or more

Come on out

Wallacetown Fair

2011-09-29T09:56:00.000-07:00

The Backus-Page House Museum will be closed October 1st and 2nd. Come visit our table at the Wallacetown Fair. We'll see you there!!!

Otterville Nostalgia

2011-09-29T09:44:00.000-07:00

EON Association of Curators and Directors Members

2011-09-29T09:32:00.000-07:00

Nothing to do this weekend? Why not visit one of our EON member's sites?

EON Association of Curators and Directors Member's Site Listings

Annandale National Historic Site
30 Tillson Avenue
Tillsonburg, Ontario – N4G 2Z8
GPS: N42˚ 51.7276’ W80˚ 43.3417’
Phone: 519-842-2284
Email: pphelps@tillsonburg.ca
Website: www.tillsonburg.ca/annandalehouse ; Virtual Tour: http://www.annandale.rapidtour.ca/
Contact Person: Patty Phelps

Description: nationally designated for its magnificent interior, Annandale N.H.S. serves as a monument to the Victorian style of design known as the ‘Aesthetic Art Movement’. Ornately decorative painted ceilings and stained glass make this a one-of-a-kind visiting experience. The museum complex tastefully combines both old and new. The beautifully restored Victorian mansion built by E.D. Tillson in the 1880s features period furnished rooms and local history galleries. The new wing with all its modern conveniences includes a changing gallery with several new exhibits throughout the year.

Hours: Year Round: Monday – Friday 9 – 4 and Sunday 1 – 4. July and August: Saturday noon – 4
Admission: Adults $4.50, Seniors $4, Students $3, Children $2, Family Max. $10 (applies to immediate family with school age children), Group Rate $3.50 (applies to pre-booked groups of 15 or more)

Backus-Page House Museum/Tyrconnell Heritage Society
29424 Lakeview Line, PO Box 26
Wallacetown, Ontario – N0L 2M0
GPS: N42˚ 36.400’ W81˚ 26.720’
Phone: 519-762-3072
Email: tyrconnell@execulink.com
Website: http://www.backuspagehouse.ca/
http://www.tyrconnellheritagesociety.blogspot.com/
Like us on Facebook!
www.twitter.com/backuspagehouse
Contact Person: Lori Milos-Ivanski

Description: This restored Georgian style residence is home to a living history museum. The museum interprets the culture and history of the Talbot Settlement and the Backus family, with living history rooms, gardens and exhibitions. Tour the house at your own pace or with an interpreter.

Hours: May 1 – Thanksgiving: Tuesday – Friday 10 – 4:30, Saturday and Sunday and Holiday Mondays 12 – 4:30. Year round and off hours by appointment
Admission: Donations Appreciated (fees may apply for special events)

Beachville District Museum
584367 Beachville Road, PO Box 220
Beachville, Ontario – N0J 1A0
GPS: N43˚ 4.5747’ W80˚ 50.5261’
Phone: 519-423-6497
Email: bmchin@execulink.com
Website: http://www.beachvilledistrictmuseum.ca/
Contact Person: Carl MacDonald

Description: Beachville District Museum is situated on 4.5 acres of lush parkland. The museum houses many interesting artifacts from Mastodon bones found on the O.J. Bond farm, to a history of limestone quarries. Come and discover the home of the first recorded baseball game and see the local history that Beachville has to offer.

Hours: Monday – Saturday 9:30 – 4:30, Sunday 1 – 4:30
Admission: Adults $4, Students $3, Seniors $3, Children 5 and under free, Family $10

County of Oxford Archives
12 Vine Street, PO Box 69
Beachville, Ontario – N0J 1A0
GPS: N43˚ 4.8824’ W80˚ 50.2887’
Phone: 519-539-9800 ext. 3070
Email: archives@oxfordcounty.ca
Website: www.oxfordcounty.ca/archives
Contact Person: Mary Gladwin

Description: As the official repository of the records of the District of Brock 1842-1849 and the County of Oxford since its incorporation in 1850 to the present, this facility provides researchers with a variety of information resources. The Archives also has photographs, postcards and many private collections documenting Oxford’s history.

Hours: Monday – Friday 10 – 4
Admission: Donations Appreciated

Delhi Tobacco Museum and Heritage Centre
200 Talbot Road
Delhi, Ontario – N4B 2A2
GPS: N42˚ 51.382’ W80˚ 18.398’
Phone: 519-582-0278
Email: tobacco.museum@norfolkcounty.ca
Website: http://www.delhimuseum.ca/
Contact Person: Judy Livingstone

Description: Established in 1979 as Canada’s only tobacco museum, the museum models a typical tobacco pack barn. The museum also highlights Delhi’s, formerly Fredericksburg’s, unique multicultural heritage and diverse specialty crops such as ginseng. Exhibits include agricultural machinery, arts and crafts, and archival material. Stroll along a historic 1900’s streetscape and visit the Forestville General Store with souvenirs reflective of the area. Located by the scenic and spacious Quance Park, the museum may be rented for small functions and seats up to 90.

Hours: Victoria Day – Labour Day: Monday – Friday 10 – 4:30, Saturday, Sunday and Holiday Mondays 1 – 4, Fall and Winter: Tuesday – Friday 10 – 4:30
Admission: Donations Appreciated. Tour fee $4 per person, Fees for Special Events and Workshops

Drumbo and District Heritage Society
Drumbo Fairgrounds
42 Centre Street, PO Box 250
Drumbo, Ontario – N0J 1G0
GPS: N43˚ 14.0883’ W80˚ 47.532’
Phone: Laura Taylor (519) 463-5230
Linda Baker (519) 463-6067
Email: ddhs1995@yahoo.ca
lindaclare8@gmail.com
Website: http://www.ddhs1995.wordpress.com/

Description: Former Wolverton Railroad Station with many articles of Railroad memorabilia as well as a collection of local artifacts and archival materials. Our site is wheelchair accessible.

Hours: Tuesday 9:30 – 11:30 and 1:30 – 4:30 or by appointment
Admission: Donations Appreciated

Edison Museum of Vienna
14 Snow Street
Vienna, Ontario
c/o Municipality of Bayham
9344 Plank Road, PO Box 160
Straffordville, Ontario – N0J 1Y0
GPS: N42˚ 40.850’ W80˚ 47.532’
Phone: 519-874-4999
519-866-5521 (off-season)
Email: bayham@bayham.on.ca
lmillard@bayham.on.ca
Website: http://www.bayham.on.ca/
Contact Person: Lynda Millard

Description: Authentic Edison artifacts and furniture, many donated by the late Mrs. Nora Edison Coombe, a first cousin of the inventor Thomas Alva Edison and the last remaining descendant with the Edison name to live in Vienna. Visit the Edison Pioneer Cemetery on King Street, on the south-east outskirts.

Hours: mid-May – Labour Day: Daily 10 – 5:30, Off-season by appointment.
Admission: $2

Elgin County Railway Museum
225 Wellington Street, PO Box 20062
St. Thomas, Ontario – N5P 4H4
GPS: N42˚ 46.5038’ W81˚ 10.9527’
Phone: 519-637-6284
Email: thedispatcher@ecrm5700.org
Website: http://www.ecrm5700.org/
Contact Person: Michael Adams

Description: The Elgin County Railway Museum, located in the 1913 Michigan Central Railroad Locomotive Shops, has the goal of recapturing the railway history of this area by means of artifacts, restored railway equipment and historical displays. Visitors can enter an old wooden caboose and the cab of a steam locomotive as well as view the many other exhibits.

Hours: Victoria Day Weekend – Labour Day: Daily 10 – 4, Labour Day – October 10: Weekends 10 – 4
Admission: Adults $4, Children (13 and under) free

Elgin Military Museum
30 Talbot Street
St. Thomas, Ontario – N5P 1A3
GPS: N42˚ 46.7434’ W81˚ 12.6189’
Phone: 519-633-7641
Email: question@elginmilitarymuseum.ca
curator@elginmilitarymuseum.ca
Website: http://www.elginmilitarymuseum.ca/
Contact Person: Ian Raven

Description: The Elgin Military Museum was created to collect, record, exhibit and interpret items of military history, with an emphasis on Elgin County and its residents, and the role they have played in Canada’s military history since the founding of the Talbot Settlement in 1803, with over 9000 records on local veterans.

Hours: Tuesday – Friday 1 – 5, Saturday 9 – noon and 1 – 5, Sunday 2 – 4, Closed Mondays
Admission: $5 Adults and $1 for Students and Children. Sunday admission is by donation.

Eva Brook Donly Museum and Archives
109 Norfolk Street South
Simcoe, Ontario – N3Y 2W3
GPS: N42˚ 50.0904’ W80˚ 18.1788’
Phone: 519-426-1583
Email: office@norfolklore.com
Website: http://www.norfolklore.com/
Contact Person: Scott Gillies

Description: Operated by the Norfolk Historical Society, this museum reflects the life and times of the people who settled Norfolk County. Unique to its collection are more than 400 works of art by historian Edgar Cantelon. It is considered the pre-eminent destination for anyone seeking genealogical information about Norfolk and surrounding areas.

Hours: Open Year Round Tuesday – Saturday
Admission: Archival Research: $10 per person. Museum Admission: Adults $4, Students $2, Group Rates Available

Gay Lea Dairy Heritage Museum
48075 Jamestown Line, R.R.#2
Aylmer, Ontario – N5H 2R2
GPS: N42˚ 46.3803’ W80˚ 59.0174’
Phone: 888-773-2955
Email: museum@gayleafoods.com
Website: http://www.dairyheritagemuseum.ca/
Contact Person: Kimberly Teuscher

Description: Originally collected by the Van Kasteren family, the museum is now owned and operated by Gay Lea Foods who are dedicated to preserving Ontario’s dairy heritage. View the extensive collection of dairy artifacts as well as tools and equipment from other industries. Perfect for families, antique-lovers and history buffs.

Hours: mid-May – Labour Day: Monday – Saturday 9 – 5, September – mid-October: Saturdays 9 – 5
Off season tours by appointment
Admission: Adults $5, Children (12 and under) $3

Historic Otterville
Main Street West, PO Box 149
Otterville, Ontario – N0J 1R0
Mill: 243 Main Street West
Otterville, Ontario – N0J 1R0
Station Museum: 225426 Otterville Road
Otterville, Ontario – N0J 1R0
Phone: 519-879-6804
Email: glewis@execulink.com
Website: http://www.historicotterville.ca/
Contact Person: Gail Lewis

Description: Visit our charming southwestern Ontario village with its 1845 Grist Mill, 1881 Station Museum, 1861 Woodlawn the Octagonal Cottage, and African Methodist Episcopal Cemetery restored by the Historical Society. Events are: Mill Runner’s Car Show – 2nd Saturday in June and Civil War Re-enactment in September. For more information facebook Historic Otterville.

Hours: May – October: tours and daytrips by appointment
July and August: Saturday and Sunday 2 – 4
Open for special events at other times

Admission: Donations Appreciated

Ingersoll Cheese and Agricultural Museum
290 Harris Street, Highway 19
c/o Town of Ingersoll
130 Oxford Street
Ingersoll, Ontario – N5C 2V5
GPS: N43˚ 2.2153’ W80˚ 51.9898’
Phone: 519-485-5510 (late-April – mid-October)
519-485-0120 (late-October – mid-April)
Email: curator@ingersoll.ca
theartifact@hotmail.com
Website: http://www.ingersoll.ca/
Contact Person: Jon Bowman

Description: Explore a replica 19th century factory and discover how cheese making was done over a century ago. From the history of Ingersoll’s Mammoth Cheese, the Miss Canada IV speedboat, the extraordinary Wilson Johnston carvings, along with local artifacts and images, the museum has many unique and interesting exhibits and period buildings to discover.

Hours: mid-May – Victoria Day: Wednesday – Sunday 9 – 4, Victoria Day weekend – late-August: Daily 10 – 5, Labour Day weekend – late-September: Wednesday – Sunday 9 – 4

Admission: Donations Appreciated

Lucan Area Heritage & Donnelly Museum
171 Main Street
Lucan, Ontario – N0M 2J0
Phone: 519-227-0756
Fax: 519-227-0671
Email: lgarner@donnellymuseum.com
Website: http://www.donnellymuseum.com/
Contact Person: Laura Garner

Description: The Lucan Area Heritage Society and the Township of Lucan Biddulph operate a museum dedicated to the preservation and retelling of the most famous historical events of the area… events such as the founding of Wilberforce by a Black community in Cincinnati, the arrival and settlement of the area by Irish immigrants and the famous Donnelly murders, recounted in song, story and plays throughout Canada.

Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, and Holiday Mondays 11 – 4
Admission: $5/person, $15/family

Norfolk Arts Centre
21 Lynnwood Avenue, PO Box 67
Simcoe, Ontario – N3Y 4K8
GPS: N42˚ 50.2749’ W80˚ 18.2026’
Phone: 519-428-0540
Email: deirdre.chisholm@norfolkcounty.ca
Website: http://www.norfolkartscentre.ca/
Contact Person: Deirdre Chisholm

Description: The Norfolk Arts Centre is a municipal art gallery located at Lynnwood National Historic Site. We are committed to the acquisition, presentation, interpretation and dissemination of visual art for the local arts community. The collection contains 1000 works by influential Canadian artists and is presented through exhibitions, education and community-based programming.

Hours: Tuesday – Friday 10 – 4 or by appointment
Admission: Free

North American Railway Hall of Fame in the Canada Southern Railway Station
750 Talbot Street, PO Box 20040
St. Thomas, Ontario – N5P 4H4
GPS: N42˚ 46.7302’ W81˚ 11.2047’
Phone: 519-633-2535
Email: info@narhf.org
Website: http://www.narhf.org/
Contact Person: Laurence Grant

Description: Having served as both the local train station and the head office of the Canada Southern Railway beginning in 1873, the Station is a regional landmark. There was a grand dining hall that was frequented by passengers and residents. The line served as a short cut between Buffalo and Detroit for passengers en route to New York and Chicago.

Hours: Please Call
Admission:

Norwich and District Historical Society Museum and Archives
89 – 91 Stover Street North, R.R.#3
Norwich, Ontario – N0J 1P0
GPS: N42˚ 59.702’ W80˚ 35.977’
Phone: 519-863-3101 (museum)
519-863-2343 (archives)
Email: norwichdhs@execulink.com (museum)
archives@norwichdhs.ca (archives)
Website: http://www.norwichdhs.ca/
Contact Person: Rebekah Crocker

Description: Experience 19th and 20th century rural and town life. Spend time in an 1889 Quaker Meeting House, an 1811 Quaker saltbox house or a working blacksmith’s shop. Explore the extensive collection of agricultural and dairy implements. Research vast topics of genealogical and local history with knowledgeable volunteers at the Archives.

Hours: Museum: Tuesday - Friday 10 – 4, other times by appointment with extended summer hours
Archives: Tuesdays and Thursday 10 – 12 and 1 – 4, other times by appointment
Admission: Museum: Donations Appreciated. Archives: Research fees apply.

Port Burwell Marine Museum and Historic Lighthouse
20 Pitt Street and 17 Robinson Street
Port Burwell, Ontario
c/o Municipality of Bayham
9344 Plank Road, PO Box 160
Straffordville, Ontario – N0J 1Y0
GPS: N42˚ 38.733’ W80˚ 48.360’
Phone: 519-874-4999
519-866-5521 (off-season)
Email: bayham@bayham.on.ca
lmillard@bayham.on.ca
mchickey@amtelecom.net
Website: http://www.bayham.on.ca/
Contact Person: Lynda Millard and Bev Hickey

Description: Port Burwell’s rich local marine heritage reveals, through images, the history of Lake Erie port life. View lighthouse lenses, rotating Fresnel Lens, artifacts recovered from Lake Erie shipwrecks and a model of the railway car ferry Ashtabula. Climb the 1840s historic wooden lighthouse, restored in 1986, for a panoramic view.

Hours: mid-May – Labour Day: Daily 10 – 5:30. Off-season by appointment
Admission: $2

Port Dover Harbour Museum
44 Harbour Street, PO Box 1298
Port Dover, Ontario – N0A 1P0
GPS: N42˚ 47.0792 W80˚ 11.9357’
Phone: 519-583-2660
Email: portdover.museum@norfolkcounty.ca
Website: http://www.portdovermuseum.ca/
Contact Person: Ian Bell

Description: “If there were an award for the best small-town museum in Canada, this would surely be a candidate” Leslie Papp – Toronto Star. Original fisherman’s net shanty – 1912 freighter wheelhouse – 1932 Port Dover fishing boat, heritage docks. Exhibits on Lake Erie Shipwrecks, Schooner Days, Rum running and more.

Hours: Summer: Daily 10 – 5, Labour Day – July 1: Monday – Friday 10 – 4:30, weekends and Holiday Mondays 12 – 4
Admission: Donations Appreciated

Port Stanley Terminal Rail
309 Bridge Street
Port Stanley, Ontario – N5L 1C5
GPS: N42˚ 39.9313’ W81˚ 12.812’
Phone: 519-782-3730
Email: info@pstr.on.ca
Website: http://www.pstr.on.ca/

Description: The Port Stanley Terminal Rail is an operating tourist railway located in the beautiful lakeside village of Port Stanley. Come enjoy scenic rides in both open and closed coaches. Trains are operated with historic diesel locomotives.

Hours: Please call or visit website
Admission: Adults $13.50, Children $9

Princeton and District Museum
25 Main Street South, PO Box 460
Princeton, Ontario – N0J 1V0
GPS: N43˚ 10.3483’ W80˚ 31.6512’
Phone: 519-458-8392
Email: princetonmuseum@ocl.net

Description: The Princeton and District Museum is a state of the art facility that features a theatre room, and shares space with the Oxford County Library. The museum focuses on exhibiting the community’s early pioneer history up to the present day. It hosts various events and is open all year round.

Hours: Wednesday – Friday 1 – 5
Admission: $1

Ross Butler Studio Agricultural Art Gallery
708 Pattullo Avenue West, R.R.#4
Woodstock, Ontario – N4S 7V8
GPS: N43˚ 6.4725’ W80˚ 44.1617’
Phone: 519-456-8155
Email: dbutler@execulink.com
Website: www.oxford.net/~dbutler
Contact Person: David Butler

Description: A nationally significant collection of agricultural art and archives of pictures and books. Featuring the original ‘True Type’ paintings and sculptures used in the development of Canadian livestock breed standards. Part of Oxford’s agricultural heritage.

Hours: Weekdays 9 – 5, other times by appointment
Admission: Donations Appreciated

Waterford Heritage and Agricultural Museum
159 Nichol Street, PO Box 457
Waterford, Ontario – N0E 1Y0
GPS: N42˚ 55.9184’ W80˚ 17.9975’
Phone: 519-443-4211
Email: sprucerow.museum@norfolkcounty.ca
Website: http://www.sprucerowmuseum.ca/
Contact Person: Melissa Collver

Description: Spruce Row Museum is located along the picturesque Nanticoke Creek. This Converted canning factory exhibits the rich agricultural and social history of Waterford and the former township of Townsend. The agricultural gallery exhibits early farm implements and machinery. It also houses a vast array of archival material and all the Norfolk County land record documents from 1851 – 1950s.

Hours: Monday – Friday 10 – 4, Sundays 1 – 4
Admission: Donations Appreciated

St. Marys Museum
177 Church Street South, PO Box 998
St. Marys, Ontario – N4X 1B6
GPS: N43˚ 15.308’ W81˚ 8.4743’
Phone: 519-284-3556
Email: museum@town.stmarys.on.ca
Website: http://www.stmarysmuseum.ca/
Contact Person: Tricia McKibbon

Description: Located in a heritage limestone house built for one of the town’s first settlers, the museum offers exhibits, programs and an excellent collection of photographs, local newspapers, maps, online resources, and genealogical files relating to St. Marys and its surrounding area.

Hours: Weekdays year round 9 – 4:30, June, July and August also open weekends 1 – 4:30
Admission: Donations Appreciated

St. Thomas-Elgin Public Art Centre
301 Talbot Street
St. Thomas, Ontario – N5P 1B5
GPS: N42˚ 46.7499’ W81˚ 11.9937’
Phone:519-631-4040
Email: info@stepac.ca
lwoermke@stepac.ca
Website: www.stepac.ca
Contact Person: Laura Woermke

Description: The mission of the St. Thomas-Elgin Public Art Centre is to encourage and promote an appreciation for the visual arts in St. Thomas and Elgin County through a variety of exhibitions, education programs and through the preservation of a permanent collection.

