The Ontario Historical Society

Model Railroad Club Toronto Holiday Show
2023-12-02 11:00 - 16:00, 2023-12-03 11:00 - 16:00 (America/Toronto) | Model Railroad Club of Toronto, 11 Curity Avenue, Toronto, ON, M4B 1X4, Canada
The Model Railroad Club of Toronto celebrates the holidays!
Now in its 85th year, the Club has welcomed thousands to view Canada’s premier O scale model railroad.
Inspired by the Central Ontario Railway, the railway captures the flavour of Central Ontario including industries and natural features. Look for holiday touches along the railway!
The Club appeals to a child’s sense of wonder and an adult’s interest in technology, artistry and history. See trains pass through cities, towns and countryside, popping in and out of tunnels and crossing bridges overhead. Explore model railroading techniques ranging from homemade to 3D printing. The club uses true-to-life (prototypical) switching, signals and dispatching of passenger and freight trains, which are controlled digitally, all on wifi.
Saturday December 2 & Sunday December 3, 2023
11 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.
Purchase tickets at the door: cash, debit, credit card
Children $10, Seniors $12, Adults $15, Family rate: $45.
11 Curity Avenue, Toronto 416-536-8927
http://www.modelrailroadclub.com/
Note: basement location, not wheelchair accessible.
Parking is free, and TTC access is via the 91 Woodbine Bus from Woodbine Station.
We hope to see you there

Christmas by Candlelight at Lang Pioneer Village Museum
2023-12-02 16:00 - 20:00, 2023-12-03 16:00 - 20:00 | Lang Pioneer Village Museum, 104 Lang Rd, Keene, ON, K0L 2G0, Canada
Delight in the sights, sounds and smells of the holiday season during Christmas by Candlelight, Saturday & Sunday, December 2 & 3 at Lang Pioneer Village Museum! From 4 pm to 8 pm each night, relive the pleasures and peacefulness of a traditional Pioneer Christmas.
Hear the jingle of sleigh bells as you hop aboard a horse-drawn wagon ride and see stars shining brightly in the country night sky. Discover the beauty of the historic village lit by the soft glow of candles, lamps, and lanterns. Throughout the Village, enjoy the familiar scent of hearth fires, pine and cedar garlands and freshly-made natural centerpieces.
Experience a pioneer’s first Christmas in the wilderness at the Fife Cabin and hear the crackle of chestnuts roasting over an open fire. Listen to stories of the Michi Saagiig about how they survived and thrived in the winter months in the Aabnaabin Gallery. Witness the merriment of friends who have gathered for the holidays and join in on a toast to the holiday season at the Fitzpatrick House. Learn about traditional holiday treats and sample some Turkish Delight in the Milburn House.
Discover the history of the toy maker at the Carpenter Shop and the nutcracker at the Cider Mill. While there, sample some delicious sugar plums! View a selection of early Christmas gift ideas at the General Store. Sit and enjoy the sweet chiming of the bells with Christmas tunes performed by the Note-a-Bells in the Jacquard Loom Interpretive Centre. Listen to a reading of the
traditional Christmas tale T’Was the Night Before Christmas in the Print Shop and hear the story of the mammoth cheese ball in the Cheese Factory. Have some fun participating in the reindeer games like tandem ski, snowshoe and sled races. Do you know the story of the Flying Canoe? Hear the tale and enjoy traditional shanties and Christmas songs performed by Glen Caradus and
Fiddling Jay. Don’t forget to visit with Father and Mother Christmas themselves.
Inhale the aroma of home baking on a wood burning stove in the kitchen of the Keene Hotel. Enjoy warmth from the fire as you tempt your taste buds with delicious treats and hot drinks to warm your insides. If you need sustenance, stop by the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building where we will be serving ham and savory on a bun. There will also be delicious freshly popped kettle corn for sale served by Ben’s Kettle. Capture a family keepsake and take your family Christmas photo in the winter sleigh. There are a variety of items to be won in the Christmas raffle including a one-of-a-kind Jacquard carpet bag made on Lang’s own Jacquard loom. If you are looking for some unique tree ornaments and gifts, be sure to peruse the selection available in the Museum Shop.
On Sunday at 7:00 pm, witness a live nativity complete with animals and a choir presented by the Keene United Church. In the giving spirit of the season, on both evenings, please bring one or more non-perishable food item(s) to donate to the Otonabee-South Monaghan Food Cupboard (drop off in the Museum Shop). A list of items most needed will be available on our website.
Get into the spirit of the season with Christmas by Candlelight, Saturday & Sunday, December 2 & 3 from 4 pm to 8 pm each night at Lang Pioneer Village Museum! Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for students and seniors (60+), $7 for youths (ages 5- 14), free for children under 5. Family admission is also available for $40 and includes 2 adults and up to 4 youths ages 5-14. All taxes included. Visitors may purchase admission in advance via the Museum’s online shop at https://lang-pioneer-village-museum.myshopify.com/, but advance purchase is not required. On site parking is available on a first come, first served basis.
For more information, please visit our website at www.langpioneervillage.ca.

