Fun Fact Friday #20 - The Little Pier That Could 🌊

      Did you know that Canadians living on the coast of Lake Erie built a pier to sell goods to the Americans across the lake during the Civil War?

What is left of the pier at Tyrconnell.

      In April of 1861 the Dunwich Pier Company was established in order complete the building of a 500 foot pier at Tyrconnell. The pier was 30 feet wide so that horses were able to turn around at the end and people would still be able to pile products, usually grain. The selling of grain bushels to the United States while the war was on created a very profitable economy for the farmers in the Tyrconnell area. The pier was considered so important that it became a possible landing spot for invaders from the U.S. 

      Unfortunately, after the war was over the pier was not used nearly as much and eventually, in 1890, became unsafe to use entirely. These days there is not much left of the old pier that used to be there, but is still an interesting story to tell locally.

Come visit the Backus-Page House Museum in Wallacetown to find out more interesting stories about the history of Elgin!
29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, ON
519-762-3072

Fun Fact Friday #19 - Movie Buffs 🎥

Movie Poster for
"That Old Feeling"

       Did you know that a Hollywood movie was filmed in little old Wallacetown at the St. Peter's Church?

      St. Peter's Church in Wallacetown received it's 15 minutes of fame in 1997 when "That Old Feeling", starring Bette Middler and Dennis Farina, filmed a scene there. Although the church can only be seen for a few seconds, it did not stop the locals from a feeling of pride. 

St. Peter's Church

      Keith Large was the movie location manager for the film and was looking for "an Upper-New York State or Connecticut-style clapboard church" somewhere in Southwestern Ontario. The beautiful St. Peter's was the perfect fit for everything on their check list including a bell tower and a big window for one of the characters to look out of. 

Come see the church for yourself right next to the Backus-Page House Museum at 29526 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, Ontario. Call the museum for more details 519-762-3072 or visit www.stpeterschurchtyrconnell.org. 


      

Fun Fact Friday #18 - A Proper Education 📚

       Did you know that in the 19th century female education was altered to that of male?

A classroom of young boys and girls (approx. 1850)

      Although today women are well represented in schools as teachers and students, it was not the same during the 19th century. There was public schooling available to both boys and girls, but it was very general. If a person wanted a more advanced education they would have to enter private schools. Except these schools focused more on domestic personal, and social properties rather than mathematical, scientific, or even reading and writing. The curriculum was made to have women practice "the arts and graces of life".  Thank goodness we have come a long way since then.

Visit the home of a woman who immigrated to Canada with only her two children and no husband in the early 19th century. A very difficult task at the time indefinitely.

The Backus-Page House Museum
29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, ON
519-762-3072

Fun Fact Friday #17 - Don't Forget to Carve Your Turnip! 🎃

      Now, this post is going to be less of a fun fact and more of a fun (fictional) tale about the history of jack-o-lanterns and how they got their name.  

      Many of the stories that surround the naming of the glowing pumpkin come from a man named Stingy Jack. Stingy Jack was a troublemaker to say the least. He would drink as much as he could and then play tricks on everybody, even the Devil himself. One day Jack tricked the Devil into climbing an old apple tree. After the Devil climbed the tree, Jack left crosses all around it's trunk. Of course, the Devil is unable to touch crosses, so he was not able to climb down. He did this so the Devil would promise to not take his soul when he died. The Devil promised, Jack took away the crosses, and the Devil climbed down. 

Stingy Jack and his turnip jack-o-lantern.

      When is was Jack's time to pass on he went up to Heaven and met Saint Peter. Jack was told that becasue he was mean and nasty during hi lifetime he was not allowed into Heaven and was sent down to the dark depths of the Devil's home. The Devil kept his promise, though, and would not let him in. Jack was lost somewhere in the middle, called the Netherworld. He asked the Devil how he could leave this lightless place, so the Devil showed him an ember to lead him back to the depths. 

      In this story, Jack always carried a turnip with him because it was one of his favourite foods. Jack hollowed out the turnip and stuck the ember inside. From that day forward, Jack wandered Earth, with no resting place, lighting his way with his "Jack-O-Lantern". 
      