Hours: Tuesday and Wednesday 10 – 4, Thursday and Friday 10 – 9, Saturday 12 – 4, Sunday 12 – 3, Closed Mondays

Admission: Free

Tavistock and District Historical Society
37 Maria Street, PO Box 280
Tavistock, Ontario – N0B 2R0
GPS: N43˚ 19.1641’ W80˚ 50.1045’
Phone: 519-655-9915
Email: marynicklas@rogers.com
Contact Person: Mary Nicklas

Description: Our archives offers researched material for genealogists and for individuals interested in learning more about our community’s past. Many family trees, histories and obituaries are available for viewing and use. The Lemp Studio collection features 4000 glass negatives of people, events and life in the area in the late 1800s and early 1900s. To date about 2000 have been developed and put on display.

Hours: Saturday 10 – noon. Other times by appointment.
Admission: Donations Appreciated

Teeterville Pioneer Museum
194 Teeter Street
Teeterville, Ontario – N0E 1S0
c/o Delhi Tobacco Museum and Heritage Centre
200 Talbot Road
Delhi, Ontario – N4B 2A2
GPS: N42˚ 56.765’ W80˚ 26.2528’
Phone: 519-443-4400
Email: teeterville.museum@norfolkcounty.ca
Contact Person: Tanya Zajac
tanya.zajac@norfolkcounty.ca

Description: Located in the quiet village of Teeterville this museum was established in 1967 as a Centennial project of the Teeterville Women’s Institute and the Township of Windham. The spacious grounds and peaceful setting feature two original historic buildings – a log smoke house and a log home, as well as a wayside church and a drive barn.

Hours: Victoria Day – Labour Day: Wednesday – Saturday 1 – 5 and Holiday Mondays 1 – 5
Admission: Donations Appreciated

Thames Valley Museum School
130 Oxford Street, PO Box 232
Ingersoll, Ontario – N5C 3K5
Phone: 519-926-0206
Email: info@museumschool.ca
Website: http://www.museumschool.ca/
Contact Person: Jennifer Hunt-Beauchamp

Description: please contact Jennifer for info about location, hours and programs
The Arts and Cookery Bank
242 Graham Road
West Lorne, Ontario – N0L 2P0
GPS: N42˚ 36.2595’ W81˚ 36.4526’
Phone: 519-768-9986
Email: info@theartsandcookerybank.com
Website: http://www.theartsandcookerybank.com/
Contact Person: Tammy

Description: The Bank is a regional cultural destination in rural southwestern Ontario. The restored 1914 Heritage Hall, an exquisite photo gallery, viewed on multi-touch screens, provides you with a visual feast of rural culture and an elegant setting for all your celebrations. The Cookery, transformed into a studio kitchen and digital photo learning lab, is the stunning venue for hands-on cooking experiences and digital photography classes. Come for the experience; leave inspired.

Hours: Tuesday – Friday 11 – 5 , Call for events on Saturday or Sunday, Closed Mondays
Admission: please call

The Elgin County Museum
450 Sunset Drive
St. Thomas, Ontario – N5R 5V1
Phone: 519-631-1460, ext. 159
Email: mbaker@elgin-county.on.ca
Website: http://www.elgin-county.on.ca/
Contact Person: Mike Baker

Description: The museum mounts an annual series of exhibitions and programs based on a permanent collection of artifacts illustrating life in Elgin County as well as loan exhibitions from other museums and sites. Gift Shop has Jumbo-related items, as well as toys and books.

Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10 – 4
Admission: By Donation

Woodstock Art Gallery
449 Dundas Street
Woodstock, Ontario – N4S 1C2
Phone: 519-539-2382, ext. 2801
Email: gallery@city.woodstock.on.ca
Website: http://www.city.woodstock.on.ca/
Contact Person: Maria Ricker

Description: The Woodstock Art Gallery offers historical and contemporary exhibitions, adult and children’s classes, a monthly film series offered in conjunction with the Toronto International Film Festival Group, tours and art appreciation programs. The Woodstock Art Gallery was originally founded by the Oxford County Art Association as a Centennial project in 1967 and is Oxford County’s only public art gallery. In 1983, it was relocated from the downstairs of the Woodstock Public Library to the Neo-Georgian manse at 447 Hunter Street. In 2011, the Woodstock Art Gallery moved to its new home at 449 Dundas Street. The Woodstock Art Gallery holds the largest collection of works by Post-Impressionist artist Florence Carlyle in its permanent collection.

Hours: Tuesday – Friday 11 – 5, Saturday 10 – 5.
Admission: Free

Woodstock Museum National Historic Site
466 Dundas Street
Woodstock, Ontario – N4S 1C4
GPS: N43˚ 7.800’ W80˚ 45.445’
Phone: 519-537-8411
Email: museum@city.woodstock.on.ca
Website: http://www.woodstockmuseum.ca/
Contact Person: Karen Houston

Description: Explore the nationally designated Old Town Hall built as Woodstock’s first public market, council chambers and concert hall in 1853. Serving later as the first fire hall and police department lock-up, the building became the home of the Oxford County Museum in 1947 and eventually the Woodstock Museum.

Hours: Winter Hours: Tuesday- Saturday 10 – 5, Victoria Day – Labour Day: Monday – Saturday 10 – 5

Admission: Free

Ye Olde Forge and Anvil Museum
c/o Sally Martyn
46316 Sparta Line, PO Box 34
Sparta, Ontario – N0L 2H0
GPS: N42˚ 42.1517’ W81˚ 4.8028’
Phone: 519-775-2292
Email: tcg@execulink.com
Contact Person: Sally Martyn

Description: This cob building was erected in 1827 as a blacksmith shop and carriage works. The construction is unusual in Canada with its black walnut beams and two foot thick clay and straw walls. It houses artifacts from the Sparta area as well as other early Upper Canada memorabilia.

Hours: May 1 – Labour Day: Daily 11 – 4:30, Labour Day to End of October: Saturday and Sunday 11 – 4:30

Admission: Free

News Flash From the Ontario Arts Council

2011-09-29T08:03:00.000-07:00

Don’t Miss the Second Annual Culture Days

September 30 to October 2, 2011!

With over 1200 activities in 170 communities, Culture Days will be in just about every corner of this province – from major urban areas to small towns and rural counties. In only year two, the Culture Days movement is connecting communities across Canada in a celebration of arts and culture.

Plan your Culture Days weekend with the Bright Spots Schedule

New this year is the Culture Days Bright Spots Schedule, presented by Culture Days’ national Lead Founding Visionary Partner, Sun Life Financial, a tool that lets you create a customized printable agenda for the celebration weekend. Simply, browse through the website’s Culture Days activity listings, select the activities in which you wish to participate, and the Bright Spots Schedule will create an agenda containing date, time, place, location, and activity descriptions, all arranged in chronological order. Activity organizers can also use the Bright Spots Schedule to create a printable program guide, featuring a number of activities taking place in the same venue, neighbourhood or community.

Check out some of the hands-on and behind-the-scenes activities exploring music, dance, visual arts, film, history, theatre, literature and much more:

Attend an open house at the Sudbury Theatre Centre or join musician and dancer, Amadou Kiénou for Spectacle de tambour: le Djembé, a drumming performance hosted by Contact interculturel francophone de Sudbury.

Take part in Sunday in the Studio, a hands-on art workshop at the Art Gallery of Windsor and meet print-maker Pamela Dodds on a studio tour of the Windsor Printmaker’s Forum.

In Ottawa, join in puppet-making and costume workshops with Compagnie Vox Théâtre or experience contemporary dance in the making with the Ottawa Dance Directive’s resident choreographers at Arts Court.

In Thunder Bay, attend the book launch of Museum Encounters by Monica Belluz at the Thunder Bay Museum or meet local and international filmmakers, attend free screenings and take part in filmmaking workshops at the Bay Street Film Festival.

In Toronto, join artist Mark Jaroszewicz at the Ontario Crafts Council for a discussion of his multi-sensory approach to fusing math and craft or join the Métis Heritage Guild for an afternoon of music, dance, film and storytelling at the S. Walter Stewart Branch of the Toronto Public Library.

Post-Culture Days Survey

Please keep your eyes peeled for the Culture Days post-event survey in the first week of October. Culture Days will be collecting feedback from this year’s event to help assess the demands and needs of Ontario’s arts and culture community. Whether or not you participated in Culture Days this year as an activity organizer or attended events, your opinion is valuable to the growth and sustainability of the Culture Days movement in the years to come.

Contact
Nazanin Shoja, OAC’s Culture Days Animator/Coordinator
t: 416-961-1660 ext.5113 toll-free: 1-800-387-0058 ext. 5113

on@culturedays.ca
http://www.culturedays.ca/

The Ontario Arts Council (OAC) is the province of Ontario’s primary funding body for professional arts activity. Since 1963, OAC has played a vital role in promoting and assisting the development of the arts and artists for the enjoyment and benefit of Ontarians. For more information, visit the OAC website at http://www.arts.on.ca/.

Delhi Tobacco Museum & Heritage Centre

2011-09-29T07:56:00.000-07:00

Delhi Tobacco Museum & Heritage Centre

Christmas Events & Activities
2011

Christmas Penny Sale
November 8th to December 12th, 2011 (Set-up for November 5th Confectionary Class)
Draw Date: Monday December 12th, 2011 at Annual Advisory Committee Christmas Social
Tickets: 25 for $2
Donations: Deadline Friday October 28th, 2011

Workshops
Crazy Quilt Christmas Stocking
Saturday October 22, 2011 – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Instructor: Helen Sluis, Dundern Castle
Fee: $30 + $15 materials fee
Registration Deadline (with Payment) – Friday October 14th, 2011
NOTE: We have 2 spots left as of Sunday September 25.

Christmas Confectionary Class
Saturday November 5th, 2011 – 1 to 4 p.m.
Instructors: Wendy Kemp, Larry Dawson, Heather Gerrard & Judy Livingstone
Confectionary Selection: English Toffee, Dinner Mints & Cookie Decorating Basics
Fee: $30
Registration Deadline (with Payment): Friday October 28th, 2011

Traditional Christmas Dinner
Friday November 25th, 2011 – Seatings at 5 & 7 p.m.
Tickets on Sale: Tuesday October 4th, 2011 at 10 a.m.
Price: Adults $18 Children (12 & under): $8

BIA Tree Lighting at the Museum
Friday December 2nd, 2011 – 7 p.m.
Museum Open from 6 to 9 p.m. (Tentative Time)
Gift Wrapping Service for a donation to the Museum
Hot Chocolate/Cider/Goodies

Cookies & Crafts for Kids (Ages 6 to 10)
Saturday December 3rd, 2011 – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Fee: $25 (includes lunch)
Registration Deadline (with Payment) – Friday November 25th, 2011

Cookies for Sharing
Submission Date: Saturday December 10th, 2011 – 3 to 6 p.m.
Judging Date: Monday December 12th, 2011 – 7 p.m. at Museum Advisory Committee Social

Advisory Committee Christmas Social
Monday December 12th, 2011 – 5:30 p.m.

For more info or to register contact
Judy A. Livingstone
Curator-Director
Delhi Tobacco Museum & Heritage Centre
200 Talbot Road
DELHI, Ontario N4B 2A2
519-582-0278

We're Looking For Old Tractors and Machines

2011-08-30T09:21:00.000-07:00

The Backus-Page House is looking for tractor and machinery exhibitors for this year's Heritage Farm Show. If you've got an antique tractor come out Sept 3 and 4 to share your tractor with everyone at the show. Old engines or machinery are welcome as well (how old? old enough to be considered an antique). There's no cost to exhibit and participants are invited to a volunteer dinner on Saturday night. Call 519-762-3072 to let us know you'll be here. The show runs Saturday 10am to 4pm. On Sunday there's a pancake breakfast for the public from 9am to 11am, worship service at 11am and the show runs from noon to 4pm.

8th Annual Heritage Farm Show

2011-08-30T09:15:00.000-07:00

8th Annual Heritage Farm Show

Labour Day Weekend

September 3rd and 4th

Backus Page-House Museum

29424 Lakeview Line,

Wallacetown, Ontario

Summer is winding down and it is time for the annual Heritage Farm Show at the Backus-Page House, located just south of Wallacetown. Demonstrations planned over the two day event feature threshing, a working steam engine, farm horses, wagon rides and historic farming interpretive displays. While on site, tour the Backus-Page House Museum where costumed interpreters will be available to take visitors on a trip back through time to the year 1850. The current exhibit titled “Saint Peter’s Anglican Church- Celebrating 184 Years”, runs until Thanksgiving Day. The exhibit allows visitors an opportunity to see rare items from the church that are not often made available for public viewing. With so much to do, it is easy to work up a big appetite. The Heritage Farm Show does not disappoint providing a BBQ lunch on both days along with a bean pot on Saturday. The Sunday pancake breakfast runs from 9 am to 11am. The worship service starts at 11 am on the lawn of the museum and the second day of the farm show activities begins at 12 noon.

Saturday- Heritage Farm Show runs 10am to 4pm.

Sunday – Pancake breakfast begins at 9am.Worship service begins at 11am.

Heritage Farm Show runs 12 noon to 4pm.

Admission- Adults $6, Children $3, 5 & under free

Pancake breakfast – additional cost- Adults $6, Children $3, 5 & under free

Please note that all patrons who enter the gate, regardless of their activities, including the pancake breakfast and worship service, are required to pay gate admission.

Living History Needs People

2011-08-30T09:03:00.000-07:00

Check out this interesting article from the Edmonton Journal. Click here.

Barn Quilt Workshop

2011-08-17T18:39:00.000-07:00

Barn Quilt Workshop

Tuesday August 30th, 2011

Wardsville Masonic Lodge

21966 Hagerty Rd.

10:00 – 2:00

$15.00 per person

Your day will include an escorted bus tour of the Wardsville Barn Quilt Trail, with a visit to Made on Earth to meet with Rick Sommers; an outdoor muralist who specializes in barn quilts. Upon our return to the Masonic Lodge we will enjoy a lunch followed by a presentation from Creative Communities on the “how to’s and best practices” of designing and installing a barn quilt!

Please call or email to reserve your seat by Friday August 26th, 2011 to sheila@tourmiddlesex.ca

519-245-8951 or toll free 1-855-245-8951

Creative Communities

Tel (519) 287-3566
Cel (519) 318-1074
Fax (519) 287-2241
Post: 22688 Tait's Road, RR 4

Glencoe, ON N0L 1M0

http://obqt.wordpress.com

www.ontariobarnquilttrails.ca/

skype: cre8vmarysimpson

http://wardsvillebarnquilts.wordpress.com/

Ruth Goodman at the Waterloo Region Museum in November

2011-08-16T09:48:00.000-07:00

Coming this fall - Ruth Goodman

You may not recognize her name, but you likely have seen Ruth Goodman on
television stretching a pig's bladder to seal a preserve jar, chasing farm
animals from the garden, or cleaning a bedroom to rid it of bed bugs.
Goodman is a free lance historian working with museums, theatre, television and
educational organizations - and she has appeared in the British television
programs Tales from the Green Valley, Victorian Farm, Victorian Farm Christmas,
Victorian Pharmacy and Edwardian Farm. Produced by Lion Television for the BBC,
these programs air in Ontario on TVOntario, and hopefully on PBS in your
community.

The Waterloo Wellington Museums and Galleries is hosting Goodman on the morning
of Saturday, November 5 for a public presentation at the Waterloo Region Museum.

Goodman will explore the Edwardian era for Britain's rural population, and all
the subtle changes that made it stand apart from the proceeding generations, as
well as those things that tied it firmly into an ongoing narrative.

Doors open at 8:30 a.m. for coffee, with Goodman's presentation starting at 9:30. Tickets are $25 plus HST and are available by calling the Waterloo Region Museum at 519-748-1914.

Ruth Goodman's presentation is generously sponsored by Waterloo Wellington Museums and Galleries, Waterloo Region Museum and the Region of Waterloo, TVOntario, and Hillcrest House Bed and Breakfast in Waterloo.

New Website Launches for the 200th Anniversary of the War of 1812

2011-08-15T08:03:00.000-07:00

New Website Launches

for the 200th Anniversary of the War of 1812

Hamilton, ON-August 12, 2011 - The Western Corridor War of 1812 Bicentennial Alliance

(WCA) has launched a new website for visitors to access information about events and initiatives

surrounding the Bicentennial for the War of 1812 in the Western Corridor of Southern Ontario.

The Bicentennial commemoration of the War of 1812 has been identified as a key tourism

opportunity for the region, and the new WCA portal will allow new visitors to easily plan their

entire 1812 Bicentennial trip and educational experience from one central website.

The website www.westerncorridor1812.com

has an Events Database, searchable by location, time and type of event

shows a video highlighting the history and events of the war in this Region

provides timely updates on any 1812 news nationally and internationally

links to Partner’s sites so visitors learn about local initiatives marking the war

The site will also link to many other sites relating to the Bicentennial and the history of the war,

including the documentary Rural Raids and Divided Loyalties, a three part series telling of the

raids by American General McArthur in October of 1814. Visitors can follow McArthur’s path

by travelling along Route 1812. This historic driving trail highlights museums, historic sites and

battlefields involved in the War of 1812.

The story of the war in this region is one of courageous settlers and First Nations willing to stand

up and defend their homes from the invading force of American raiding parties and traitors as

they burned mills and stole supplies.

The WCA is a partnership of all the municipalities within the Western Corridor as it extends

from Halton Hills through Hamilton, Brantford and London, ending at Middlesex County, it also

includes the counties along the North shore of Lake Erie; Haldimand, Norfolk and Elgin. This

website was made possible by generous support from the Hamilton Halton Brant Regional

Tourism Organization and the Government of Ontario.

Media Contact

Adrienne Horne

WCA Regional Project Manager

adrienne.horne@hamilton.ca

For more information visitwww.westerncorridor1812.com

Dyeing Workshop at Backus-Page House Museum

2011-08-06T11:58:00.001-07:00

Time	Saturday, September 17 · 1:00pm - 4:00pm

Location	Backus-Page House Museum 29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown

Created By	Backus-Page House Museum

More Info	One of our fantastic volunteers, Carol, will be offering a FREE workshop to learn Dyeing. You must bring: large cooking pot (pot will not be useable for anything else except dyeing after this), washed wool (spun or fleece) 1lb of vegetable matter (mullen, onion skins, Queen Anne's Lace flower heads, marigold petals). All registrations and questions should be directed to Carol at 519-768-2976.

8th Annual Heritage Farm Show

2011-07-27T12:31:00.000-07:00

8th Annual Heritage Farm Show

Labour Day Weekend

September 3rd and 4th

Backus Page-House Museum

29424 Lakeview Line,

Wallacetown, Ontario

Saturday- Heritage Farm Show runs 10am to 4pm.

Sunday – Pancake breakfast begins at 9am.Worship service begins at 11am.

Heritage Farm Show runs 12 noon to 4pm.

Admission- Adults $6, Children $3, 5 & under free

Pancake breakfast – additional cost- Adults $6, Children $3, 5 & under free

Please note that all patrons who enter the gate, regardless of their activities, including the pancake breakfast and worship service, are required to pay gate admission.
New tractor and machinery exhibitors are welcome. Contact 519-762-3072

The Heritage Farm Show is presented by the Tyrconnell Heritage Society. Funds raised from the Heritage Farm Show are used to offset operating expenses at the Backus-Page House Museum. For more information about the Heritage Farm Show, the Backus-Page House Museum, the John E. Pearce Provincial Park or the Tyrconnell Heritage Society you may like us on Facebook, call the Carriage House Office at 519-762-3072 or visit us at www.backuspagehouse.ca or www.tyrconnellheritagesociety.blogspot.com .

Museum Exhibit- St Peter's Anglican Church~ Celebrating 184 Years

2011-07-27T12:08:00.000-07:00

The new exhibit "St Peter's Anglican Church~Celebrating 184 Years" will run from July 17, 2011 to October 10, 2011 at the Backus-Page House Museum.

Founded in the heart of the Talbot settlement, St. Peter’s Anglican Church in Tyrconnell is a significant historical and religious landmark. Built in 1827 by the newly settled Anglican community known as “Little Ireland”, the church is a source of pride as it has delivered continuous service for 184 years. Close to two centuries old and still in very good repair, the church is deeply cherished by locals, parishioners and the heritage community.

The exhibit illustrates and celebrates the church’s history, architecture, and artifacts. The purpose of the exhibit is to achieve a greater appreciation and understanding of this historical landmark and its role in the development of Tyrconnell and Dunwich Township.

Items of interest in this exhibit include the original deed to St Peter's Church dated 1827 and a silver flagon, chalice and two plates donated by the Late Governor Simcoe's second daughter, Charlotte, in 1844.

The exhibit was curated by Margaret Bennetto. Margaret worked as Junior Director of Operations for the Backus-Page House Museum in 2004. The museum is thrilled to welcome her back as a dedicated volunteer, curating the St Peter’s Anglican Church exhibit.