Toronto's First Post Office Holiday Open House
2023-12-03 12:30 - 15:30 | Toronto’s First Post Office, Adelaide Street East 260, Toronto, Ontario, M5A 1N1, Canada
Our annual year end social is back! In partnership with the Toronto Letter Writers Society, we will be holding our Holiday Open House event on December 3 from 12:30pm-3:30pm. Drop-in throughout the day to write a letter to Santa, work on your regular correspondence, design your very own holiday postcard, and enjoy some holiday nibbles in good company. Virtual participation will be available by emailing torontoletterwriters@gmail.com for the zoom information. All ages are welcome!
Entry by Donation!

Guelph Historical Society Evenings with History: A History of the Guelph Public Library
2023-12-05 19:30 | Guelph Museum, 52 Norfolk St, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
Speaker: Darcy Hilts, Archivist

The Weston Historical Society 41st Annual Old-fashioned Christmas Carol & Hymn Sing
2023-12-06 19:30 - 21:00 | Weston Presbyterian Church, Cross Street 11, Toronto, Ontario, M9N 2B8, Canada
The Weston Historical Society will be hosting its 41st Annual Old-fashioned Christmas Carol & Hymn Sing Wednesday December 6, 2023 from 7:30pm until 9:00 pm
Weston Presbyterian Church, 11 Cross Street, Weston
All Are Welcome!
Refreshments will be served after the event.
Donations of non-perishable items would be greatly appreciated for the Weston Area Emergency Support, and a free will offering for the church.
Parking is available at the back of the church.

Swansea Historical Society Monthly Meeting - An Immersive Journey Through the History of Tap Dancing
2023-12-06 20:00 | Swansea Town Hall, 95 Lavinia Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M6S 3H9, Canada
Join us on Wednesday, December 6 at 8 p.m. for an immersive journey through tap dance history, beautifully narrated through storytelling and dance. With over 300 years of evolution, this art form has a rich and complex past that intertwines with jazz music and jazz movements.
Speakers (and dancers!) Trina Josdal & Amy Lintunen are co-directors of Vintage Taps, a vaudeville inspired tap dance company. They are dance instructors at Swansea School of Dance and active members of the Swansea community.
This meeting will be offered as a hybrid meeting, but given the nature of this topic, which will include live dance, the event will be best experienced in-person, on location, at Swansea Town Hall, Rousseau Room. For those who still prefer to join us online, you can join us via Zoom using the links on our WEBSITE.

Town of York Historical Society Annual Fall Author Series 2023: Ian Radforth
2023-12-07 19:00 - 20:30 | Toronto’s First Post Office, 260 Adelaide Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M5A 1N1, Canada
Join us on December 7th for the final evening presentation of our Annual Fall Author’s Series!
Dr. Ian Radforth will present on his publication “Jeannie’s Demise: Abortion on Trial in Victorian Toronto ” as he unveils the results of his detailed investigation of a backstreet abortion that occurred on the streets of Toronto in 1875 and its tragic consequences while exploring the story about how one woman navigated politics in Victorian Toronto, when abortion was illegal.
Ian Radforth’s “Jeannie’s Demise” uncovers a real-life Victorian melodrama that played out in the bustling streets and courtrooms of “Toronto the Good,” cast with all the lurid stock characters of the genre. Historian Ian Radforth brings to life an era in which abortion was illegal, criminal proceedings were a spectator sport, and coded advertisements for back-alley procedures ran in the margins of newspapers. Part gripping procedural, part meticulous autopsy, “Jeannie’s Demise” opens a rare window into the hidden history of a woman’s right to choose.
About the Author:
Ian Radforth is a Canadian social historian who has taught for more than three decades in the department of history at the University of Toronto with a focus on labour and immigration history. He is the author of many historical works such as “Bushworkers and Bosses: Logging in Northern Ontario, 1900-1980” and “Royal Spectacle: The 1860 Visit of the Prince of Wales to Canada and the United States.” Radforth has also served as the representative of the history department’s Ethnic, Immigration, and Pluralism Studies Program Committee.