      This story came from Ireland and it's ancient Celtic traditions on All Hallow's Eve. Because Ireland was lacking pumpkins, they would use turnips, rutabagas, gourds, potatoes, or beets. 

      The Tyrconnell area was once known as Little Ireland because of the amount of Irish people that lived there. It is possible that the settlers might have carved some sort of vegetable on All Hallow's Eve. 

Come for a tour at the oldest house in Little Ireland, the Backus-Page House Museum!
29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, ON
(519) 762-3072

Fun Fact Friday #16 - Trick or Treat! 👻

      Did you know that children did not start trick-or-treating until about 1911?

Something children might have worn
on Halloween (approx. 1911)

      Trick-or-treating is a classic Halloween tradition that is practiced all over the world. In Canada it did not come around until 1911 in Kingston, Ontario. It was reported that children went street "guising", which basically means running around dressed in costume, on Halloween in between 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM. They would visit shops and neighbours to gather as many nuts and candies they could. To win the treats they would have to perform a song or rhyme and if the audience enjoyed they would toss them something tasty. The term "trick-or-treat" did not show up until around 1927 in Blackie, Alberta.

Come and visit an old Victorian home where children who began the trick-or-treating tradition in Canada might have lived, now called The Backus-Page House Museum!
29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, ON
519-762-3072

Fun Fact Friday #15 - Beer Hops 🍺

      Did you know that almost all kinds beer uses a flower called Hop? 
      Hops are little cone-shaped flowers that grow on the humulus lupus plant found in North America. When they are dried out in an oast house and ground they are usually used in beer as a flavouring and stabilizing agent because of it's bitter, zesty, or citric flavours. 

      The earliest documented use of hops in beer was in the year 736 in Germany, it was then passed to England in 1524, and finally to North America in 1629. These days most hop yards are found in Canada and the U.S.

Hops after they are dried and ground.

      The Backus-Page House Museum has it's very own hops plant in the garden!

Come find out what makes your refreshing beer taste the way it does at:
29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, ON
(519) 762-3072

Fun Fact Fridays #14 - No Solicitors! 💬

      Did you know that in the 19th century people would go door to door selling a "cure-all" called snake oil? If you have ever seen an old western/cowboy movie there has probably been a character selling some kind of elixir. This is the most accurate depiction of these snake oil sellers. Snake oil was said to be a cure-all by it's sellers, but was notorious for not actually working.

Snake Oil Salesman

       The original snake oil came from China. This oil was creating using the oils taken from Chinese River Snakes. They used this as a pain reliever for arthritis, bursitis, and other joint aches. It made it's way into North America in the mid 1800's and was sold door to door. Of course, there are no Chinese River Snakes in North America, so the contents were changed. North American snake oil consisted mostly of alcohol and was sold as an antiseptic. Very much like peroxide or rubbing alcohol, snake oil was used on scrapes or cuts, but it was not nearly as effective.
      The Backus-Page House has an original bottle with the original bottle, label, and contents displayed in our pantry room! Come check it out for yourself at the Backus-Page House Museum:

Snake Oil
Original Bottle, Label, and Contents

29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, ON
(519) 762-3072





   

Fun Fact Friday #13 - Don't Forget to Wipe! 🚽

Manila Hemp Paper - Now usually
used for crafting and pulp.

      Did you know that toilet paper was not invented until about 1857?

      Joseph Gayetty was an American inventor that originally thought of the idea of cleaning your behind with something other than leaves or rags. He found that using flat sheets of manila hemp paper was much more comfortable and was advertised it as "the greatest necessity of the age". He then made it into a medically lubricated paper with aloe used for hemorrhoids. 

Scott Toilet Paper - 2018

Unfortunately, Gayetty's business failed and in stepped Thomas, Edward, and Clarence Scott. They founded the Scott Paper Company in 1879 and began selling paper on a roll instead of common flat sheets. This is now the brand you know as Scott Toilet Paper. 

Come and check out some of the old toilets people used in the 19th century at the Backus-Page House Museum:
29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, ON
(519) 762-3072

Fun Fact Friday #12 - Got Syrup? 🍁

      Did you know that maple syrup has more calcium in it than milk?