Margaret attended the University of Waterloo and received a BA in Classical Studies and Anthropology in 2007. She loved her first museum experience so much at Backus-Page; it inspired her to study Museum Management and Curatorship at Sir Sanford Fleming College, graduating in 2008. She has worked and volunteered for the past 3 years in Ottawa for the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the Nepean Museum, and the City of Ottawa Archives. Her areas of interest and experience are in curatorial research, collections management and exhibition development.

Margaret encourages the community to visit the exhibit at the Backus-Page House Museum and learn about the unique history of St. Peter’s Church and its role within the Talbot Settlement. Tours are also available of the Church throughout July and August, every Wednesday between 10 and 2 pm. Tours can also be individually booked. Call Diane Drummelsmith, 519-762-2778 or Anna Tokarz, 519-762-2617. The Backus-Page House Museum is located just outside of Wallacetown proper at 29424 Lakeview Line just up the road from St Peter's Church and the cemetery where Colonel Thomas Talbot is interred. The museum is open Tuesday to Friday 10 to 4:30 and Saturday, Sundays and holiday Mondays 12 to 4:30 from May to Thanksgiving Day. For more information call 519-762-3072, visit us online at www.backuspagehouse.ca or search Facebook for the Backus-Page House Museum.

Beat the Heat News from the Dutton-Dunwich Municipality

2011-07-20T10:17:00.000-07:00

The Municipality of Dutton-Dunwich is going to open two cooling centres for the balance of the week. One will be in Wallacetown at the hall and the other at the WEDS theater (town hall) in Dutton. If you know of any elderly and/or young families have them call the town hall at 519-762-2204. For the rest of us enjoy.

We're Offering a Third Week of Day Camp

2011-07-20T10:15:00.000-07:00

Both sessions of day camp filled up early so we're offering another week of summer fun. Spots are open for a third session of camp, August 22- 26. The program runs from Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. The cost is $100 per camper (ages 6 to 10). Spaces are filling up so call 519-762-3072 or email tyrconnell@execulink.com to book your spot today!

1850's Strawberry Social

2011-06-17T13:34:00.000-07:00

Don't miss out on our first ever 1850's Strawberry Social.
There will be a variety of pastries and sweets as well as beverages, all 1850's authenticated of course. We will also have some Victorian lawn games available to play on the museum's lovely grounds if you wish to spend some time as Victorian ladies and gentlemen would have.

Tickets are $15, to be purchased in advance.

Hope to see you there!!

Strawberry Social Poster

Relive the Talbot Settlement

2011-05-25T19:04:00.000-07:00

RELIVE THE TALBOT SETTLEMENT

BACKUS-PAGE HOUSE MUSEUM

29424 LAKEVIEW LINE

WALLACETOWN, ONTARIO

519-762-3072

Friday May 27- 9:30 to 2:30- Education Programs- $8 flat fee per guest- public schools, home schools and general public are all welcome. Please call ahead to register.

Saturday May 27- 10:00 to 4:00- Adults $8/ children under 12 & $4/ 5 and under free- Military raids and mini militia 10:30 and 1:00/ theater performances 11:30 and 2:00/ various historic demonstrations through out the day.

Sponsored in part by the Building Communities Through Art and Heritage Program

Car Show and Fish Fry at Beattie Haven, Wardsville

2011-05-25T18:54:00.000-07:00

Car Show and Fish Fry at Beattie Haven


June 11: Car Show and Fish Fry 3 - 6 p.m. at Beattie Haven Retirement Community, 23328 Beattie Line, Wardsville. Fish by Knights of Columbus. $15 all you can eat. All cars welcome, a donation is your admission.
50:50 draw. Beautiful green lawn presentation.Have your photo taken with your favourite vehicle and put it on a T-shirt.A chance to have your classic car in Beattie Haven's Calendar.More information: Glenn DeGraw  519 693-4901http://www.beattiehaven.com/

Summer Employment 2011

2011-05-02T09:09:00.001-07:00

The Tyrconnell Heritage Society is seeking secondary and post secondary school students to fill positions for the 2011 season at the Backus-Page House. Requirements - computer skills, current first aid, current police check and ability to work alone. All candidates must be returning to school in September. Post secondary candidates must either meet Canada Summer Job Program requirements or qualify and be registered with Young Canada Works. Mail resume to Lori Milos-Ivanski, Tyrconnell Heritage Society, Box 26, Wallacetown, ON N0L 2M0 or email as an MS Word attachment to tyrconnell@execulink.com

Museum Opening Event

2011-04-28T23:04:00.000-07:00

Please join us on Sunday May 1st from 12 noon to 4 pm as we celebrate the season opening with a used book sale at the Backus-Page House Museum.

There will be fun for all so come out and spend the afternoon!

Community Theater Spring Production

2011-04-28T22:58:00.000-07:00

Wasaga Under Siege Update

2011-04-13T20:31:00.000-07:00

Wasaga under Siege - “A War of 1812 Experience”

July 22nd, 23^rd, 24^th /2011

2011 Highlights

· Nancy Island Historic Site New Welcome Centre.

· Website Update

· Battle Location Changes

· River Run Event – Looking for Boats, Canoes & Participants.

· New Coordinator of Naval Activities

· Book Releases and Signings

· Invitation to Tea

Just a quick reminder that Wasaga under Siege “A War of 1812 Experience” is approaching fast. Please review the information that has been provided and if you have not registered yet I encourage you all to do so ASAP. Visit our website at www.wasagaundersiege1812.com . There are also some changes and new things happening this year and if you have any questions please let me know.

Building on the huge success of past Wasaga under Siege events, the Historic Military Establishment of Upper Canada in partnership with the Town of Wasaga Beach, Ontario Parks and Nancy Island Historic Site look forward to hosting you once again from July 22^nd to the 24th/2011. Wasaga under Siege “A War of 1812 Experience” will once again come to life as over 300 re-enactors will take part echoing history once again through the streets and waters of Wasaga Beach and Nancy Island Historic Site.

We have put together a great weekend for re-enactors and spectators alike! Re-enactors will enjoy a safe Grand Encampment area on Historic Nancy Island, water, food, entertainment, drinks, souvenir and 4 battles scenarios. We will be using all our talents and proven Wasaga under Siege 1812 hospitality to make sure all re-enactors & participants feel welcomed and satisfied that it was worth the trip.

All re-enactors who portray any aspect of the War of 1812 are welcomed to participate. They can include – British and American Regulars or Militia, Navy Personnel, Cannon Crews, Natives, Voyageurs and Men, Women & Children civilians. Re-enactors who wish to bring cannons, bateaus and canoes can negotiate with me for travel, haulage or powder compensation. Merchants, blanket traders and artisans are welcomed to attend free of charge.

Sunday morning will also feature the Redcoat Iron-man and Iron-women contest that has proven to be a popular event not only to participate in, but to watch as well, with prizes going out to the winners.

If you are registering on-line please register individually or as an immediate family unit. No group registrations will be accepted unless pre-approved. This gives us a more accurate numbers for logistics, food and actual people attending and camping on the island.

New Welcome Centre – Nancy Island Welcome Centre

Ontario Parks is excited to announce that Nancy Island Historic Site will have a brand new 3000+ square foot Welcome Centre opening this summer. This new building will become a focal point for Wasaga Beach Provincial Park and certainly help draw visitors to Nancy Island as we gear up for the bicentennial.

History of The British Royalty in Canada

2011-04-11T13:18:00.000-07:00

HISTORY OF THE BRITISH ROYALTY IN CANADA

Presentation by Robert Finch at Joseph Brant Museum

Join Robert Finch on an historical journey, as he unveils Canada's strong connection to the British Monarchy since its colonial days. Accompanying this seminar, artifacts from the Museum's collection commemorating this royal history in Canada, will be displayed exclusively for this presentation.

Robert Finch is the Dominion Chairman for the Hamilton Branch of the Monarchist League of Canada.

The presentation will take place on Friday, April 15, 2011, from 7pm to 9pm.

Light refreshments will be provided, but seating is limited, so register early!

Joseph Brant Museum is located at 1240 Lakeshore Blvd. E., Burlington, Ontario.

Parking is available at the Museum.

To register, or for more information, call (905) 634-3556.

Find out more at www.museumsofburlington.com or on our facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Museums-of-Burlington/14389272142.

Joanne Stevenson

Educator Ireland House at Oakridge Farm

905-332-9888

Joseph Brant Museum

905-634-3556

We're on Facebook!

Museums of Burlington www.museumsofburlington.com

Newsletter Correction

2011-04-11T13:05:00.001-07:00

The Spring 2011 edition of the Pioneer Press contains incorrect dates for 3 events. The correct dates are as follows.

Heritage Farm Show

September 3rd and 4th, 2011

Harvest Dinner

Lakeview Gardens, Eagle

November 19th, 2011

Backus-Page House

Christmas Dinner December 3rd, 2011

The Carriage House Office apologizes for any issues arising from this error.

Blacksmithing Classes

2011-04-11T12:50:00.000-07:00

Helmut's Forge Blacksmithing Classes and Interpretation Workshop

May 14-15, 2011

Located at the South Norwich Historical Society's Blacksmith Shop, Otterville, Ontario This is a one-day course to teach the basics of the historical trade of Blacksmithing and its interpretation of it to the public. Basic techniques such as fire building, tool handling, steel and iron selection, temperatures, and basic forging to make small demonstration pieces. Plus safety. History of the trade and its importance within Upper Canada / Ontario, including some effective techniques to bring the trade alive and understandable to a wide range of public, including school groups.

Classes are limited to six, with hands on time; each person will make at least one small item besides practicing the basic techniques.

For volunteers and staff of Historical Sites, Museums and Associations the cost of the one-day course will be $75.00 all materials supplied.

Tim Foster is a smith of 40 years experience in Blacksmithing. I was the full time smith a Black Creek Pioneer Village for 4 years and the Interpretive Coordinator for the Trades, for 6 years. I have also taught and demonstrated the trade at sites and events around the province for 30 years. As Interpretive Coordinator it was my job to teach all of the trades staff how to interact with public in all of its variations.

For more details and to register contact

Tim Foster

helmutsforge@gmail.com

905-777-9465

91 Grant Ave.,

Hamilton, Ontario L8N 2X6

Headstone Photos Online

2011-03-30T20:06:00.000-07:00

Headstone photos for the following cemeteries in the "Heart of the Talbot Settlement" area are available on-line; click on a name to see the photos.

http://cemetery.canadagenweb.org/ON/ONT10635/ Tyrconnell

http://cemetery.canadagenweb.org/ON/ONS10633/ St Peter's

http://cemetery.canadagenweb.org/ON/ONS10634/ St Stephen's

Elgin County Tourism Employment Opportunity

2011-03-30T20:05:00.000-07:00

JOB POSTING #46-11ED

Tourism Assistant

(4) Student Positions

Economic Development

Posting Date: March 22, 2011

Incumbents successful to these positions will staff various tourist booths throughout Elgin County and the City of St. Thomas providing tourists with information. Although each Tourism Assistant is responsible for one main location, all Tourism Assistants will be crossed-trained to cover hours in at least one other location. Responsibilities will include maintaining inventories of brochures, retaining tourism survey data, updating the Elgin/St. Thomas Tourism website, database development, promoting both St. Thomas and Elgin County to the general public and other duties as assigned.

A major part of the Tourism Assistant experience includes operating as a goodwill ambassador for Elgin/St. Thomas. In many cases the Tourism Assistant will be a tourist’s first exposure to the area. Visitors from around the world have signed our guest books and experienced our famous tourist attractions. This is an exciting, customer oriented position that requires an outgoing and self-motivated personality.

Hours of Work: Approx. 35 hours per week - hours will vary including weekends

Effective: May 18, 2011 – September 5, 2011 (**Subject to Grant Approval**)

Salary: $10.25 per hour

Qualifications:

1. Must have own transportation and a valid class ‘G’ Ontario drivers license.

2. Experience in computer software including word processing, and excel spreadsheets.

3. Pleasant, outgoing with a basic knowledge of St. Thomas and Elgin County.

4. Good time management, interpersonal, communication and problem solving skills.

5. Minimum Grade 12 graduate currently attending post secondary education facility.

6. Must be returning to full-time studies in September 2011

7. Preference will be given to residents of St. Thomas and Elgin County.

Application Deadline: 4:30 p.m., Friday, April 1, 2011

To be considered, please submit your resume, including cover letter to:

Human Resources Assistant

450 Sunset Drive, St. Thomas, ON N5R 5V1

Fax: (519) 633-7785

Email: jobs@elgin-county.on.ca

www.elgincounty.ca

We are an equal opportunity Employer.

Library Activities for History Lovers

2011-03-28T21:14:00.000-07:00

The John Kenneth Galbraith Reference Library will be hosting two programs for history lovers this spring.

Day in the Life of a Pioneer

Saturday May 14, 2011

1:30 pm

Presented by Fanshawe Pioneer Village . Participants will take part in learning and trying their hand at 19th century chores and games. This is a 90 minute program. Please preregister at 519-762-2780

19th Century Penny Rugs

Presented by Fanshawe Pioneer Village

at the John Kenneth Galbraith Reference Library

Saturday April 16, 2011

10:30 am

Cost $6.00

Participants will learn the history of the penny rug and how it became a valued piece of folk art. The workshop will include a brief presentation on the history of penny rugs and then participants will create their own penny rug to take home.

Please preregister at 519-762-2780

The John Kenneth Galbraith Reference Library is located at 236 Shackleton Street, Dutton, Ontario

Email: duttonlibrary@elgin-county.on.ca

Backus-Page House Book Sale

2011-03-23T22:32:00.000-07:00

The Tyrconnell Heritage Society and Backus-Page House Museum are holding a Used Book Sale (Children and Adults) on the afternoon of May 1st. We are looking for donations of good

quality books from the community.

Please contact Marketing & Membership Chairperson, Angela Foreman-Bobier for drop off details.

Cell: 519-317-8255 Email: mailto:angelabobier@yahoo.ca

Arts and Cookery Bank News

2011-03-15T12:27:00.000-07:00

If you have not had a chance to visit the Arts and Cookery Bank, check this out:

Join in The Total Immersion Experience

If you’ve ever been ‘confuddled’ by the vast array of oils and salts now available in the grocery store, or if there’s an herb in your spice rack or growing in your garden you’ve never known how to use, these Total Immersion demos will help ‘defuddle’ you.

Each two-hour demonstration, dedicated to one of these superb, essential ingredients, will teach you how to use them innovatively to enliven your meals. Approach the oils, salts and herbs aisles with more confidence! Know the difference between a dash and a splash! Add the right flavour with a knowledgeable flourish! A salt or oil, or herb by any other name…makes all the difference.

Come for an evening of watching and tasting. Sessions are from 6:30 pm—8:30 pm

The Dates:

Thursday—March 10, 2011 Kim Saunders---Herbs

Thursday—March 24, 2011 Felipe Gomes—Spices & Salts

Thursday—March 31, 2011 Jill Wilcox—Oils & Vinegars***

***A special fieldtrip to Jill’s Table is part of this demo experience.

On April 7 at 6:00 pm, Jill will host The Arts & Cookery Bank guests

for a private walk through of her store. Plan to join the group and get an up close and personal review of all the fabulous ingredients.

Fees: $55.00 NOTE: Register for all three sessions and receive 15% off on your entire registration! Call for details.

You will receive a charitable donation receipt of $25 for each class purchased.

For more details see our website and follow us on Facebook.

Find us on Facebook

Check us out: www.theartsandcookerybank.com

member of Savour Elgin

242 Graham Rd, PO Box 174

West Lorne, ON N0L 2P0

(519)768-9986

email:tammy@theartsandcookerybank.com

Elgin Historical Society

2011-03-14T08:02:00.000-07:00

The Elgin Historical Society was originally established in 1891 as the Elgin Historical and Scientific Institute. This local organization works to discover and preserve the history of the Elgin area. The Tyrconnell Heritage Society is pleased to provide the EHS's 2011 Event Calendar. The EHS will visit the Tyrconnell area on May 25th for the annual Talbot Toast at Thomas Talbot's graveside followed by a meeting at the Backus-Page House. If you'd like to learn more about the Elgin Historical Society or attend one of their activities email Grant at gghughson@hotmail.com

Elgin Historical Society
Events Calendar 2011

February: Date and Time: Wednesday 23rd at 7:30pm
Location: Elgin Military Museum
Event: Quilts and the Underground Railway presented by Mrs. Brodie.

March: Date and Time: Wednesday 23rd at 6:00-6:15pm (Old Mill Restaurant) 7:15-7:30pm (Annandale Museum)
Location: Annandale Museum and Old Mill Restaurant in Tillsonburg.
Event: Dinner at the Old Mil Restaurant
Tour of Annandale Museum by local historical society member followed by meeting and refreshments
Total cost $30.00

April: Date and Time: Wednesday 27th at 7:30pm
Location: Elgin County Museum
Event: Elgin County Courthouse Archeological Dig presented by Archivist Holly Martelle

May: Date and Time: Wednesday 25th at 7:00pm
Location: Tyrconnell and Backus-Page House for Business Meeting
Event: Toast to Talbot given by James Reaney

June: Date and Time: Wednesday 22nd at 7:00pm
Location: Hepburn Farm Barn
Event: An Evening Garden Tea followed by a night in the Hepburn Barn with videos presented by Peter Hepburn.

September: Date and Time: Wednesday 28th at 7:00pm
Location: Elgin County Railway Museum
Event: Museum Tour with a meeting in the Artifacts Room to follow.

October: Date and Time: Wednesday 26th -arrival 7:00, start tours at 7:30pm
Location: Gay Lea Museum
Event: Museum Tour

November: Date and Time: to be confirmed
Location: to be confirmed
Event: Remembrance Week Event with guest speaker

December: Date and Time: To be determined by OGS
Location: To be determined by OGS.
Event: Christmas Party with Ontario Genealogical Society and Elgin Historical Society

2011 Event Calendar

2011-03-09T09:59:00.000-08:00

2011 Event Calendar

Clean Up Day

April 16, 2011

9am

Backus-Page House Museum and Grounds

Come lend a hand getting the museum and site ready for the opening of the 2011 season.

Call 519-762-3072 if you'd liek to come out to help clean up the park trail, estate grounds and/or the museum. You don't have to be a member to help out and it's a great way to contribute to your community!

Members Night
April 30, 2011
Backus-Page Carriage House

We would like to say thank you to our members and volunteers without whom the Backus-Page House would not be able to operate. Save the date and come out to enjoy food, friends and fun at the Carriage House. Look for details in our spring newsletter.

Museum Opening Day Celebration

Sunday May 1, 2011
12-4:30 pm
Backus-Page House

The Tyrconnell Heritage Society and staff at the Backus-Page House will mark the start of the 2011 museum season with a social gathering, used book sale (children and adults) and light refreshments.

Relive the Talbot Settlement
Backus-Page House
May 27 & 28, 2011

Friday May 27th - Pioneer Education Day
The Backus-Page House plays host to a cadre of re-enactors and literally hundreds of students during our Pioneer Education Day. Scheduled activities offer the opportunity for students to catch a glimpse of a bygone era through period demonstrations and an exploration of the skill and lifestyle of early pioneers in Upper Canada. The public is welcome to attend but is advised to call ahead for times and admission prices.

Saturday May 28th - 10am-4:30pm - Talbot Settlement Reenactment
The grounds of the Backus Page House will come alive with sutlers, reenactors, First Nations history interpreters and live entertainment. Come enjoy food, shopping, displays, performers and military reenactments. Gate opens at 10am. Call for additional information and admission prices.

Strawberry Social
June 26, 2011 – 1pm
Backus-Page House

Come enjoy the bounty of our county and our community heritage as the Tyrconnell Heritage Society hosts an 1850s Strawberry Social.

Backus-Page House Adventure Day Camp
July 18th- 22nd and August 8th-12th 2011
Backus-Page House

Children ages 6 to 10 are welcome to come take part in adventure and discovery, make new friends and learn about our pioneer past and the great outdoors. Preregistration is required. Contact the Carriage House at 519-762-3072 or visit us at www.backuspagehouse.ca for more info.

Heritage Farm Show
September 3rd &4th , 2011
Backus-Page House

Come out Labour Day Weekend to enjoy our annual Heritage Farm Show at the Backus-Page House located just south of Wallacetown. Demonstrations planned over the two-day event include threshing, baling, working farm horses and historic farming interpretive displays. Sunday pancake breakfast and worship service. There will barbeque available for purchase both days.

Harvest Dinner
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Lakeview Gardens, Eagle

Cocktails at 6 pm and dinner at 6:30 pm- Live and silent auction, entertainment to follow. Ticket will be available late Summer 2011

Backus-Page Christmas Dinner
Saturday December 3, 2011
Backus-Page House

Come enjoy a 19th century Victorian Christmas Dinner to be served at the Backus-Page House Museum. Tickets are $100 per seat and will be available for purchase Spring of 2011.

Eva Brook Donly Museum and Archives Book Launch

2011-03-09T08:28:00.000-08:00

On Saturday March 19th, the Eva Brook Donly Museum & Archives will host historian and prolific author David Beasley as he launches yet another book. This newest publication will appeal to anyone interested in the War of 1812, in particular the capture of Detroit by British forces and the subsequent invasion of American forces onto Canadian soil.

“A Canadian Campaign: Operations of the Right Division of the Army of Upper Canada, During the American War of 1812, by a British Officer” was originally written by Major John Richardson

Not issued since its first publication in the 1820s, ‘A Canadian Campaign’ narrates Richardson’s experiences with the 41st Regiment of Foot from the Battle of Fort Detroit through the Battle of the Thames and his imprisonment in Kentucky. Vivid descriptions of the American Indian nations fighting under Tecumseh, the hardships of the campaigns, and the tribulations of imprisonment make it a unique and invaluable contribution to the upcoming celebrations commemorating the War of 1812.

Another of Richardson’s own works has been included in this same publication. Not seen since 1841, ‘Recollections of the West Indies’ describes Richardson’s military experience on Barbados and Grenada from 1816 to 1818 within West Indian society and denounces slavery with such poignant examples that the essay must have influenced English parliamentarians to abolish it.

In the bonus essay ‘In Search of Richardson’s Spain’ Beasley retraces the march of the British Legion over the Cantabrica Mountains as described by Richardson in his Journal in 1835, contrasting then to now.

The book launch will take place at the Eva Brook Donly Museum & Archives between 2:00 and 3:30pm on Saturday March 19th. The Museum is located at 109 Norfolk St. S. in downtown Simcoe. Copies of the book will be available to purchase for $15; other books by Beasley are also for sale in the Museum gift shop.

David Beasley wrote The Canadian Don Quixote: the Life and Works of Major John Richardson, Canada’s first novelist, the definitive biography. Please see his web site: www.davuspublishing.com for further information.

Inquiries about the book launch and other activities at the Eva Brook Donly Museum & Archives can be directed to 519-426-1583 or online at www.norfolklore.com

The Eva Brook Donly Museum & Archives: Your # 1 Choice for Information & Events
on the People, Places, Heritage & History of Norfolk County

Attention postcard & trade card collectors!

The new exhibition “Paper Treasures”, presented in partnership with Hallmark Canada, runs until April 25th and contains all manner of archival gems from the museum's collection.

Backus-Page House Joins the Community Museum Operating Grant Program

2010-11-22T23:13:00.000-08:00

TYRCONNELL -- It may be off season at the Backus-Page House Museum but that doesn't mean that things are at a standstill onsite.
The museum was recently accepted into the community museum operating grant program.
The program provides annual funding to more than 180 community museums helping them promote, preserve and protect Ontario's heritage. Community museums qualifying for acceptance have worked to meet the level of professionalism for museum and conservation administrative practices as set out in the Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation's standards for community museums in Ontario.
The funding will be used by the Backus-Page House Museum to help cover annual operating expenses.

Decadence in December

2010-11-22T23:04:00.000-08:00

Decadence in December

Get ready to board the holiday bus, for a fun approach to fundraising as the Norfolk County museums once again host Decadence in December.

This event is a progressive dinner party which will take diners across the county in an evening filled with good food, fine wines and plenty of festive entertainment.

The adventure takes place on Saturday, December 11, 2010 and begins at 4:30 p.m. at the Port Dover Harbour Museum with appetizers, music and wine. From there, guests will board the bus and head over to Spruce Row Museum for a scrumptious prime rib dinner catered by Phil McLaren and wines from Florence Estates. Then, sit back and relax and be entertained by an all-star cast in a festive holiday play that will have you singing along and tapping your toes to the music. We finish the evening off at Delhi Tobacco Museum and Heritage Centre where a decadent selection of desserts will be served along with coffee and tea and more musical entertainment. The bus will then take you back to Port Dover.

Tickets are $100 per person. Ticket price includes transportation to each museum, entertainment on board the bus, as well as meal and wines. What a great way to support our local museums and kick-off your holiday season. Tickets would make a great Christmas gift for someone special.

To reserve your spot on this exciting tour, please call:
Port Dover Harbour Museum at 519-583-2660;
Spruce Row Museum at 519-443-4211;
Delhi Tobacco Museum & Heritage Centre at 519-582-0278

For further information contact:

Melissa Collver

519-443-4211

Arts and Cookery Bank Christmas Activities

2010-11-22T22:57:00.000-08:00

The Arts and Cookery Bank's DAY HANG IT UP, LIGHT IT UP AND BAKE IT UP CELEBRATION is fast approaching...November 24 thru December 1.

See the attached poster for details. Visit http://www.theartsandcookerybank.com/ to register for the events or call 519-768-9986.

For those in West Elgin this Weekend

2010-11-22T22:40:00.000-08:00

HOME for CHRISTMAS , please come out and support your local West Elgin retailers. NOVEMBER 25th 26th and 27th.Please see the attached Passport, and in you did not receive one in the mail, please stop in at any of the listed businesses and they will be happy to give you a passport. Take it with you as you enjoy the festive shopping experience, have your card marked . The more stops you make, the better your chance to win prizes.

Backus-Page House Holiday Dinner

2010-11-17T22:09:00.000-08:00

Backus-Page House Holiday Dinner
Backus-Page House Museum
29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, Ontario
December 4, 2010
6:30pm

The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar plums danc'd in their heads…A Visit From St Nicholas~ 1823 ~Clement Mark Moore

Visions of sugar plums will pale in comparison to the culinary delights awaiting attendees at the annual Backus-Page House Holiday Dinner.
Join us for a trip into the gastronomic history of the Talbot Settlement!

The year is 1855 and the event is Christmas dinner at one of the most auspicious homes in the area. Let Andrew and Mary Jane Backus welcome you to their lovely home, decorated for the season with the fireplaces aglow. Enjoy a multi-course meal by the warmth of fire and candle light. Each course is created from authentic recipes replicated from period cookbooks that could have been used in the Backus household.

Christmas Dinner Menu

Lamb’s Wool, Potted Shrimp with Biscuits Patties
Roasted Chestnuts, Pickles, Mullegetawny Soup
Steamed Perch, Steward Sauce, Lemon Pickle
Venison en Croute, Current Sauce, Turkey, Oyster Stuffing
Mushroom Ketsup, Potatoes à la Maitre d’Hôtel, Fried Kale
Mashed Turnip, Stewed Squash, Curried Vegetables
Christmas Pudding, Hard Sauce
Almonds, Marzipan, Sugar Plums, Tablet
Coffee, Tea, Cordial

Courses will be served with the appropriate libation.
The above menu is subject to modification.
Cost: $100 a seat with a $50 tax receipt (seating is limited).

It is an enthralling experience you will remember forever!

For further information you may call the Carriage House Office at 519-762-3072.
The evening is the perfect gift for “foodies”, historians
and anyone interested in local history!

The Backus-Page House Holiday Dinner is hosted by the Tyrconnell Heritage Society. The Society is a local nonprofit organization incorporated in 1994 and dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of the Backus-Page House and the history of the Talbot Settlement.
www.backuspagehouse.ca
www.tyrconnellheritagesociety.blogspot.com

Corset Workshop Series

2010-10-02T11:36:00.000-07:00

Corset Workshop Series

Make your own custom fit corset with local historic textile artisan Tracy Gordon.

Backus-Page House Museum

Number of Sessions- 4

Saturdays~10 am to noon

October 9, 16, 23, 30

Cost - $125 + materials

(Students who complete all assignments will finish the series with a completed individually fitted wearable garment)

Please note-Access to a personal sewing machine is required for this workshop series.

For a full list of session agendas, material required and/or to register please contact the

Backus-Page House at 519-762-3072 or email tyrconnell@execulink.com .

Class size is limited.

Tracy Gordon is a lifelong native of Elgin County. Tracy’s studio, “Understatements and Embellishments”, is located on Main Street in Dutton. Working out of her studio, Tracy creates historic replica undergarments as well as period outerwear. Her textile portfolio displays a broad chronological range, as does her textile artifact collection. Tracy’s work was featured at this year’s Backus-Page House exhibit “A Peek at Victoria’s Secrets~ Exploring the 19^th Century Fashion Silhouette”. Tracy was also a contributor to the 2010 International Plowing Match program with a show featuring her collection of replica and historic textiles.

The War of 1812-14 in Southwestern Ontario: The Battle of Malcolm’s Mills

2010-09-24T23:08:00.000-07:00

Backus-Page House summer term employee Jackson Stanley was asked to compose a submission for the autumn edition of the Tyrconnell Heritage Society newsletter "The Pioneer Press". Due to space limitations we were not able to include the entire composition in the issue. The complete work, along with research resources listed, can be found below.

The War of 1812-14 in Southwestern Ontario: The Battle of Malcolm’s Mills

November 1814

Mathias Saxton grimaced with a dull pang of rising anxiety. He took in his surroundings in full regard for the first time, and saw only a swarm of ordinary lives. Five-hundred lives to be precise he reminded himself, as he had overheard Colonel Salmon estimating the number gathered as he was confessing his doubts on a successful counteroffensive to one of his forward commanders. Saxton, however had an undying faith in his superior, a fierce will to protect his property, and as he had volunteered for the position he was in now, he was bound to whatever fate he met.

In fact, at this moment, five-hundred local volunteers had all assembled in Waterford, a place of appointed rendezvous. In the weeks previous, calls from Port Talbot to Brantford had been made with the clear intent of requesting able-bodied men ready to face their duty. Masses of men came, raw to the business, void of acceptable discipline, and armed with nothing less than muskets, which all needed to be charged from the powder horn, bullet pouch, and wadding (a slow process against cartridges). The men were to make a rapid advance to Malcolm’s Mills, a location where, according to circulating rumours, the American forces had recently assembled themselves.

Now, when it seemed that all willing men, capable or not, had answered the call, they were finally ready for the march.

A crisp and potent bark ripped through the dead air. “ATTENNN…HUN!”

The men snapped erect, and remained motionless, as if their muscles had all seized up at exactly the same moment in time. Mathias did not dare blink, and he soon found that his eyes had come to rest on a rather large walnut tree.

The orders from a senior drill sergeant continued to cut through the thick silence.
“ABOUT…! FACE…LEFT! QUICK…MARCH!”

The men without any hesitation lurched forward as a single mass, and began their march to Malcolm’s Mills.

******************************************************************************************

The militia arrived at Oakland Township, a part of Brant County several days later and had been camping out at Malcolm’s Creek and mill pond. The men had spent two days fortifying a good-sized hill, which overlooked the surrounding area. Below them was a planked bridge over a swampy marshland. Mathias was proud of his militia’s strategy, as they had designed their armaments in such a way that any American troops going over the bridge and past their encampment toward Longwoods would most surely be held fast by their impenetrable barricade.

The next morning, Mathias’ once towering confidence in his militia began to slowly wane away. His fellow men were becoming increasingly uneasy, and had a look about them as if they knew of some impending doom. Of course with being at war, the inevitable fate of battle was always looming for a soldier, but for some reason Mathias felt a gnawing fear at the pit of his stomach, that he could not fully explain.

A few hours past and Mathias Saxton’s fear was soon exposed for what it really was.

The men, who were already on edge, almost jumped out of their skins when an officer ran past their encampment informing them that the Americans, the ones whom they had been waiting for these many days, were finally upon them.

Encouraged by his neighbours and friends…the militia, Mathias grabbed his weapon and following his commanders orders, marched toward the enemy with his brethren. As he surged forward, Mathias could begin to see the Americans alarmingly close in their battle formation below the hill. It was evident that his militia’s laborious work at barricading the bridge above the marshy creek had been for naught, as the Americans had simply forded through it. Mathias finally came to a stop and entered into a line. He could see now that his enemy outnumbered him with vast numbers, and now to his own and the militia’s utter surprise, the opposing army had begun to corner them by flanking them on either side of the hill. Mathias blinked in shock. He thought of himself, ‘So few against so many, I am surely to die.’ He thought of his wife and children, ‘If it is God’s will that my life be taken up so that they may live, then I shall give it.’ He thought of his commanding superiors, ‘I will put up a good fight for them. We, mere farmers and merchants will make them proud of their last charge.’ He thought of his home, ‘Canada.’

Mathias Saxton took a deep breath of crisp autumn air into his lungs and began to load his rifle…

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As you have been reading this story, you have been seeing the events of the Battle for Malcolm’s Mills unfolding before the eyes of Mathias Saxton, and therefore yourself. Although the character of Mathias Saxton is a conjuring of fiction, the Battle described therein was completely genuine. In November of 1814, as part of a series of the War of 1812, five-hundred men from various locations across southwestern Ontario marched to Brant County to be met by an overwhelming force of American cavalrymen lead by Brigadier General Duncan McArthur. The opposing military force soon overran and scattered the small force of Canadian militia.
The resulting skirmish left the Canadian militia suffering the loss of several dead and many wounded, while they fled from the panic and pandemonium that ensued.

Although an undeniable loss for the Canadians, the ferocity of the soldiers and their utter resolve in the face of impossible odds at Malcolm’s Mills is honourably commendable. With a love of their homes, livelihood, leaders and nation, the men of Canadian militias during the War of 1812 were a different breed then those of their enemies. These men, neighbours, friends, family members, and brothers, fought for a sense of righteousness. They shed blood for the hope that their great land, Canada, could continue to be a beacon of prosperity for them, but more importantly, for their future generations.

By:
J.Q. Stanley

Source~
-Oakes, Garrett. Garrett Oakes: Tales of a Pioneer. Ed. Thorman, George, Clarke, Frank. London: Frontline Publications, 1991.

-Stott, Glenn. Greater Evils: The War of 1812 in Southwestern Ontario. London: M&T Instaprint.

Heritage Farm Show Views

2010-09-14T19:44:00.000-07:00

This year's Heritage Farm Show was a great success despite a rather blustery Saturday. Approximately 500 guest chose to visit the site for fun, food and farming demos. Check out these aerial shots sent to us by John Bennetto!

Honey Harvest Festival @ Clovermead

2010-09-04T11:47:00.000-07:00

Honey Harvest Festival @ Clovermead

Every Saturday in September. Sept. 4, 11, 18, 25th

Celebrate the Honey Harvest with us! Events continue throughout the day which include beehive opening demonstrations, honey harvesting and dipping your own beeswax candles. Experience a farm wagon ride and bee barrel train ride! Bee beard demonstration at 2:30 PM, (weather permitting).

Live music from 1:00-4:00 PM.

Enjoy the farm attractions like Pedal go-carts, Zip line, Black Hole Slide, duck racing, a giant sandbox with diggers, trails, straw bale mountain, straw jump and friendly farm animals.

$7 (+tx) admission per guest $30 (+tx) per family/group of 5

www.clovermead.com

11302 Imperial Road

Aylmer, ON, Canada

N5H 2R3

Tel. (519) 773-5503

Fax (519) 773-5868

Buzzing With Excitement!

Ontario’s Farm Marketer 2010

Ontario’s Outstanding Farmer 2008

Premier’s Award for Innovation in Agri Food 2007

Heritage Farm Show Program 2010

2010-08-26T09:48:00.000-07:00

Join us Saturday September 4th and Sunday September 5th for our annual Heritage Farm Show. Please see below for scheduling for this great two day event.

SATURDAY
10:00 a.m. : Horse drawn Wagon Tours of neighbouring historic sites from the parking lot, children’s activities and games throughout the day
10:00 a.m. : Horse drawn tillage demonstration throughout the day in the back field
10:30 a.m. : Master Gardeners presentation on herbs in the Backus-Page House kitchen garden
11:00 a.m. : Threshing
11:30 a.m. : Demonstration *
12:00 p.m. : Barbeque Lunch available – Bean Pot later
1:00 p.m. : Demonstration *
- Scarecrow making and decorating, family activity
1:30 p.m. : Threshing
2:00 p.m. : Master Gardeners repeat presentation
- Barn museum guided tour
2:30 p.m. : Demonstration *
3:00 p.m. : Threshing
3:30 p.m. : Children’s Scavenger Hunt for candy in the straw
- Baling straw
4:00 p.m. : Show closes for the day

SUNDAY Please note that all patrons entering the gate regardless of activities including the pancake breakfast and worship service are required to pay gate admission.
9:00a.m. – 11a.m. : Pancake Breakfast – Adults $6, Children (6-12) $3, 5 and under free
11:00 a.m. : Outdoor Worship Service
12:00 p.m.: Horse drawn tillage, Wheat planting, Horse drawn Wagon Tours, Children’s activities throughout the day
12:00 p.m.: Threshing
12:30 p.m.: Barbeque Lunch available
12:30 p.m.: Demonstration *
1:00 p.m. : Master Gardeners presentation on herbs in the Backus-Page House kitchen garden
1:30 p.m. : Threshing
2:00 p.m.: Demonstrations *
- Organized children’s games
3:00 p.m.: Threshing
3:30 p.m.: Children’s Scavenger Hunt for candy in the straw
- Baling straw
4:00 p.m.: Show closes - PLEASE JOIN US AGAIN ON SEPT. 3 & 4, 2011 FOR OUR HERITAGE FARM SHOW

*Demonstrations may include a buzz saw, corn cutting box, cream separator, blacksmithing, log sawing, cross-cut sawing, rope making

Exhibits – Trapping expert and animal display, antique cars, agricultural displays

Children Activities – fanning mill, bagger, hand corn sheller, hand pump, push lawn mowers, weigh scales, Sunday straw maze

Backus-Page House Museum – Current exhibit- The Wallacetown Fair ~ Sewn and Home Grown~ Celebrating 150 Years of Progress, House demonstrations including baking and textile arts, tours throughout the day

Antique Road Show

2010-08-24T13:06:00.000-07:00

Antique Road Show

Location: Beattie Haven, 23328 Beattie Line RR#1, Wardsville On N0L 2N0

Date: Saturday, Sept.11, 2010

Time: 1:00 - 4:00

Bring your Antiques to get appraised by the professionals from Gardner
Galleries of London. Grant Gardner will be on hand to appraise your
family keepsakes.

Cost: $10.00 charge for the first item and $5.00 for additional
items.Limit of 3 pieces per individual.

Plan to have lunch - pulled pork on a bun with cole slaw and a pop for
only $5.00. Pork donated by Premium Quality Genetics Pork.

Bring the family for a day of entertainment, have your heirlooms
appraised, and learn some family history facts.

For more information, phone 519 693-4901.

Circulated by
Mary Simpson, Board Secretary
Beattie Haven Inc.
http://www.beattiehaven.com/

Annual Heritage Farm Show

2010-08-13T12:26:00.000-07:00

Backus-Page House Heritage Farm Show

Saturday September 4th
Come out Labour Day Weekend to enjoy our annual Heritage Farm Show at the
Backus-Page House located just south of Wallacetown. The gates open at 10am. Demonstrations planned over the two day event include threshing, steam engine, working farm
horses, horse drawn wagon rides and historic farming interpretive displays. There will be scarecrow decorating on Saturday afternoon.

Sunday September 5th
Sunday the site will host a pancake breakfast starting at 9 am. There's a worship service at 11am on the lawn of the museum and farm show activities begin again at 12 noon. There are a variety of implements to be viewed for those who enjoy history, agriculture and changes in technology. While on site do not forget to tour the Backus-Page House Museum where costumed interpreters will be available to take visitors on a trip back through time to the year 1850 or check out our latest exhibit "The Wallacetown Fair~ Sewn and Home Grown~ Celebrating 150 Years of Progress". There will be a straw maze for the kids (old and young alike) on Sunday.

New tractor and machinery exhibitors are welcome-to sign up please call
Jim West at 519-762-3527

Admission -Adults $6, Children 6 to 12- $3, 5 and under free

Pancake breakfast additonal cost - Adult $6, Children 6 to 12- $3, 5 and under free

Barbeque will be available to purchase both days

with a bean pot on Saturday and sweet corn on Sunday.

Please note that all patrons entering the gate regardless of activities including the pancake breakfast and worship service are required to pay gate admission.
Call 519-762-3072 for additional information

or click on the pictures below to read our media release.

Bee Beard Festival

2010-08-13T09:27:00.000-07:00

6th Annual Bee Beard Festival

Saturday August 14

Clovermead Bee Adventure Farm

Fundraiser for World Vision Canada All Event Admission goes to buying beehives and training for families in developing countries, $7 per person.

Kicks off at 1:30 pm with Beekeeper Olympics – Bee smoker lighting, beekeeper dress up and down, honey comb squeezing, bee box assembly, hive tool target throw, and bee catching. Beekeepers and the public will both compete.