      Maple syrup seems to be a more reliable source of many different nutrients. You may have heard that the amount of calcium in milk "helps build strong bones", but in reality maple syrup contains about 321.3 mg of calcium per cup while milk contains 300 mg. Maple syrup also contains more potassium than a banana in the same context! There is also a ton of magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and iron! Who knew your pancakes could actually be so healthy?

Come learn more about maple syrup at the Backus-Page House Museum:

29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, ON
(519) 762-3072

Fun Fact Friday #9 - Little Ireland 🍀

Colonel T. Talbot

      Did you know that the first four settlers in the Dunwich township were all related?

      On July 14, 1809, a raft-like boat sailed along the shore of Lake Erie. Packed with men, women, and children and all of their belongings, scared and excited to see what this new land had to offer. They finally landed and were met by a short, stocky man named Colonel Thomas Talbot. He was happy to greet them because they were the kind of settlers he wanted, Irish.

      There were four individual families aboard that craft, Storey, Backus, Patterson, and Pearce. Mary Storey was the eldest. A widow at 51 accompanied by her son, Walter, and daughters, Anne and Sarah. Anne ended up marrying Stephen Backus (another settler) and they bared eleven children. Leslie Patterson immigrated at the same time as his sister, Mary Storey, and met and married Lydia Backus. Mary and Leslie's other sister, Frances Patterson, married John Pearce in Pennsylvania, but then made their way to the Talbot Settlement along with the others.

      There is a barn quilt hung at the Backus-Page House Museum in honour of the four settling families. It is a green and yellow Irish star that symbolizes the families' ancestry. The star also emphasizes the progress that the settlers had made. Finally, the four pointed star represents the four families.

Visit Stephen Backus and Anne Storey's grandchildren's home at:
29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, ON
(519) 762-3072

A map of Elgin County in 1877.
Second from the left is the area (Dunwich)
 the families settled on.

Fun Fact Fridays #8 - Eva Pearce

      Did you know that Backus-Page House has Eva Pearce's bed that she scratched her name into almost 130 years ago?

      Eva Pearce was a young lady that was born in 1881 (d. 1965) and was a granddaughter to William Pearce, who settled on Lot 11, Concession 8, Dunwich in 1826. William was one of the first four settlers in that township. The area he chose to settle on is now known as Pearce Williams Christian Centre and is a summer camp for children who come from all over Canada.

      At Backus-Page House we have the exact bed that Eva Pearce slept on. It is a rope style bed (see Fun Fact Friday #3 - Sleep Tight... to learn more) with a head board that Eva, herself, carved her name into. It does not take long to figure out where her name is, but you can always come visit us to see for yourself!

Backus-Page Hosue Museum
29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, ON
(519) 762-3072

Fun Fact Fridays #7 - Bye, Bye Beavers 🐾

      Did you know that in the 19th century the beaver population in Canada was nearly extinct?

      Beaver pelts were a very important part of the Canadian fur trade economy. Starting out, they were mostly used for coats, but moving towards the end of the 18th century and beginning of the 19th century hats became a very fashionable item. People would wear hats on a daily basis and they were used as a status symbol instead of keeping the sun off their faces or keeping their ears warm.

      Hunters found it difficult to find beavers in certain regions, so they moved their hunt towards the north and west and established a large network of forts and supply routes that assisted in the development of Canadian economy. Though the money was good, the beaver population became scarce and were all almost completely wiped out until, finally,  in the late 19th century beaver pelts were not as sought after. Afterwards beavers reproduced quickly and can now be found near rivers, streams, small lakes, and marshes throughout North America.

      Come feel a real beaver pelt and try on a top hat made out of beaver pelt at:
29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, ON
(519) 762-3072

Top Hat Made Out of Beaver Pelt

Beaver Pelt

Fun Fact Fridays #6 - Don't Throw the Baby Out with the Bath Water! 🛁

      Did you know that in the 19th century families would bathe from oldest to youngest and all use the same bath water? Usually in the summer, the Backus family usually bathed in the lake across the street, but it was way too cold to do that in the winter. Instead, they had either a bathtub or just a tub of water that they would all share. Starting with Andrew (the oldest), they would bathe one by one with the bath water getting dirtier and dirtier with every bath. Andrew and Mary Jane had 12 children altogether (only 6 lived to adulthood), so you can imagine how dirty that water would be when the baby goes. Hence, "don't throw the baby out with the bath water". Then again, it would really help the immune system. 