2:30 pm Bee Beard Competition. Four Beekeeper contestants are given twenty minutes to load up with bees and to groom their fashionable beards inside screened tents. They are each weighed before and after, the number of bees are calculated by the grams of bees on their chins. Each beekeeper dances and models their beards on the catwalk, backed up by funky music, the judges select their favourite. The trophy is awarded, and folks can have their pictures taken next to their beekeeper hero. In the end the beekeepers give their heads a big shake to return the crawling and itchy bee beards back into the beehives. Great fun if you’re watching, a little nervous if you’re a beekeeper, and a strange afternoon if you are a bee.

Live music by 1- 4 pm. Wagon rides, farm animals, walking trails, pedal go-carts. Wholesome farm fun for families and friends.

Location: 11302 Imperial Rd. 2 km North of Aylmer, on Hwy 73, twenty five minutes from London.

Hosted by: Clovermead Bee Adventure Farm, in Aylmer, Ontario.

For more information or to download photos from previous Bee Beard events www.clovermead.com

Contact Chris Hiemstra. Director of the Buzz (519) 617-5503 chris@clovermead.com

World Vision Canada - Brad Saunders 1 800 268 4888 Mobile 519-400-2653

MOE Beekeepers Club (Middlesex Oxford, Elgin)

Contact President Bob Crowhurst (519) 666-1670 robert.crowhurst@sympatico.ca

2010 Bee Beard Contestants

Tibor Szabo – 519-836-5617 Guelph, ON Commercial Beekeeper.

Albert de Vries – 519-637-0375 St. Thomas, ON - Cabinetry/Beekeeper.

Chris Crocker – 519-644-2408 Aylmer, ON - Minister/Beekeeper.

Carmenie Stemmler – 519-270-2276 – Markdale, ON – the only female Beekeeper contestant.

HMS Investigator Sees The Light of Day

2010-08-03T20:31:00.000-07:00

HMS Investigator was a merchant ship purchased in 1848 to search for Sir John Franklin's lost expedition. She made two voyages to the Arctic and had to be abandoned in 1853 after becoming trapped in the ice (but not before sailing the last leg of the elusive Northwest Passage).

Archeologists working with Parks Canada first discovered the ship on July 25, after ice had cleared from Mercy Bay, a remote site in Aulavik National Park on Banks Island.

War of 1812 app released for iPhone

2010-08-03T12:28:00.000-07:00

Niagara 1812: Return of the Fenian Shadow

A War of 1812 application for iPhones has been released in the Apple iTunes online store. Titled Niagara 1812: Return of the Fenian Shadow, it showcases people and places key to the nationally-defining war in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Read all about it at Interactive Ontario.

You can take a journey into the past with Niagara 1812. Using your iPhone, you'll visit places and people from the War of 1812 and beyond. Choose Roam Mode, walk around historic Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada, and discover the stories that lie behind the bricks and mortar. Or choose Quest Mode, and solve a centuries-old mystery in an immersive adventure. With Niagara 1812, you carry history with you, in the palm of your hand.

Thames Valley Museum School Teacher Appreciation Tea

2010-07-14T06:40:00.000-07:00

The Thames Valley Museum School Teacher Appreciation Tea

Sunday July 18 from 1-4

The Thames Valley Museum School staff and board
request the attendance of teachers and appreciators for tea
on Sunday July 18th, 2010 from 1:00pm- 4:00pm
at the Thames Valley Museum School.

Featured Speaker: Curator, Jennifer Beauchamp

There will be a silent auction of items, donated by local businesses, located in the 1905 classroom
commencing at 1:00pm and ending at 3:30pm.

Refreshments will be served throughout the afternoon.
Please bring a lawn chair.

Thames Valley Museum School
656 Main Street North, Box 37
Burgessville, Ontario N0J 1C0
519.424.9964

Flat Thomas Visits Pompeii

2010-07-13T19:48:00.000-07:00

Thomas Talbot lived from 1771 to 1853...obviously a span long past the the year 79 when Mount Vesuvius erupted and buried Pompeii. During Talbot's lifetime Pompeii was an excavation site. The archaeological process had been going on since its' original unearthing in 1599. Names most noted with the excavation of the site during the 18th and 19th century included engineer Rocque Joaquin de Alcubierre, Charles of Bourbon (later king of Spain), Karl Weber, military engineer Franscisco la Vega who was then succeeded by his brother, Pietro, in 1804 and then Giuseppe Fiorelli who took charge of the excavations in 1860. Although Talbot did occasionally travel back to Great Britain after staking his claim in Upper Canada it doesn't seem that Pompeii would have been on his travel itinerary. Lucky for us though that Flat Thomas has no restrictions to where he might wander. The Harding Family took Flat Thomas along with them to the ancient city of Pompeii and sent the THS a picture of our slender colonel silhouetted against the walls of the site with Mount Vesuvius towering in the background.

Backus-Page House Wallacetown Fair Exhibit

2010-07-10T10:51:00.000-07:00

Please join us for our newest exhibit "The Wallacetown Fair ~Sewn and Home Grown~ Celebrating 150 Years of Progress". The exhibition runs from July 10th to September 6th. .

The Backus-Page House and Tyrconnell Heritage Society would like to thank the Wallacetown (& West Elgin) Agricultural Society for its assistance in providing resource material for this exhibit.

Trails Open Summer Celebration

2010-07-10T10:41:00.000-07:00

Open Trails Day Summer Celebration
Backus-Page House Museum
Saturday July 10th 10-4:30pm

Come spend the day at the beautiful John E. Pearce Provincial Park. Learn about the distinct Carolinian characteristics of the area while enjoying a guided trail tour with local nature experts (tour begins at 2pm). There will be box lunches, barbeque burgers and hotdogs available for purchase. Compete in our children's scavenger hunt. Local wildlife enthusiast Laura Hathaway will do 2 presentations at 11am and 1pm on the topics of butterflies and bees. Spend a Saturday afternoon enjoying the provincial park in your own backyard.

Cactus, Cattle and Cowboys

2010-06-25T16:11:00.000-07:00

Cactus, Cattle and Cowboys
July 17, 2010
West Lorne, Ontario
Schedule of Events

Arts & Cookery Bank Public Opening - 8:00-1:00
242 GRAHAM ROAD

WEST ELGIN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE
LIBRARY & FIRE HALL
HERITAGE STREET @ MAIN STREET
Farmers’ Market 8:30 - HIGH Noon
Breakfast Fire Hall 8:30 - 11:00
Library Book Sale 9:00 - 1:00
Live Music by Back Porch WECHC 9:30 - 11:00
Dotsy the Clown Face Painting WECHC10:00 - 11:00
Amazing Corbin the Magician-Library 11:00 -11:45
Square Dancers 11:00 - HIGH Noon
BBQ Community Support Services 10:00 - HIGH Noon

GRAHAM ROAD @ MAIN & CHESTNUT STREETS
HIGH NOON - 1:00 PM
Horse Parade - HIGH Noon - 1:00 P.M.
Skit “The Hanging” - HIGH Noon - 12:15 pm West Elgin Dramatic Society
Cheerful 2 The Clown Horse Rider & Expert Balloon Twister - 12:00 - 1:00

MILLER PARK ACTIVITIES 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Beer Garden
Food Vendors
34 Artisans & Consultant at the Vendors’ Village 11:00 - 6:00
Gift Certificate Draws 1:30
Pam Brooks’ Band 2:00 - 6:00
Gift Certificate Draws 2:30
Last Gift Certificate Draw 3:30

HORSE DEMONSTRATIONS-MILLER PARK
Breed Display: 1:00 - 5:00
Parelli Riding: Jan Brooks 1:00
Farrier Demonstration: Claire Trickey 1:00 - 1:30 - 2:00 - 2:30 - 3:00
Standard Breed Versatility Demo: 1:30
Dressage: Marianne Degret 2:00
Shedden 4-H Saddle Club: 3:00

FOR THE CHILDREN
Children’s Author and Magic Tricks - David Carruthers - 11:00-5:00
Splash Pad-FREE-1:00 till closing
Cheerful 2: The Clown Balloon Twister - 1:00-2:00
Nellie’s Artistic Face Painting: $4.00 per face -1:00-4:00
Pony Rides: $3.00 a ride 1:00-5:00
Petting Zoo: FREE 1:00-5:00
EquiMania-Guelph FREE colouring books, cowboy hats, horse fact sheets
Equine Proline Photography-Lisa Yates On site Photo Printing
Lopin’ Lou Brown the Mild & Photogenic Gelding

Event Vendors

Food Vendor - Lazenby Investments
Food Vendor - A&M Home Product-Incredible Edible Garlic Spreads
Legion Beer Gardens- Cold Drinks Vendor
Delightful Creations Stained Glass,
Kneading Knowledge Equine Massage Therapy & Riding Lessons
Iris Patch Flower & Gift Shoppe
Smith’s Book Store
SheShe Independent Consultant
Jersey Photography
Collins Wood Crafts
Strong Arm Forge
Debt Freedom
KWL Enterprises Themed Jewellery
Random Ink T-shirt Printing
XOCAi Healthy Dark Chocolates
Mary Kay Cosmetics
Epicure Independent Consultant
Rope Horse Tack
Bonsai Guy
Rosemary’s Fine Art Studio
Enjo Independent Consultant
Lavender Sense Farm Products & Amber Jewellery
My Unique Boutique
John Boy Sharpening
Hydro Massage Therapy Beds
The Sweet Spot
Fair Frog Creations
Penelope’s Pots
Meridian Energetic Spa
2010 International Plowing Match
Freedom 55 Financial
Jet Streams Mobile Massage Inc.
Author - John Schlarbaum - Fiction & Mystery Books Children’s
Author & Magic Tricks - David Carruthers Equi ProLine Photography
MPower Booth
Canter Lope Tack Shop

Cheerful 2 - Balloon Twisting Horse Riding Clown
Artistic Face Painting By Nellie

Vendors Unable To Attend Festivity Who Wanted To Contribute To The Communities Of West Elgin And For Cactus, Cattle & Cowboys

• Country Lane Chocolates

Live Music:
Back Porch (at Farmers’ Market)
Pam Brooks Band (at Miller Park)

Vendors Unable To Attend Festivity Who Wanted To Contribute To The Communities Of West Elgin And For Cactus, Cattle & Cowboys

Country Lane Chocolates
Jenny Phillips Artist Donating IPM Limited Print & Certificates

Live Music:
Back Porch (at Farmers’ Market)
Pam Brooks Band (at Miller Park)

Cheerful 2 - Balloon Twisting Horse Riding Clown
Nellie’s Artistic Face Painting

The North Star Meets Southern Cross

2010-06-25T15:56:00.000-07:00

The North Star Meets Southern Cross

Exhibition of Aboriginal Art:

Parallel Directions in The Woodland School in Canada

and

The Western Desert Movement in Australia

On Thursday, July 8, 2010

At 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm

At Timber Village Museum

Blind River, Ontario

(on Leacock Street & Hwy 17 Look for The Northern Ontario Logging Memorial)

Burns Spirit Walk

2010-06-25T15:52:00.000-07:00

Burns Spirit Walk: June 27th at 1:00 p.m.‏

Join Burns Presbyterian Church - Mosa for a stroll through time as eight characters materialize to present six stories detailing some aspect of Burns' history. Burns Spirit Walk starts at 1:30 pm from the sanctuary located at 24493 Dundonald Road, Southwest Middlesex (1/2 way between Glencoe & Alvinston on Hwy 80). Some walking involved. Refreshments. Donation. Burns Celebrates 175 years.

Wasaga under Siege “A War of 1812 Experience”

2010-06-23T09:06:00.000-07:00

Wasaga under Siege "A War of 1812 Experience

http://www.wasagaundersiege1812.com/

Building on the huge success of past Wasaga under Siege events, the Historic Military Establishment of Upper Canada in partnership with the Town of Wasaga Beach, Ontario Parks and Nancy Island Historic Site look forward to hosting you once again from July 23rd to the 25th/2010. Wasaga under Siege “A War of 1812 Experience” will once again come to life as over 400 re-enactors will take part echoing history once again through the streets and waters of Wasaga Beach and Nancy Island Historic Site.

We have put together a great weekend for re-enactors and spectators alike! Re-enactors will enjoy a safe Grand Encampment area on Historic Nancy Island, water, food, entertainment, drinks, souvenir and 4 battles on 3 different battlefields including river battles will take place. Battles will be fought all over the town of Wasaga Beach with parading, pillaging, cannons, muskets, longboats and voyageur canoes. We will be using all our talents and proven Wasaga under Siege 1812 hospitality to make sure all re-enactors & participants feel welcomed and satisfied that it was worth the trip.

Wasaga Beach, Ontario as many of you already know host the longest fresh water beach in the world and attracts thousands of tourist each day to its beaches and attractions. Re-enactors and their families will have the opportunity to enjoy the historical components of the event as well as the beach and modern attractions such as shopping, restaurants, waterslides, midway, paintball and other attractions to numerous to mention.

Merchants, blanket traders and artisans are welcomed free of charge and the musical line-up for weekend features Tamarack, Backroads, Caber Toss and the Zoom Daddys.

The Grand Encampment will also feature a Friday and Saturday evening self guided tour with snacks and drinks on sale as well. The self guided tour will feature musket and cannon demonstrations, Dr. Quimby’s Medicine Show, Shaymus the Storyteller, Laura Secord, Sutler Cyrus and the Snake Oil Show, War of 1812 Surgeon, On-gwe-ho-way drumming and singing, period music, merchants, sentries and much more!! We will be looking for volunteers to help with all aspects of this self-guided tour, if interested please contact me anytime or sign up at the registration tent. We will also be looking for sentries to guard the bridge during regular historic site hours to add some colour and interact with the public.

All re-enactors who portray any aspect of the War of 1812 are welcomed to participate. They can include – British and American Regulars or Militia including Civil War re-enactors portraying American Militia, Navy Personnel, Cannon Crews, Natives, Voyageurs and Men, Women & Children civilians. Re-enactors who wish to bring cannons, bateaus and canoes can negotiate with me for travel, haulage or powder compensation.

Sunday morning will also feature the Redcoat Iron-man and Iron-women contest that has proven to be a popular event not only to participate in, but to watch as well, with prizes going out to the winners.

If you are registering on-line please register individually or as an immediate family unit. No group registrations will be accepted unless pre-approved. This gives us a more accurate number for logistics, food and actual people attending and camping on the island.

Look forward to seeing everyone in July.
David Brunelle
Co-ordinator
WUS 2010

The Peak 95.1 FM & The Beach 97.7 FM

The Peak FM and The Beach FM have also come on board as radio sponsors and will be providing great pre-promotion of the event in the form of radio commercials, talk show appearances, free give-ways and live on-site broadcasting during the event. We encourage all participates to tune into the Peak or the Beach FM when you are coming into the Wasaga Beach area. For more information please visit: www.thepeakfm.com www.977thebeach.ca

Service Clubs Support Local Heritage & Community Wellness

Wasaga under Siege would like to recognize the generous ongoing support of two community service clubs who have been contributing to the success of Wasaga under Siege since its debut back in 2003. The Lioness Club, Lions Club and the Kinnette Club of Wasaga Beach have been great community supporters who recognize the importance of educating and promoting Wasaga Beach’s rich heritage. Their ongoing support over the past 8 years has contributed directly to the quality and success of Wasaga under Siege and community wellness throughout the town.

Voyayeur Canoes & Longboat Flotilla – Nottawasaga River

Wasaga under Siege 2010 is excited to announce that a re-enactment of a convoy of voyageur canoes and longboats will be re-enacting a trek of the Nottawasaga River from Schooner Town Park to Nancy Island Historic Site. Local residents and spectators alike will have a great opportunity to watch as hearty re-enactors experience the environment and hardships that original native, voyageurs, sailors and soldiers experienced firsthand as they paddled and rowed down this historic waterway. Wasaga Beach residents, especially those who reside along the river and other public spectators who show their loyalty to King George III by cheering on our hearty crews, flying the British colours or showing their loyalty in other forms will receive a token of the King's appreciation in the form of a musket or cannon salute. The flotilla will leave Schooner Town Park on Friday, July 23rd at 2:00pm and make their way down river to Nancy Island Historic Site arriving at the island no later than 4:00pm.

Pillaging and Plundering Americans Invade Wasaga Beach

During Wasaga under Siege 2010 the Town of Wasaga Beach will feel the wrath of the invading American forces. They will be marching into town pillaging and plundering local participating merchants and organizations between 12:00pm Friday, July 23rd to 9:00pm Saturday, July 24th. British and ally troops will be on guard at participating merchants and organizations attempting to hold back the Americans from pillaging and plundering local food stuffs and other supplies vital to the war effort and local residents. Participating merchants and organizations include: Giant Tiger, Major’s Guardian Pharmacy and Grandma’s Beach Treats.

Book Release & Signing

The Lake Captain; 1812 - Ron Burgess

The Lake Captain; 1812 deals with a small and forgotten chapter of Canadian history during the War of 1812 which took place on Lakes Erie and Huron. Captain Alexander Mackintosh and his uncle Angus Mackintosh were involved in the fur trade with the North West Company. Angus eventually became the twenty-fifth Chief of Clan Mackintosh in Inverness, Scotland. In the spring of 1812, Captain Alexander Mackintosh brought his ship, the six gun, eighty foot, fur trader Nancy to its home port of Sandwich. The Nancy was pressed into service with the British in an armed struggle with the newly formed United States, for the fur rich heartland of North America. In addition to serving with some of the best officers of the British Army and Royal Navy, Mackintosh found that he had to endure a few of the worst. After American victories over the Royal Navy on Lake Erie and the British army at Moraviantown, Mackintosh found himself in command of the ‘last British ship’ on the Upper Great Lakes facing a formidable American fleet. Ron Burgess will be present during Wasaga under Siege 2010 to answer questions and sign copies of his book. For more information contact: Ron Burgess at: sailing1@shaw.ca

Invitation to Tea

Wasaga under Siege 2010 invites the ladies & gentlemen of the Nancy Island Historic Site Grand Encampment to take tea on Saturday, July 24th at 3:15 pm in the hospitality tent hosted by

the ladies of the Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada. Please bring your own tea cup, plate, spoon and chair.

To satisfy the appetites of our guests, we shall be serving treats from the Georgian

Period, baked by the finest camp followers of the Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada. The afternoon will also include a presentations and discussions on various topics.

If you would be attending, please send your compliments to Darlene Kingstone at ilikebatman@gmail.com at your convenience. Children accompanied by an adult are also welcome to attend as well.

"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the
ceremony known as afternoon tea."
(Henry James)

New Battlefield Location

We have scouted the lands around Wasaga Beach and have decided to try out a new battlefield for the Friday evening battle. The battle will still be located in Beach Area two; however it will be taking place in another location. This will hopefully provide some variety in battle tactics as over the past years we have been limited to the same locations.

Wasaga Paintball Mega Adventure Park

As many of you are already aware, Wasaga Beach offers a huge variety of attractions, activities, entertainment and restaurants on top of the longest freshwater beach in the world. For those participants who plan on arriving as early as Wednesday and take advantage of these attractions, Wasaga Beach Paintball Adventure Park has put together a great deal for you. All participants who would like to attend Wasaga Paintball during the event will receive free passes which include:

One Full Day Field Admission

Semi-auto Paint Gun

50 Paintballs

Unlimited Co2

Pull Over Jacket

Protective Head Gear

For those who are interested, the committee is organizing a paintball war amongst the re-eanctors and participants who would like to take part Thursday. Team organized play will go from 1:00am till 4:00pm and for those who would like to stay afterwards you are certainly free to do so. Please contact David Brunelle via e-mail or at the event to sign up for the organized paintball activities on Thursday and to reserve a free pass. For more information visit: www.wasagapaintball.com

Hospitality Tent – Re-enactors, Participants & Sponsors

Sleeman’s Breweries has come back on board and Colio Wines joined the battle as official hospitality tent sponsors and will have Ale, Lager and Dark on tap as well as various wines to sample. Do I have to say anything more! See you all there!

Registered Units Attending to Date:

Representatives of the following units that have already registered include:

2nd Lincoln Artillery
Kentucky Militia

5th Lincoln Militia
U.S. Militia

British Indian Department
Canadian Militia

25th US Infantry Donaldsonville Artillery
Norfolk Militia

Glengarry Light Infantry
On-gwe-ho-way

HMS Charwell
Royal George Landing Party

HMS Ferret
Royal Newfoundland Regiment

Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada
Royal Artillery

Registered Merchants and Artisans to Date include:

Arnold Knives and Forge

Flintnapper – Jebidiah Grizzly Esq.

Glen Farms Past Times

Lucy Locket Children’s Clothes

Voices of the Past

Iron Monger & Homesteading Goods

Celtic Rose Perfumery

Sutler Cyrus

The Frontier Popcorn Company

Timbers Sutlery

Joseph the Chandler

It’s Thyme Shoppe

Celtic Rose Perfumery

Blacksmith- Les Stanley

Big Thanks to all our 2010 Community Partners:

Town of Wasaga Beach Wasaga Beach Provincial Park

Friends of Nancy Island Service Ontario – Midland

Colio Wines Pepsi

95.1 The Peak FM 97.7 The Beach FM

Enrique Photo Art Saga Resort Mini Condo Motel & Cottages

E.L.M. Catering Georgian Bay Sanitation

Giant Tiger Major’s Guardian Pharmacy

John Mc Tavish Plumbing Kinnette Club of Wasaga Beach

Grandma’s Beach Treats Lioness Club of Wasaga Beach

Wasaga Beach Lions Club Wasaga Beach Paintball Adventure Park

L & N Graphics Sleeman Breweries Ltd.

Sturgeon Falls Marina Ltd. DOS Technologies

Members of the Tyrconnell Heritage Society are cordially invited to Wardsville!

2010-06-10T13:16:00.000-07:00

Members of the Tyrconnell Heritage Society are cordially invited to the Wardsville Bicentennial weekend. Visit www.wardsville.ca/events.aspx for details.
The highlight is Mrs. Ward's County Chicken Dinner on Saturday evening. Tickets are $35 and the evening will be sublime. The year is 1810 and George Ward is just arriving to the area that will be later know as Skunk's Misery. Call Mary Simpson for tickets; 519 319 1074 or visit the Wardsville blog for more info at www.wardsville.wordpress.com/

Wardsville Bicentennial June 18-20, 2010

Mmmmm Barbeque!

2010-06-10T10:28:00.000-07:00

On June 19th and 20th, Empire Valley Farm Market and Greenhouses will be celebrating 25 years in our community. The Tyciety will be on site at 27983 Talbot Line hosting a fundraising barbeque from 1 pm to 4 pm. Come out and help THS members and Empire Valley Market and Greenhouses owners Joy and David Westelaken celebrate a quarter of a century of business here in the heart of the Talbot Settlement. Enjoy a tour of the vegetable fields and greenhouses, have the children participate in a craft activity and buy a hot dog from our Tyrconnell Heritage Society volunteers (money raised will go towards operating costs at the Backus-Page House). Visit http://www.empirevalleyfarms.com/ to learn more!

Art Opening in St Thomas

2010-06-02T05:55:00.000-07:00

Complimentary Area Events

2010-05-25T11:22:00.000-07:00

Along with the Relive the Talbot Settlement Event at the Backus-Page House other area activities for the weekend include the Dutton Car Show at Dave Wheeler Automotive in Dutton, Dutton community yard sales as well as the Cruising Campground promotion (see poster below). Come down to the Dutton Dunwich area to enjoy all three great budget and family friendly events!

Relive The Talbot Settlement Event

2010-05-25T11:17:00.001-07:00

Please join us to celebrate our Relive the Talbot Settlement Event

Edison Fest

2010-05-24T10:45:00.000-07:00

Edison Museum of Vienna

On June 5, 2010 the Edison Museum of Vienna, in cooperation with Museums Bayham, welcomes everyone to the annual Edison Fest held at the Vienna Memorial Park.

The day long event starts at 9 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m. and offers food and craft vendors all day. Come enjoy making your own ice cream sundaes and floats, eat all the free popcorn you want and indulge your sweet tooth with some cotton candy.

Live entertainment starts at 1 p.m. and features fiddle player Clayton Barker, pianist Bob Van Impe and vocalist Cindy Franklin. A talent show will begin at 3 p.m. and Bayham’s own Elvis impersonator will make his annual appearance.

The event is great for children as there are many fun activities to do all day. Children can play on the bouncers, climb the rock wall, do crafts, make homemade ice cream or go on a horse and buggy ride. There is a little something for everyone.

Participate in the many competitions and contests like the Lazy Light Bulb Race down the Otter Creek or the Cross-cut saw and nail driving competition. There will also be free draws for great prizes such as bicycles and skateboards. Prize winners must be in the park to claim their prize.

A silent auction and yard sale put on by the Vienna Citizens Group could offer some interesting finds or scratch your history itch and visit the Edison Museum, located at 14 Snow St., and learn about inventor Thomas Edison’s connection to this tiny, rural community.

There is a lot to see and do at Edison Fest and we look forward to seeing everyone there.

For further information contact:

Edison Fest coordinator Cheryl Peters – 519-866-3066
Edison Museum of Vienna – 519-874-4999

George Ward Commemorative Quilt

2010-05-14T21:17:00.000-07:00

Unveiling of the George Ward Commemorative Quilt - 3

Quilt organizers: Sue Ellis and Eleanor Blain. Ready in time to enter
into the International Plowing Match Quilt Competition.

Press Release:
Wardsville:
In October 2009, Wardsville's quilt committee began designing a fabric
quilt to commemorate their community's bicentennial and founder,
George Ward.

George Ward had a long and interesting life. The Ward family's
struggles, the Battle of the Longwoods, and the social history of that
time have been brought to life through a commemorative quilt that
features thirty quilt blocks symbolizing Ward's life, his birth in
Ireland, his involvement in several Wars in Europe as well as in North
America, and the request from the British government for him to
homestead in the Wardsville area in 1810. There are thirty blocks and
there is a story to go with each one.

A tremendous number of hours go into a quilt. From selecting fabric to
cutting shapes to the hundreds of hours of stitching, Sue Ellis and
Eleanor Blain involved many experienced and non-experienced quilters
in the creation of the quilt. The frames were set up at Beattie Haven
Retirement Home.

When it was unveiled at Wardsville United Church May 14th, the crowd
gasped in awe. The following Saturday, the George Ward Commemorative
Quilt was bundled up and taken to Shedden for the 2010 Plowing Match
Quilting Competition.

In 1810, Mr George Ward was requested by the British Government to
establish a stopping point for travellers along the section of
Longwoods Road between Thamesville and Delaware. The British were
aware that a possible war was in the future. When the war of 1812-14
was imminent, Mr Ward was asked to supply provisions and fresh horses
for the military. Ward was also a player in the Battle of the
Longwoods on March 4, 1814. He homesteaded the area called Ward's
Station, now Wardsville, creating a home for his wife and family. He
suffered many trials and tribulations not only with the environment
but as well at the hands of the enemy. He managed to live out his days
in Wardsville and died in 1837. His remains are buried at the
historical Wardsville cemetery.

Sue Ellis (519) 693-7123
Eleanor Blain (519) 693-4616

Mary Simpson, Secretary

Your Wardsville community association
Tel: 519 287 3566
Cel: 519 318 1074

http://wardsville.wordpress.com/ Your Wardsville

Wardsville celebrates 200 years
Bicentennial Celebration June 18-20, 2010.

marysimpson@yourwardsville.com

Beekeeping in the Ukraine

2010-05-14T11:03:00.000-07:00

Enjoy this interesting look at beekeeping from the Ukraine...

Prokopovych Beekeeping Museum Tour

Treble Makers Women's Choir Concert- May 15. "Mom's the Word" Sandra Mogensen, special guest‏

2010-05-13T20:07:00.000-07:00

The Treble Maker's Choir is excited to welcome Sandra Mogensen as their special guest as they celebrate three years of treble making.

Sandra is an internationally known, Stratford-based pianist, accompanist and vocal coach, whose two CDs of Grieg's piano music have been highly and repeatedly praised.

She'll give a sneak preview of the solo piano concert she will be presenting on Sunday May 16 (also in Dutton at Knox-St.Andrew's).

Get your tickets in advance for this Mom-inspired, Mom-approved concert. Save a toonie and be assured of a seat!

Call if you want to reserve... 785-0797

Sharon Little
Chief Treble Maker

Stratford Concert Pianist in Dutton on pre-European Tour

2010-05-13T20:00:00.000-07:00

Stratford Concert Pianist in Dutton on pre-European Tour
Sunday May 16th

One thing leads to another. And you never know where a decision will take you. Sandra Mogensen’s life over the past few years is a perfect example of how one decision and a small dose of curiosity can lead to a whole new life. Part of that new life will bring her to Knox-St, Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Dutton on Sunday afternoon, May 16, for a solo piano recital in advance of her summer European concert tour. It is a concert that area piano teachers and their students and music lovers, in general, will not want to miss.

Just days after making the difficult decision to quit her job as Director of Music at St. James Anglican Church in Stratford to pursue a solo concert career, Mogensen was invited to perform in Europe this summer at the historic home of Danish composer, Edvard Grieg. The highlight of this summer’s concert tour will be playing in the beautiful Trosdsalen concert hall at Troldhaugen in Bergen, Norway. She will bring her European concert program to Dutton on May 16.

The journey to her European concert dates in 2010 began during the 150th anniversary celebrations of Mozart’s birth in 2006. Looking ahead, she noticed 2007 was the 100th anniversary of the death of Norwegian composer, Edvard Grieg. This discovery came at a time when she was contemplating doing a solo recording. She released her first solo CD in 2007, creatively titled “Sandra Mogensen: Piano Music of Edvard Grieg,” which was very well received and roundly praised.

A year ago, she received an invitation to present a lecture and recital at the Grieg Festival conference in Winter Park, Florida. This led her to record a second CD, released in 2009, which features some of Grieg’s most famous pieces from the “Peer Gynt Suite” along with other, lesser known works.

As she became reconnected with Grieg, she discovered that Maurice Ravel, most famous for the orchestral piece “Bolero”, was heavily influenced by Grieg’s music. She has created a unique and unorthodox blend of the two in “Ravel Meets Grieg.” She particularly likes the way Grieg creates different tonal colours through his piano writing. "That really appeals to me. And it also seems to appeal to a wide audience, perhaps of regular music lovers but also to people who may not normally listen to classical music," she says.

The concert is being sponsored by Sharon Little, an area music educator and director of the Treble Makers Women’s Choir, the West Elgin Community Band and the Joyful Noise Youth Band, and supported fully by Knox-St. Andrew’s Church. “The church is a beautiful building, with wonderful acoustics and a very musical community,” says Little. “It’s the perfect place for chamber music concerts and solo concerts such as this and it gives us all an opportunity to hear great live music without having to drive into the city or beyond to access it.” Little hopes there will be enough interest in the community to start a chamber music series.

In the meantime, this is a perfect opportunity for local piano teachers, students and other music lovers to hear Mogensen play. Piano teachers who bring students and a family member with them will get a discounted rate.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students in advance and $25 and $12 at the door. Tickets are available by calling Little at 785-0797. The concert begins at 2:00 pm, Sunday, May 16. Piano teachers should call Little for more information on how to get the discounted rate and how they can receive a free CD.

Mogensen will also be the special guest of the Treble Makers Women’s Choir spring concert, “Mom’s the Word,” on Saturday evening, May 15 at 7:30 pm, also at Knox-St. Andrew’s. Tickets for Sunday’s concert will also be available at the Treble Makers Concert.

Endangered Species of the Day

2010-04-13T09:51:00.000-07:00

Endangered Species of the Day

Over a Century of Popular Science on Line

2010-04-10T08:39:00.000-07:00

Popular Science Magazine has partnered with Google to offer their entire 137-year archive for free browsing. The site states that each issue appears just as it did at its original time of publication, complete with period advertisements. Visit the Archives and take a step back in time to see how far we've come into the future!

Creating 1812: Commemoration, National Identity and Role of The Arts

2010-04-09T08:22:00.000-07:00

The Niagara 1812 Legacy Council presents
CREATING 1812: COMMEMORATION, NATIONAL IDENTITY AND ROLE OF THE ARTS
April 23 & 24, 2010, Hamilton, ON

Symposium registration available for $49 or $99

Symposium Highlights

RH Thomson - Canadian actor and commemorative artist

World Premiere of “Warships Down” featuring War of 1812 shipwrecks
the Hamilton and the Scourge

Representatives from Toronto, Niagara and Hamilton discussing
commissioning opportunities for the War of 1812 Bicentennial

Living history - the acting in reenacting

Workshops on the War of 1812 Bicentennial and Music, Visual Arts,
Special Events, Documentaries, Theatre, Landscape, Monuments, Material
Heritage and more!!

The Full program is as follows:

Schedule for Friday April 23, 2010
Venue: Lincoln Alexander Centre in the Crowne Plaza Hotel,
150 King St E, Hamilton
Program begins at 7:00pm
Keynote Speaker R.H. Thomson

Canadian actor and commemorative artist Thomson will address issues
related to commemoration and the arts through discussion of his Vigil 1914-1918 project which
paid homage to the 68,000 Canadians killed in the First World War through the projection of each name on war memorials.

World Premiere of “Warships Down” War of 1812 shipwrecks the Hamilton and the Scourge are featured in the “Warships Down” episode of History Television’s Dive Detectives Series produced by yap films.

Speaker Schedule for Saturday April 24, 2010*
Venue: Art Gallery of Hamilton, 123 King St W, Hamilton
Program runs from 9:00am to 5:00pm

Workshop#1 - Whose war is it anyway? Creating and recreating history through art Visual imagery plays a significant role in the creation of our historical understanding of war. But whose visual imagery gets to tell the story? And which story does it tell? This workshop will begin to unravel the difficult questions posed by visual documents of the Wart of 1812 and other
historical events.
Location: Art Gallery of Hamilton
Moderator: Shirley Madill, Rodman Hall Arts Centre, Brock University
Presenters:
● Todd Tremeer, Visual Artist
Topic: Painting History/ History Painting. My “history paintings” fall short of the grand narrative tradition. Rather they are little narratives; they play with history and recall war’s
representation in film, illustration and toys.
● Jim Burant, Manager, Art and Photography Archives, Library and Archives Canada

Workshop #2 - Pageants, Picnics and Parades
The War of 1812 Bicentennial will be marked with many special events.
Will the passing of 200 years of peace be a celebration or a commemoration? Are the two mutually exclusive? In this session we will look back at some of the Centennial events of 1912-1914. How did they reflect aspects of regionalism or nationalism? What was the legacy of these Centennial events? As planning begins for the Bicentennial what can we learn from the commemorative activities of the past?
Location: Art Gallery of Hamilton
Moderator and Presenter: Lisa Barty, Administrator of Research and Facilities, McMaster University

Topic: The "Other" Battle of Stoney Creek - the formation of the Women's Wentworth Historical Association and the building of the Stoney Creek Monument.
Presenters:
● John G. Johnston, Project Coordinator, Fort Erie 1812 Bicentennial Committee
Topic: How Canadians should see the War of 1812 and how we should celebrate it.
● Keith Jamieson
Topic: History of Lacrosse

Workshop #3 - The Documentary and Shorts
Workshop will examine American and Canadian documentaries of the War of
1812, preview the new WNEDTV documentary entitled “The War of 1812” and “Rural Raids and Divided Loyalties” a film commemorating the lesser known stories from Ontario. Discussion will also include the importance of preserving the Six Nations involvement, events, projects and views regarding the last 200 years.
Location: Art Gallery of Hamilton
Moderator: Brian Purdy, Grimsby 1812 Committee
Presenters:
● David Rotterman, VP Television Production, WNED-TV
Topic: Documentaries on the War of 1812
● Zachary Melnick, Director - Ontario Visual Heritage
Project, Owner - Lock3 Media
Topic: Zach will discuss his current project "Rural Raids and Divided Loyalties - Southwestern Ontario and the War of 1812", why it's important to commemorate the small stories along the the big ones, and how low-cost documentary production can be used as a community building and tourism tool.
● David Moses, The DAM Studio

Workshop#4 - Drama: “the play’s the thing”
Location: Art Gallery of Hamilton
Moderator: Ronald Weihs, Artistic Director, Artwood Theatre
Presenters:
● Judith Sandiford, Managing Director, Artword Theatre
Topic: The Play's The Thing
● Wendy Elliott, writer, and Steve Pratt, composer, of “Manifest Destiny” an 1812 Musical
Topic: Manifest Destiny: A musical about drive, ambition, honour and duty, war and peace, love and death, and the beginning of a nation

● Eva Nicklas, Artistic Director, and Timothy P. Henderson, Author,
Lewiston Council on the Arts
Topic: The Marble Orchard 1812. Through extensive research, the Henderson/Nicklas team has collaborated to bring Lewiston’s history to life in popular historical walking tours, plays and musical programs in the “Marble Orchard”.
Workshop #5 - Monuments and Statuary
Over the last two centuries, a significant number of monuments to the War of 1812 have been erected on battlefields, town squares and parks. What did the monuments mean to those who struggled to put the project together? What would a similar project produce today? Is there a future for monuments and statues to the events and figures of the War of 1812?
Moderator: Ian Kerr-Wilson, M.A. M.M.St., Manager of Museums and Heritage Presentation, City of Hamilton

Presenters:
● Ron Dale, War of 1812 Project Manager, Parks Canada
● Lee Simonson, Volunteer, Historical Association of Lewiston, Inc.
Topic: Tuscarora Heroes Monument
● Lisa Gilbert
● Keith Jamieson
Topic: Six Nations Concepts of Commemoration
● Richard D. Merritt, Niagara on the Lake War of 1812 Bicentennial Committee

Workshop #6 - Briefing and Dialogue
Exploring commissioning opportunities for artists related to 1812 themes
Moderator: Debbie Whitehouse, Chair, Niagara 1812 Bicentennial Legacy Council
Presenters:
● Canadian Heritage Field Office, Toronto: Relevant Canadian Heritage
funding programs
● Sandra Shaul, Fort York & Toronto Arts Council and Claire
Hopkinson, Executive Director, Toronto Arts Council and the Toronto Arts Foundation
Topic: Funding mechanisms and opportunities for public art in the City of Toronto
● Terri Donia, Project Manager, Niagara Region
Topic: Public art in the Niagara Region
● Ken Coit, B.E.S. B.Arch, Art in Public Spaces Coordinator
Topic: Funding mechanisms and opportunities for public art in the City
of Hamilton
Workshop #7 - Material Heritage: Touching our History
Reading about history is interesting, but interacting with artifacts from the event brings the experience up close and personal. Join our experts as they present pieces of material
heritage surrounding the War of 1812.
Moderator: J. Herbert Bond, Editor, The Upper Canadian Antique
Showcase
Presenters:
● David Sharron, Head of Special Collection and Archives, James A.
Gibson Library, Brock University and www.1812history.com partner
● Tom Russell, Historian
● Rick Hill

Workshop# 8 - The role of landscape in creating and recreating places of pilgrimage
Moderator: Paula Berketo, Landscape Architect, City of St. Catharines
Presenters:
● Mike Ripmeester, Professor of Geography, Brock University
● David O’Hara, Museum Administrator, Fort York
● Patrick Kavanagh, Researcher, Forest Lawn Cemetery
● Arlene White, Binational Tourism Alliance
Topic: Bicentennial Art of Peace Gardens Project
● Virginia Burt, Landscape Architect, Visionscapes Landscape
Architects Inc
Workshop #9 - Striking the Right Note - Interpreting History through Music
Music can be a powerful tool in interpreting our past. It may involve “period” examples from early written sources. It can also take in the popular music of one era that survives to become the traditional folk of another, and even newly composed works created to give a contemporary view of past events. This seminar will examine the potential for the uses of all three strains.
Moderator: Ian Bell, Curator/Director, Port Dover Harbour Museum
Presenters:
● Nick Baxter-Moore, Associate Professor, Brock University.
Topic: (Un)Sung Heroes: Recording Alternative Histories
● Ronald G. Vigue, Executive Director, Orchestra 2001
● Peter Alexander, Historic Music Coordinator, Fort George NHS
Topic: Military and Social Music during The War of 1812

Workshop #10 - Living history: The acting in re-enacting
The goal of the workshop is to examine the reason behind reenactment,
the acting involved, artistry and aesthetics; the notion that blending acting with historical accuracy can create a good story that is correct, potentially provocative and entertaining; what should be emphasized in ones interpretation of the past in order to get ones point across to a modern audience, commemoration of events / personages and the shaping of national identity.
Moderator: Michael McAllister, B.A., M.A., Co-ordinator, Hamilton Military Museum, Hamilton & Scourge National Historic Site of Canada
Presenters:
● Craig Williams
● Zig Misiak
Topic: History & Reenacting, relationship with Six Nations past and present
● Ray Hobbs
Topic: History and Heritage: Partners or Combatants
● Susan Spencer
Topic: Real History vs "History Lite": what's the difference, and why does it matter?

*Speakers, topics and times subject to change

To register contact:

Niagara 1812 Bicentennial Legacy Council
3550 Schmon Parkway, 2nd Floor, PO Box 1042
Thorold ON L2V 4T7
905-984-3626 ext. 3456
admin@discover1812.com

www.discover1812.com

One Man's Garbage...