      Come see the type of bathtub the Backus' would have had in person at:
29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, ON
(519) 762-3072

Fun Fact Fridays #5 - Better than a Scarf! ⛄

Hand-Drawn Portrait of
 Andrew Backus

      Did you know that in the 19th century it was very popular and fashionable to have neck beards? Talk about the complete opposite of fashion today! Backus-Page House's very own, Andrew Backus, had a long, scruffy neck beard that fit right in with the popular styles.

      To have a certified neck beard the face must be completely shaven with only facial hair starting right at the jaw line. Sometimes men would have a mustache to go along with it, but it was only a neck beard if the mustache did not connect with the beard.

      It is known that popularity of neck beards started growing when a young philosopher by the name of Henry David Thoreau showed off his remarkable facial hair. People in the 19th century either extremely loved or extremely hated Thoreau for his views on slavery. Canada, during this time period, was viewed as a safe haven for the slaves coming from the United States. The Slavery Abolition Act came into play in 1834 and it was not until over 30 years later that the U.S. followed Canada's lead.

      Come check out Andrew Backus' neck beard and house at:
29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, ON
(519) 762-3072

Henry David Thoreau
(in all his neck beard glory)

Fun Fact Friday #4 - O Canada! 🍁

Calixa Lavallee

      Did you know that the man who wrote the Canadian national anthem fought in the American Civil War?

      Calixa Lavallee was a French-Canadian musician and Union Army band musician during the Civil War. He is best known for writing "O Canada" in 1880, which eventually became the Canadian national anthem in 1980. 

      He was a world wide singer and performer that played shows in multiple countries including Brazil, Mexico, and the United States. He returned to the U.S after touring around and enlisted in the 4th Rhode Island Volunteers of the Union Army as a cornet (a brass instrument similar to the trumpet) player. He attained the rank lieutenant, but was wounded in the Battle of Antietam. He then made his way home and spent most of his life playing music in Canada and the U.S. 

      Come on out to Tyrconnell Heritage Society's Civil War reenactment this weekend (July 28 & 29 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM) to learn more about Canadians and the American Civil War! There will be music, food, artifacts, and even a reenactment of the Battle of Gettysburg! It is $8.00 per person and free for children 12 and under. 29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, Ontario. Call (519) 762-3072 or visit www.backuspagehouse.ca for more information!

Fun Fact Fridays #3 - Sleep Tight...

      Did you know that the saying, "sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite", comes from rope beds that were made in the 19th century?

      

      Instead of having a box spring holding up the mattress, people would use ropes tied in a square pattern. To keep the mattress from sinking to the floor, people would need to tighten the ropes before going to bed.  Therefore, "sleep tight". 

      Mattresses were not nearly as comfortable as they are today. Most mattresses these days have either memory foam or some type of fluffy material to keep people comfortable and happy while sleeping. In the 1800s, though, people would stuff their mattress with either grass clippings or straw/hay. Usually bugs would be swept up along with whatever the mattress was stuffed with. Therefore, "don't let the bed bugs bite". 

Hay/Grass Clippings/Leaf Stuffed Mattress

Rope Bed "Box Spring"

      

Fun Fact Fridays #2 - Summer Lovin' 🌞

Backus-Page House (Today)
Outline of Summer Kitchen

      Did you know that most houses in the 19th century had an attachment called the summer kitchen? These were used as another space to cook food in. In the summer months it can get scorching hot and air conditioning was, of course, not invented yet. To keep the house a little cooler people would cook their food in the summer kitchen. Today, when we want to keep the house cooler, we cook our food outside on the barbecue. This is a very similar concept.

      The summer kitchen at the Backus-Page House, we believe, was made out of wood. Unfortunately the summer kitchen is not still standing, but we can assume it was wood based on an old picture we have. It was unusual to make your summer kitchen out of wood because wood is easier to catch on fire, but it is less expensive than building it out of another material.

To see where the summer kitchen used to be visit at at:
29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, ON
(519) 762-3072

Backus-Page House
Bottom Left Side of House - Summer Kitchen is Visible