2010-04-08T10:19:00.000-07:00

There may come a day when future anthropologists shift through the contents of landfills to discover the mysteries of our contemporary era. One might think it strange that our garbage could have some future intrinsic historic value. In all likelihood, it would have seemed just as strange to the long-dead former owner of the ancient pottery sherds, broken tools or cracked pots that were once garbage but now grace prestigious collections in any number of contemporary museums.
Have you ever found a chip of pottery while out for a walk or digging in your garden? It just could be that broken bit of clay is more than a sliver of broken Corelle Dinnerware. If you're lucky, you may have found a clue relating to the history of the area in which you live. The Internet is a great place to go to discover if your pottery sherd has a story to tell. Online resources like those found at Saint Mary's University Archaeology Lab Ceramics Database can help you research your find. This particular site aids in the identification of ceramics found on historic period archaeological sites in Nova Scotia but many common ceramic characteristics are easily traceable to other areas of the country. The site also provides the opportunity to expand your research if you so desire with the site bibliography page which contains a list of Ceramic References.

Library and Archives Canada

2010-03-23T08:50:00.000-07:00

Library and Archives Canada

presents

I Do: Love and Marriage in 19th Century Canada

This web exhibition presents a glimpse into the challenges that people faced in finding a marriage partner in days gone by.

"Exhibition features include the digitized letters and journal entries of Mary Westcott and Louis-Joseph-Amédée Papineau. Included in the exhibition is correspondence from the personal files of William Donnelly, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Kathleen Blake Coleman and the Woodside family.
Accompanying the exhibition is a nominal database with digitized microfilm images of more than 10,000 Upper and Lower Canada marriage bonds. Bonds issued in Upper Canada (Ontario) cover the years 1803 through to 1865, while bonds issued in Lower Canada (Quebec) cover the years 1779 to 1858 (See Further Research for a bibliography). "

In the Flow of History for 200 Years~Prescott, Ontario Lecture Series

2010-03-23T08:43:00.001-07:00

IN THE FLOW OF HISTORY FOR 200 YEARS:

PRESCOTT, ONTARIO LECTURE SERIES

PRESCOTT, ON 19 March 2010 – Throughout the 200 years since Col. Edward Jessup founded Prescott in 1810, the community has experienced remarkable events and witnessed the growth Jessup would have dreamed of for his town on the St. Lawrence River.

To commemorate Prescott’s rich history during its bicentennial celebrations, a series of nine Sunday-afternoon lectures from April to October will explore the town’s vibrant heritage. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church on Centre Street will host the talks that begin at 2 P.M. Tickets for the complete series are $40 or $8 per lecture.

“Our program focuses on growth and change in Prescott, from its early days as a fort town to a growing community embracing change and technology into the 21st century,” said Gerry Brown, the Lecture Series Chair. “With focal points on the military, manufacturing and personal history, the series offers intimate portraits of hope, growth and change in Prescott.”

The talks delivered by historians, teachers and academics from Eastern Ontario begin April 18 with two presentations. Sandra Shouldice, who taught in Prescott for 31 years, will deliver an inaugural lecture on Prescott’s heritage. In a tribute to heritage volunteers and enthusiasts, author and historian Mark Jodoin will discuss the contributions of Edward Jessup, as well as Colonel Joel Stone and Captain John Deserontyon who founded Gananoque and Deseronto.

There will also be two lectures on May 30 and one per month from June to October. Through the lens of Prescott’s history the topics include: the War of 1812, the forwarding trade, the brewing industry and the Grand Truck railway.

To purchase tickets, contact the Prescott Bicentennial Office at 613-925-1861.

For information contact:

Gerry Brown

Prescott Bicentennial Committee

613-925-4250

IN THE FLOW OF HISTORY FOR 200 YEARS

Sunday, April 18, 2 P.M.: Introduction to Prescott’s Heritage

Sandra Shouldice will give an overview of our 200 year history, beginning with a glimpse into pre-settlement Augusta. A further look at the town Edward Jessup created will entail its military significance beginning with the War of 1812, Prescott’s growth as a transportation centre, later industrial and commercial development and finally progress and changes in the 20th century.

Sandra was born and educated in Ottawa and taught in Prescott’s Central School for 31 years. After retiring from teaching in 1997, she took a more active role in Grenville County Historical Society, Retired Women Teachers of Ontario, Friends of Windmill Point and the United Empire Loyalists’ Association of Canada, for which she received the Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002. Her real interest in and knowledge of area history comes not only from personal research but from a background of family stories dating back to her Loyalist roots in Augusta.

Sunday, April 18, 2 P.M.: How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Mark Jodoin, author of Shadow Soldiers of the American Revolution: Loyalist Tales from New York to Canada, will pay homage to American and Canadian heritage volunteers and enthusiasts in the St. Lawrence, Hudson and Lake Champlain valleys. Mark will detail Loyalists such as Major Edward Jessup, Colonel Joel Stone and Captain John Deserontyon who founded Prescott, Gananoque and Deseronto. The three are among the 11 founders of Ontario whose stories are told in Shadow Soldiers.

A writer of historical fiction and non-fiction, his articles on colonial history have appeared monthly in Esprit de Corps magazine. Mr. Jodoin is a member and past president of the Rideau Township Historical Society and a graduate of Carleton University’s School of Journalism. He began his career as a broadcast journalist with TVOntario and Global Television News in Toronto in 1979 and he later became a marketing entrepreneur working in Montreal, Houston, Los Angeles and New York. He resides in Ottawa.

Sunday, May 30, 2 P.M.: The Forwarding Trade in Prescott

John Reynolds presentation, beginning with the activities of the native Amerindians along the St. Lawrence, will follow the development of river travel. From the introduction of river craft larger than canoes to the coming of the railroads, and construction of a total system of locks on the Rideau and St. Lawrence, a whole way of life came and went. As interesting as the stories of events, are the stories of the individuals whose fortunes rose and fell with the prosperity of the river trade.

John Reynolds comes to us by a roundabout route. Born south of London, England, he has travelled most of Canada as a meteorological technician and a United Church minister. His undergraduate work was in History and English with post-grad Theology. John is retired after 20 years in the Prescott area. He has been active in the Forwarders’ Museum and from this grew his interest in local history.

Sunday, May 30, 2 P.M.: The Battle of the Windmill

Bob Garcia examines the final fling to free Canada from British domination. The bloody, short and significant 1838 Battle of the Windmill was a turning point emphasizing the strong ties between Britain and her remaining colonies in North America.

Bob is an historian at the Ontario Service Centre of Parks Canada, with research responsibilities for Parks-operated national historic sites across the province. From 2002 to 2007 he was the historian supporting the Fort Henry National Historic Site stabilization project. He joined Parks Canada in 1991 as the Resource Centre Specialist for Fort Malden National Historic Site. There he was involved with archives and collections management, exhibit design and the delivery of visitor experience programming. Bob was educated at McGill University, Concordia University and at the University of Western Ontario. Bob is a past president of the Essex County Historical Society and has had a long time interest in Canadian military heritage.

Sunday, June 27, 2 P.M.: The Brewing Industry of 19th-Century Prescott

Donna Warner asks, “What did our ancestors do in the winter?” Besides trying to stay warm, they brewed. Learn how our resourceful ancestors managed to transform what they had at hand, like spruce buds, into beer. Present day craft beer will be available for sampling.

Donna is the owner of Heritage Brewing and Scotch Irish Brewing located in Ottawa. After working as a teacher, a mother, a software implementer, she stumbled into brewing when her husband and his friends bought equipment from the Quinte Brewery. For the last 10 years she has worked to bring craft brewing back to Eastern Ontario where it once flourished. She is passionate about beer, especially the fresh, flavourful beer that a craft brewery can produce.

Sunday, July 11, 2 P.M.: Fort Wellington’s Involvement in the War of 1812

Raised in the shadows of Fort Wellington, Paul Fortier grew up with a deep interest in local and military history. As a young man he was instrumental in having the doors to the windmill at the Battle of the Windmill National Historic Site opened to the public and later was behind the identification, designation and restoration of the Stockade Barracks on East Street, Ontario’s oldest surviving military structure. Paul spent 10 years as a military curator and historian for Parks Canada and then that with another 10 years as a manager at the National Archives of Canada.

After 20 years with the government, he left to head his private company Jessup Food & Heritage which has delivered unique food services at historic sites in Ontario from Fort York in Toronto to Upper Canada Village. Today Paul resides in Kingston and recently oversaw the acquisition and transformation of Kingston’s oldest surviving church structure into a modern banquet and event venue operated by Jessup Foods. His love of Prescott and its fascinating history remains strong.

Sunday, August 15, 2 P.M.: 150 Years of Railroad - The Building of the Grand Trunk

William (Bill) Boulton will focus on the growth and importance of railroads for transportation and shipping. He will outline stations, past and present, and will detail Prescott’s rail lines and links with Ottawa and shipping on the St. Lawrence River.

Bill grew up in Lansdowne, graduated from Ottawa Teachers College and Ontario College of Education. He taught two years at Poole’s Resort, an eight-grade country school just west of Mallorytown Landing. He joined the Ottawa Public School Board in 1957 teaching Industrial Arts and retired in 1989. Bill is a founding member and past president of Leeds and 1000 Islands Historical Society.

Sunday, September 19, 2 P.M.: Prescott, the River and the War of 1812

Victor Suthren is a writer, seaman and historian specializing in North American colonial history of the 18th century. He has written 13 books, 18th-century naval fiction and non-fiction works, including a biography of James Cook and a history of the War of 1812. In October 2009, Victor published a major survey history of Canada’s relationship with the sea, The Island of Canada.

After university and summers in the Fort Henry Guard in Kingston, Victor entered the Canadian Parks Service as an historian, serving in Louisbourg and Halifax. He joined the staff of the Canadian War Museum in 1975, and from 1986 to 1997 was the Director General. An experienced seaman in traditional tall ships and longboats, he is the Honourary Captain to the Chief of the Maritime Staff in Ottawa. He is also commissioned in the Reserve as a Seamanship specialist. Recently, he has designed and led events featuring ‘tall ships’ and longboats, and has advised a number of film productions. He and his wife Lindsay are residents of Merrickville, Ontario.

Sunday, October 17 - 2 P.M.: Love, Lust and the British Soldier in the War of 1812

Love at first sight, loose morals, adultery, prostitution, domestic disputes, and the challenges of raising a family in the army; all were part of the love life of the British soldier. Robert Henderson’s lecture will reveal some of the strange, funny and entertaining affairs of the heart that occurred to soldiers 200 years ago, and along the way dispel the stereotype of Victorian-like propriety at that time. Each attendee will leave with the impression people two centuries ago were not that different from people today.

A former military curator for Parks Canada and archival technician at the then National Archives of Canada, Robert has spent 25 years in the military heritage field. After graduating from Carleton University, he filled a number of interpretative and educative roles at various historic sites, including Fort Wellington and Fort Malden. Since 1995, he has provided heritage products and services to museums, collectors, and the film industry through MilitaryHeritage.com. His interest in preserving and promoting the significance of the War of 1812 brought him to create the website www.warof1812.ca.

2010 Season Event Calendar

2010-03-18T11:08:00.000-07:00

Please plan to join us this season at the Backus-Page House located in the John E. Pearce Provincial Park. Come experience history, nature and fun here in the Heart of the Talbot Settlement. The Pearce Park is a free day use park with approximately 3kms of trails that act as part of the Trans Canada Trail network. The Backus-Page House is a restored 1850 Georgian style (primarily) residence that is home to a living history museum. Contact the Carriage House Office for admission prices and fees for events and programming. Admission to the museum is by donation.

Season Opening Weekend Celebration

Saturday May 1st
Tyrconnell Heritage Society Members and Special Invite Reception (members please check your newsletter).

Sunday May 2nd
Open house 12pm-4:30pm
Indoor children's games and toys, exhibition activities, barn and kitchen demonstrations, hands on spinning (drop spinning) make up some of the day's opportunities for fun.Cookies and cake will be available for sale along with light refreshments (coffee, tea, juice). Admission by donation.

Relive the Talbot Settlement Days
Sponsored in part by the Building Communities through Art and Heritage Program

Friday May 28
Pioneer Education Day
The Backus-Page House plays host to a cadre of reenactors and literally hundreds of students during our Pioneer Education Day. Scheduled activities offer the opportunity for visitors to catch a glimpse of a bygone era through period demonstrations and an exploration of the skill and lifestyle of early pioneers in Upper Canada. The public is welcome to attend but is advised to call ahead for times and admission prices (519-762-3072).

Saturday May 29th- 10am-4:30pm
Talbot Settlement Reenactment
The grounds of the Backus Page House will come alive with sutlers, reenactors, First Nations history interpreters and live entertainment. Come enjoy food, shopping, displays, performers and military reenactments. Gate opens at 10am. Call 519-762-3072 for additional information and admission prices.

Open Trails Day

Saturday July 10th 12-4:30pm
Come spend the day at the beautiful John E. Pearce Provincial Park. Learn about the distinct Carolinian characteristics of the area while enjoying a guided trail tour with local nature experts. Tours begin at 2pm. There will be barbeque burgers and hot dogs available for purchase or take a chance and bid on one of the box lunches to be auctioned off. Funds raised by auction will go to support programming at the Backus-Page House. Bring your own digital camera and compete in our picture scavenger hunt. Come enjoy the provincial park in your own backyard.

Pioneer Adventure Day Camp

July 26th- 30th and August 9th-13th
The Backus-Page House summer day camp is committed to providing children ages 6-12 with a safe and fun summer experience. Located in the beautiful John E. Pearce Provincial Park, outdoor and indoor activities will combine pioneer hands on demonstrations, creative crafts and organized games. Come take part in adventure and discovery, make new friends and learn about our pioneer past and the great outdoors. Contact the Carriage House Office for camp fees and registration times at 519-762-3072.

Heritage Farm Show

Saturday September 4th
Come out Labour Day Weekend to enjoy our annual Heritage Farm Show at the Backus-Page House located just south of Wallacetown. Demonstrations planned over the two day event include threshing, baling, working farm horses and historic farming interpretive displays. There will barbeque available for purchase. Call for 519-762-3072 for admission prices and times.

Sunday September 5th
Sunday the site will host a pancake breakfast starting at 9 am. The gates open for the show at 10 am and there's a church service at 11am on the lawn of the museum.There are a variety of implements to be viewed for those who enjoy history, agriculture and changes in technology. While on site don’t forget to tour the Backus-Page House Museum where costumed interpreters will be available to take visitors on a trip back through time to the year 1850. Call 519-762-3072 for admission prices and times . Pancake breakfast is extra and not included in price of admission.

Harvest Dinner

Saturday November 20th
Join us for a fundraising dinner a la 1850s haute cuisine served family style at Lakeview Gardens, Eagle Ontario. Bar at 6 pm and dinner at 6:30 pm. Entertainment, live auction and silent auction to follow in support of the Tyrconnell Heritage Society and programming at the Backus-Page House. Please call 519-762-3072 for more info.

Backus-Page Christmas Dinner

December 4- 7pm
A limited number of seats are being offered to enjoy a 19th century Christmas Dinner to be served at the Backus-Page House Museum. This multi course dinner will feature local fare prepared with 1800s recipes. Come savor the taste of the Talbot Settlement.Tickets go on sale May 1st and only 14 seats are available so be sure to get yours early. Cost $100 per seat. Inquiries may be directed to the Backus-Page House at 519-762-3072

Ontario Visual Heritage Project‏

2010-03-15T08:17:00.000-07:00

The Ontario Visual Heritage Project: Elgin was funded with a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and support from the Elgin-St. Thomas Tourist Association.
Click the link below to explore the history of Elgin County and St. Thomas interpreted through an entertaining visual medium. You will need a Quick Time viewer (which can be downloaded for free here) to view these short videos.

Ontario Visual Heritage Project‏

Merinda Pearce- A Woman’s World

2010-03-12T09:04:00.000-08:00

Women’s diaries are a wonderful resource for those of us who would like to understand what it was like to live in a bygone era. Women would write about what could have been considered the commonality of their daily schedule. Journal entries might include recipes, details of chores completed, who came to visit or what was the new rage in hats for that season. Sickness, births and deaths, weddings, harvests, all the events and tasks that marked the span of a woman’s day could find a place of note. These small details, the minutia of a life lived, when combined paint a picture of a place and an existence fixed in time.

Merinda Williams was born in 1842 near Iona, Ontario. She married Thomas Pearce in 1865. Thomas came from fine pioneer stock being the grandson of John Pearce who along with the Patterson, Storey and Backus families help found the Talbot Settlement. For the last 14 years of her life, Merinda kept a personal journal. Her entries are brief for the most part but clearly illustrate what life was like between 1892 and 1906 here in the Dutton Dunwich area.

Today is March 12, 2010. It is a Friday. The week has been wonderfully mild and graced by sun lit skies until today. The sky is overcast but the fine drizzle that fell this morning seems to have moved on. The shoreline here is home to strong winds that can gust for days but there has only been a sigh of a breeze for the past several days. The mild weather and drizzle have made a hazard for walking with mud and slick leaves but deeper down the soil is still frozen and hard. There are small shallow patches of snow in the open fields despite the recent mild weather and under the tree line and shaded woodlot paths it lays a little deeper.

In 1893, March 12th was a Sunday. The weather for that week was bright but it seemed that the snow was lingering longer. The names of towns and families that are still common to the area shout out of the text. Reading Merinda’s entries for the same time of year one cannot help but see that time laid like a curtain over the contemporary landscape.
Here are excerpts from Merinda’s diary for this week in March over 100 years ago…

“ 8th- Bright & nice. Men getting noggins scalded, Sammy staid home to help. Had to shovel snow around camp. Been a great winter for snow. Good sleighing began last December and staid firm on till now. Mr Andrew Lunn brought James Lunns wife & baby in afternoon & had tea with us. Very nice baby, glad to see them. Rain commenced before they went away. Nearly 10pm and Sammy & Willy are out bathing old Dolls leg with hot water. Thomas not well.

9th- White frost yesterday and today. Thomas paid Jackson after breakfast and let him go, he has very little sense, poor man, too messy for anything. Thomas tapped 110 trees and had noggins scattered. In afternoon we saw someone coming up lane and behold it was Bertha, Frances, Eva & Stewart Pearce. Willie, Leslie, & Harry Sifton had started to drive up the lane with democrat and broke down in gully. So girls had to walk to the house, of course they all had to look over the house in every nook and corner. (as does everyone who come around) From cellar to garret. Staid until 11, Thomas and Sammy led them to road.

March 10th 1893- Fine. Mr Sloan helped tap trees and got all big bush but 40 trees done. Sammy rode to P.O. in evening, took Damas beef.

11th- Thomas to Shedden in morning, Mr Sloan & boys gathered 26 buckets of sap. Rain came on at 9 and continued all day and evening."

The sap is running here and now in Dutton Dunwich. Conversation at the local eatery touches on the weather, how many trees got tapped and how fast (or slow) the sap is running. While many things have changed it also seems that just as many stay the same.

Merinda Pearce's diary is one of numerous interesting documents archived at the Elgin County Archives in St Thomas Ontario. If you'd like to venture a little further afield visit the Archives of Ontario to discover even more resources.

Your Wardsville Barn Quilt Project

2010-03-10T06:58:00.000-08:00

For those members in or close to the Wardsville area an invitation is tendered to participate in the Your Wardsville Barn Quilt Project.
March 13, 2010
1) Workshop 9 am - 5 pm. (or drop by for an hour to view the process).
2) Special Announcement 10 am - 11 am.
Where: Beattie Haven Retirement Home, 23328 Beattie Line, R.R. #1, Wardsville ON N0L 2N0
Lunch by Beattie Haven kitchen - RSVP below.

If you can attend this Saturday workshop we are hoping you might also supervise an evening of volunteers sometime during March and/or April. Or you could lead your group's own painting evening. There are lots of options; we can arrange whatever works. The painting parties start March 13th and will be completed before May 30th. One mural is complete; 29 left to go. It's going to be great fun.

ON LINE RSVP March 13, 2010 Wardsville Bicentennial Barn Quilt- Painting Workshop

Wardsville is unofficially kicking off the Commemoration of the War of 1812 - 1814 which begins in less than 24 months. Wardsville challenges Elgin and Middlesex counties to learn more about our heritage deepen the connection among our local artists, artisans and community, and support and celebrate our hard working volunteers.

To commemorate the hardships and losses suffered by those early settlers - our families - from 1812 to 1814, Wardsville is organizing the Wardsville Bicentennial Barn Quilt Project.
The first Barn Quilt called "Farmer's Wife" has been completed by Rick Sommer. This mural which measures 8 feet by 8 feet pays homage to Mrs. Ward and all the other women who had to be fierce warriors to survive. It is currently being installed at the Wardsville branch of the Thamesville Credit Union.

There are 29 left to paint. The first training workshop is being held Saturday, March 13, 2010 in the basement of Beattie Haven from 9 am to 5 pm. The goal is to engage citizens through the visual arts, as well as through expression, celebration and preservation of local historical heritage.

In the basement of Beattie Haven, the block designs will be blown up to 8' X 8' and painted on special outdoor plywood. The plywood will be primed; the design stencilled and then painted with outdoor latex paint. The finished product will be protected with a sealant for outdoor display.

The 30 barn quilt murals which will be hung in various places throughout Wardsville area are based on a 30-block commemorative quilt that tells the story of George and Margaret Ward. Each block has a unique design and symbolizes a chapter in the Ward's life. The "Soldier", "Salute to Colors" and "Victory" blocks represent George's long history with the British Military. "Farmers Wife" and "Tree of Life" honour Mrs. Ward and all the women who worked beside their men while raising a family in conditions we cannot imagine. All quilters are called to add their stitches. This heritage quilt will go up in Beattie Haven's quilting room soon. Call Eleanor Blain for details 519) 693-4616.

These 30 highly-visual blocks will be stragetically placed in Wardsville and surrounding area to create a Barn Quilt Story Telling Trail, the first in North America. There's a barn quilt movement in the United States, but it seems that Wardsville is the first to coordinate such an ambitious series of barn quilts inspired by local history. Call Denise Corneil 519-693-7002 or http://wardsville.wordpress.com/

Today's Mailbox ... You could be a star!

2010-03-09T06:30:00.000-08:00

The Backus-Page House office administration belongs to a number of email list services that connect the Tyrconnell Heritage Society to a world wide contingent of historical organizations. These list services allow peer institutions to share information and resources. Topics explored include practice and theory with members of the online community working to address issues of concern. A daily sampling of topics reveal a broad base of inquiry. A museum in Spain might be looking for answers on how to create a proper disaster recovery plan while somewhere in New England an institution is trying to determine how early scarecrows appeared in pioneer settlements. Each day brings something new to the table for discussion. Yesterday a correspondence was forwarded that might change the life of a true lover of history. If you fit the profile this could be your lucky day....

For everyone who ever wanted to be a star.

Subject: Hardest Working Man In History

A new History Channel show in development called THE HARDEST WORKING MAN IN HISTORY.
Required- MALE 35-45YR HOST
Your love of history may finally pay off! A new television series is searching for an impassioned, engaged history buff with on-camera experience to take us on incredible journeys through time. Must be excited to immerse yourself in the storytelling, even when it's grungy, thankless and tiring. You love history so much that you'll put up with nearly anything to get to the heart of a good story. If you or someone you know fits this description please send bio/head shot/video to
krinella@grbtv.com .
(If you don't have videos online then send picture and bio to start).

Kristen Rinella
Casting Associate
Hardest Working Man In History
GRB Entertainment

If fame is your aim perhaps you should have history in your sight. =)

Calgorm~ Final All Irish Concerts

2010-03-08T08:07:00.000-08:00

Historic Yummies to Fill Contemporary Tummies

2010-03-05T06:26:00.000-08:00

Are you looking to perfect your potted meat technique? Do you want to know what pearlash is and what to use it for? Then take the time to explore Pat Reber's blog at Researching Food History Cooking and Dining and her website Hearthcook.com . Pat's blog and linked website are a great resource for those interested in (to quote Pat) "thousands of links pertaining to open hearth, bake oven, wood stove and other pre WWI forms of cooking and related subjects". Links also include access to more than 650 e-text historic cookbooks and about 300 museums with cooking demonstrations.

An 18th Century Woman Blogspot

2010-03-04T07:01:00.000-08:00

'An 18th Century Woman' is a blog published by Kimberly Costa (click the link to visit). Kimberly lives in the States and owns and operates Pudding Lane Designs, an 18th century living history business with a focus on women's lives. Her services offer quality 18th Century Colonial America interactive programming for all ages. A lover of history, clothing and textiles since childhood, Ms. Costa brings her audience with her into past, allowing them see and experience what daily life was like during the American Colonial and Young Republic periods. To visit Kimberly's business website to learn more about her company click '18th Century Woman.com' .

WAR OF 1812 SYMPOSIUM

2010-02-24T20:32:00.000-08:00

For those who might wish to attend...

WAR OF 1812 SYMPOSIUM RETURNS TO OGDENSBURG, NEW YORK

OGDENSBURG, New York, February 8, 2010 - The Fort La Présentation Association hosts its second annual War of 1812 Seminar in Ogdensburg, NY Friday, April 30 and Saturday, May 1, 2010.
Friday evening’s social and Saturday’s seminars will be held in the Freight House Restaurant, which will provide all its facilities for the event. The seminars will have a decidedly Canadian point of view; four of the five presenters are Canadian historians.
“Together, this and last year’s seminar offer a balanced perspective on the war from both sides of the border,” said Douglas Cubbison, the Event Coordinator. “We want to provide a learning experience through which the participants can develop increasingly sophisticated understandings of the War of 1812.”
The presenters are Rene Chartrand, Robert Henderson, Don Graves, Diane Graves and Nickolas Westbrook. Saturday's schedule includes topics ranging from the recruiting methods of the British army to the role of women in the war. Afternoon walking tours of the living history camp and the nearby Remington Museum are included.
Registration is $100.00 per person for non-members, and there is an additional charge of $10 for those who plan to attend the social. Members of the Fort La Présentation Association will pay $80.00 per person and $10 for the Friday evening social.
The registration fee for Saturday includes a continental breakfast, buffet lunch and a sit-down dinner. After dinner music in a traditional vein will be provided by Lynn Noel.
There is a registration form and a PayPal connection on the Fort Association’s Web page, www.fortlapresentation.net.
Blocks of 20 rooms have been set aside until the end of April at the Quality Inn Gran-
View (http://www.1000islands.com/granview) and the Stone Fence Lodging (http://www.stonefenceresort.com).
Re-enactors may camp on the Fort Association’s property adjacent to the archaeological remains of Fort Presentation, the War of 1812 incarnation of the original 1749 Fort La Présentation.
All the rooms of the Freight House Restaurant have been contracted. The layout of the seminar room will more comfortable and accommodate more participants. Registration and exhibits will have larger and more convenient locations. There will be more space to socialize.

For more information contact:

Barbara O’Keefe or
Michael Whittaker
President Communications
Fort La Présentation Association
315-393-3315
613-773-1543

BACKGROUND: WAR OF 1812 SYMPOSIUM

PRESENTERS

René Chartrand
René Chartrand was born in Montreal and educated in Canada, the United States and the Bahamas. For nearly three decades, he was senior curator with Canada's National Historic Sites; he is now a freelance writer and historical consultant. René has written numerous articles and books including more than 30 Osprey titles. René Chartrand lives in Gatineau, Quebec, with his wife and two sons.

Dianne Graves
A native of Kent, England, Dianne Graves is the author of three books; A Crown of Life: The world of John McCrae, Redcoats and River Pirates; and In the Midst of Alarms: The Untold Story of Women and the War of 1812 . In addition to her work as a writer, Dianne also undertakes historical research and has acted as a consultant to several film and television projects. She is married to Canadian military historian Donald E. Graves.

Donald Graves
The author or editor of six books on the War of 1812, Donald E. Graves is a well-known Canadian historian. He is best known for his trilogy “Forgotten Soldiers: The War of 1812 in the North” trilogy which includes seminal studies of the battles of Crysler's Farm and Chateauguay in 1813 (Field of Glory), and Chippawa and Lundy's Lane in 1814 (Where Right and Glory) with a third volume to appear this year. Donald has written, co-written or edited 11 other books on British or Canadian military or naval history. His latest work, Dragon Rampant; The Royal Welch Fusiliers at War, 1793-1815, will be published by Frontline Books in 2010. Donald Graves is on the staff of the Directorate of History and Heritage, Department of National Defence, Ottawa.

Robert Henderson
Robert Henderson is a former military curator for Parks Canada and archival technician at the then National Archives of Canada. Robert has spent 25 years working in the military heritage field. Since 1995 he has provided heritage products and services to museums, collectors, and the film industry through MilitaryHeritage.com . His interest in the preserving and promoting the significance of the War of 1812 brought him to create the website Warof1812.ca and to publish a number of articles on the War of 1812.

Lynn Noel
Lynn Noel is a true North American with family roots in Bluenose Nova Scotia, Moravian Minnesota, and Yankee and Irish Boston. After sojourns in the Great Lakes, Atlantic Canada, Vermont, and the Ottawa Valley, Lynn returned to her home port of Boston in 1998. She has a voice of striking clarity and power, as wide and deep as her repertoire. She is equally at home with a traditional ballad or a sea chantey, delivered in English or French.

Nicholas Westbrook
After 20 years as Director of Fort Ticonderoga, Nicholas Westbrook retired in 2010. He is past president of the Museum Association of New York. In 2006, he received the Katharine M. Coffey Award of the Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums for distinguished accomplishment in his life-long museum career. Nicholas is Vice Chair of the New York State French & Indian War 250th Anniversary Commemoration Commission. He is an elected Member of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts and the American Antiquarian Society. Nicholas Westbrook is a Fellow of the New York Academy of History.

EXHIBITORS

Company of Military Historians
The Company of Military Historians (Rutland, MA) is an educational, scientific, and literary institution devoted to the study and dissemination of “information on the uniforms, equipment, history, and traditions of members of the Armed Forces of the United States worldwide and other nations serving in the Western Hemisphere.”

The Discriminating General
The Discriminating General provides access to a number of their on-line sites: Military Heritage magazine, War of 1812; Seven Years War; and their Napoleonic Wars Collection. All the sites include free articles, links, re-enactment information, book suggestions, and much more

Lord Durham Rare Books Inc.
From St. Catharine’s, Ontario, Lord Durham Rare Books offers or find items of special collecting interest for private, educational and institutional collectors. The firm is in the business of helping collectors collect books, maps, prints, ephemera, photos and manuscripts.

National Museum of the US Navy (tentative)
In Washington, D.C., the National Museum of the US Navy is devoted to the display of naval artifacts, models, documents and fine art which chronicle the history of the United States Navy from the American Revolution to present-day conflicts. Interactive exhibits commemorate the US Navy's wartime heroes and battles. as well as peacetime contributions in exploration, diplomacy, navigation and humanitarian service.

Prescott, Ontario/Fort Wellington
Prescott is commemorating its bicentennial in 2010. The first settlers began arriving in 1784. Among them was Col. Edward Jessup who laid out the streets of modern day Prescott in 1810. During the War of 1812, Prescott was a garrison town at the top of the last rapids between Montreal and Kingston. The initial effort to defend Prescott was made by the local militia which occupied two buildings on the eastern edge of the town and erected a simple log stockade. They constructed an advance battery on the river front with two 9-pounder cannons. Fort Wellington was built during the War of 1812 to defend St. Lawrence River shipping from possible attack by the United States.

St. Lawrence War of 181 Bicentennial Alliance
The Alliance based in Brockville, Ontario represents the people, heritage & communities within the greater St. Lawrence Valley. It is one of six regional organizations funded by the Province Of Ontario to develop community-based events and legacy projects to commemorate the War of 1812. The Alliance is reaching across the border to celebrate 200 years of shared heritage while fostering international friendship in order to create a legacy for future generations

Black History Month

2010-02-18T22:17:00.000-08:00

Black History Month is a remembrance of important people and events in the history of the African diaspora. It is celebrated annually in the United States (US) and Canada in February and the United Kingdom in the month of October. The remembrance was founded in 1926 by United States historian Carter G. Woodson as "Negro History Week" (source Wikipedia).
If you'd like to learn more about the the role that Canada played in the history of slavery in the Americas you can find links to resources at Black History Canada . You may also visit the Archives of Ontario to view several online exhibits including images from The Alvin McCurdy Collection.

West Elgin Dramatic Society presents...

2010-02-07T17:11:00.000-08:00

The West Elgin Dramatic Society presents

The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild
Dramatic Society Murder Mystery
(by Walter Zerlin Jr. and Gerald Tagg/ produced by special arrangement with Samuel French Inc.)

WEDS Theatre
Dutton Town Hall Upper
199 Currie Road
Dutton, Ontario.

Join this fictitious misfit group of ladies (and one poor henpecked stage manager) as they mount their own unique version of a murder mystery that can only be described as hilariously unique!

Performance Dates

Thursday February 25th, Friday the 26th and Saturday the 27th

Thursday March 4th, Friday the 5th and Saturday the 6th.

8pm Curtain

Friday and Saturday admission is $15 per guest but Thursday performances are 1/2 price at $7.50 a ticket

Tickets may be purchased at the door or in advance by calling Shenanigans at 519-762-5662

Building Responsive Museums: A Case Study

2010-02-03T20:50:00.000-08:00

February 18th at the Port Dover Harbour Museum
A SPECIAL PRESENTATION by HALDIMAND NORFOLK CULTURAL ASSOCIATION
This will be free of charge and all interested parties are welcome.

Building Responsive Museums: A Case Study
Speaker: Joan Kanigan, Brant Museum and Archives
Museums have the potential to have a significant impact on their communities, but defining this impact or even who the community is can be daunting. Using the experiences of the Brant Historical Society, this session will explore the process of becoming a responsive museum and the impact this change can have on the organization and the community. Participants will have an opportunity to work with the Building Responsive Museums: A Discussion Framework developed by The Learning Coalition.

Joan Kanigan
Executive Director, Brant Historical Society
Joan Kanigan has been the Executive Director of the Brant Historical Society since July 2006. Since assuming her position, she has worked on building stronger relationships between the museum and the community initiating partnerships with Laurier Brantford and other area museums. Prior to joining the Society, Joan served as the Executive Director for the Museums Association of Saskatchewan (MAS), a position she held for 5 years. During her tenure with MAS, Joan has be responsible for overseeing many MAP projects and was instrumental in developing a new strategic plan for the Association and a marketing campaign to raise the profile of museums in the province. In 2004, she was seconded to the Government of Saskatchewan – Culture, Youth and Recreation, where she served as Heritage Policy Analyst for one year. During this time she was responsible for redeveloping the Provincial Heritage Property Designation Program and establishing management options for the Saskatchewan Heritage Foundation and Claybank Brick Plant National Historic Site.

For more info contact

Ian Bell
Curator / Director
Port Dover Harbour Museum
(519) 583-2660
www.portdovermuseum.ca

A Little Something for History and Early Film Buffs

2010-02-02T18:39:00.000-08:00

Click here to view an early film of San Francisco's main thoroughfare as seen from the front window of a moving Market Street cable car, before the downtown area was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake and fire. This unusual record has been called the first "structural film" because it follows exactly the externally imposed structure of the car ride. This movie is part of the collection: Prelinger Archives . For a view of what confronted survivors after the disaster click here.

News Flash…Rockin’ Rodeo

2009-11-25T11:24:00.000-08:00

News Flash…Rockin’ Rodeo November 27, 2009

The Arts & Cookery Bank will be rockin’ on Friday night and you’re invited to come see what they’ve got cookin’ for the whole family. Stop by before or after the Parade. Bring a friend.

Meet Pablo and Get “Shot” (by a camera, of course)

Pablo (The Mighty Pabs), a gentle horse of the very best kind, will be outside The Bank where you can have your family’s or child’s photo taken with him. Or go ahead… get one of yourself and your friends. This free photo will be emailed to you before Christmas.

Get your paws on the Ultimate Stocking Stuffer.

Our next Early Bird “Break the Bank” draw for $500 Christmas spending money takes place on December 11. Lay your money down. Tickets you buy now will also be eligible for the $5000 Grand Prize on April 2, 2010. Tickets are only $5 each. Buy 4– get one FREE.

With much better odds than a lottery ticket (only 5 000 tickets will be sold), your purchase helps build The Bank and the money stays right here in the community.

Your “Break the Bank” tickets are THE Ultimate Stocking Stuffer for 2009.

Perfect to have on hand for those extra little gifts, for the hard-to-buy-for, or for the one who has everything. (if you can’t make it on Friday night, call the office 519-768-9986 and we’ll send the Pony Express)

Feeling’ Lucky, Pardner?

Adults – you can also try your hand at the Candle Shoot Out. Shoot out the flame and win a free ticket for the “Break the Bank” draw.

Pony up to the Bar

Enjoy edible Haystacks and cider, courtesy of The Bank. Kids can decorate Cow Patty Cookies to take with them – or eat right there at The Bank. Napkins provided!

We’re on the Lookout

The 1000th visitor to The Bank will soon pass through our doors. It could be YOU or someone in your family! Be sure to get your numbered goodie when you come in. If you are number 1000, you’ll win a Prize.

Don’t Miss the Train

In just a few months The Arts & Cookery Bank will open. Get on board to receive our newsletters, program information and an invitation to our Grand Opening. Sign up with your email address and we’ll enter your child’s name (or a child you know) into a draw for a stocking full of Christmas goodies.

For more information contact
Tammy Oliveira
Manager of Operations & Programs
The Arts & Cookery Bank
242 Graham Rd, PO Box 174
West Lorne, ON N0L 2P0
(519)768-9986
email:tammy@theartsandcookerybank.com

The Beaver

2009-11-17T09:01:00.000-08:00

The Beaver touts itself as "Canada's History Magazine". Produced by Canada's National History Society , The Beaver provides a colourful and entertaining glimpse into the distant and sometimes not so distant past. The Beaver's online page offers a variety of links to fun activites, the occasional archived article and samples of current issues. Reading The Beaver is a great way to learn about our rich Canadian heritage and the reader might be surprised by what he/she didn't know. Click here to learn more about The Beaver. If you're looking for a way to interest your children in Canadian history Kayak Magazine just might fit the bill. Click here to check out their website. Menu features include "Fun & Games" and "Book Nook".

Wings

2009-11-04T19:52:00.001-08:00

Tyrconnell Heritage Society

Whatever Happened to Lard?

Albert and Victoria's Holiday Tradition

Hand Tools

Ontario Volunteer Service Awards

Know someone who could use a little recognition? Perhaps this is the answer...http://www.citizenship.gov.on.ca/english/citizenship/honours/vsa.shtml

Local Choir Performs

Barn Quilt Trail in Melbourne

Multiple Myeloma Cancer Research Fundraiser

Wallacetown Fair

Otterville Nostalgia

EON Association of Curators and Directors Members

News Flash From the Ontario Arts Council

Delhi Tobacco Museum & Heritage Centre

We're Looking For Old Tractors and Machines

8th Annual Heritage Farm Show

Living History Needs People

Barn Quilt Workshop

Ruth Goodman at the Waterloo Region Museum in November

New Website Launches for the 200th Anniversary of the War of 1812

Dyeing Workshop at Backus-Page House Museum

8th Annual Heritage Farm Show

Museum Exhibit- St Peter's Anglican Church~ Celebrating 184 Years

Beat the Heat News from the Dutton-Dunwich Municipality

We're Offering a Third Week of Day Camp

1850's Strawberry Social

Relive the Talbot Settlement

Car Show and Fish Fry at Beattie Haven, Wardsville

Summer Employment 2011

Museum Opening Event

Community Theater Spring Production

Wasaga Under Siege Update

History of The British Royalty in Canada

Newsletter Correction

Blacksmithing Classes

Headstone Photos Online

Elgin County Tourism Employment Opportunity

Library Activities for History Lovers

Backus-Page House Book Sale

Arts and Cookery Bank News

Elgin Historical Society

2011 Event Calendar

Eva Brook Donly Museum and Archives Book Launch

Backus-Page House Joins the Community Museum Operating Grant Program

Decadence in December

Arts and Cookery Bank Christmas Activities

For those in West Elgin this Weekend

Backus-Page House Holiday Dinner

Corset Workshop Series

The War of 1812-14 in Southwestern Ontario: The Battle of Malcolm’s Mills

Heritage Farm Show Views

Honey Harvest Festival @ Clovermead

Heritage Farm Show Program 2010

Antique Road Show

Annual Heritage Farm Show

Bee Beard Festival

MOE Beekeepers Club (Middlesex Oxford, Elgin)

Contact President Bob Crowhurst (519) 666-1670 robert.crowhurst@sympatico.ca

HMS Investigator Sees The Light of Day

War of 1812 app released for iPhone

Thames Valley Museum School Teacher Appreciation Tea

Flat Thomas Visits Pompeii

Backus-Page House Wallacetown Fair Exhibit

Trails Open Summer Celebration

Cactus, Cattle and Cowboys

The North Star Meets Southern Cross

Burns Spirit Walk

Wasaga under Siege “A War of 1812 Experience”

Members of the Tyrconnell Heritage Society are cordially invited to Wardsville!

Mmmmm Barbeque!

Art Opening in St Thomas

Complimentary Area Events

Relive The Talbot Settlement Event

Edison Fest

George Ward Commemorative Quilt

Beekeeping in the Ukraine

Treble Makers Women's Choir Concert- May 15. "Mom's the Word" Sandra Mogensen, special guest‏

Stratford Concert Pianist in Dutton on pre-European Tour

Endangered Species of the Day

Over a Century of Popular Science on Line

Know someone who could use a little recognition? Perhaps this is the answer...

http://www.citizenship.gov.on.ca/english/citizenship/honours/vsa.shtml