Bradford West Gwillimbury Local History Association 2023 Auld Kirk Caroling
2023-12-09 14:00 - 16:00 | Auld Kirk, 3380 Line 6, Bradford, Ontario, L3Z 2A4, Canada

Toronto Railway Museum Online Lecture: Halifax Explosion and the Role of Railways
2023-12-14 19:00 - 20:30 | online
On December 6th, 1917 the SS Mont-Blanc collided with the SS Imo in the harbour of Halifax, Nova Scotia. What resulted was a devastating explosion that caused many deaths, many more casualties, and the destruction of Halifax itself.
This explosion is still regarded as one of the largest human-engineered explosions on record and is an unforgettable part of 20th century Canadian history. Responding to the disaster was a collective effort that included the railways in northeastern Canada and the US. Join us and Roger Sarty on December 14 for the final online lecture in our 2023 series. Free! Registration required.

Book Signing Event at the Sudbury Region Police Museum
2023-12-16 10:00 - 14:00 | Sudbury Region Police Museum, Larch Street 128, Greater Sudbury, Ontario, P3E 5J8, Canada
The Sudbury Region Police Museum invites you to attend a book signing & meet local author and museum vice-chair Retired OPP Detective Sergeant David Lalonde.
He recently published his first novel called “Death of a Millionaire”
Saturday, December 16th
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Refreshments to be served and museum tours available.

Toronto Railway Museum - Christmas at the Roundhouse
2023-12-16 11:00 - 16:00 | Toronto Railway Museum, 255 Bremner Blvd, Stall 17, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 3M9, Canada
Christmas is here at the Roundhouse! On Saturday December 16, join the Toronto Railway Museum for a family Christmas event.
Get into the holiday spirit with story time and hot chocolate inside the museum. Plus, explore exhibits, test drive the train simulator, take festive photos with the Porter locomotive, and visit our friends at Operation Lifesaver at their pop-up! Free event, some activities require admission.

Esquesing Historical Society: Halton Hills: The Sum of Its Parts
2024-01-10 19:00 | Helson Gallery, Church Street 9, Halton Hills, Ontario, L7G 2A3, Canada

The Historical Society of Ottawa Speaker Series: SONGS & STORIES OF OTTAWA'S PAST
2024-01-10 19:00 | online
Join us for an enchanting evening as Paul Weber shares tales from Ottawa’s history through story and music.
This speaker series presentation will take place on Zoom. Registration: tinyurl.com/HSO-10-Jan-2024

All are welcome to attend without charge.

Toronto Railway Museum Online Lecture: An Evening with Stephen R. Bown
2024-01-18 19:00 - 20:00 | online
Join us on Thursday, January 18 for an evening with award-winning author Stephen R. Bown as he discusses his latest book Dominion: The Railway and the Rise of Canada, which tells the gripping and eye-opening account of the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway and how it enabled the nation of Canada.
With over 3,000 kilometers of track, much of it driven through wildly inhospitable terrain, the CPR would be the longest railway in the world and the most difficult to build. Its construction was the defining event of its era and a catalyst for powerful global forces.
In recent years Canadian history has been given a rude awakening from the comforts of its myths. In Dominion, Stephen Bown again widens our view of the past to include the adventures and hardships of explorers and surveyors, the resistance of Indigenous peoples, and the terrific and horrific work of many thousands of labourers. His vivid portrayal of the powerful forces that were molding the world in the late 19th century provides a revelatory new picture of modern Canada’s creation as an independent state.

Toronto's First Post Office - Annual Fall Author Series: Lorna Poplak
2024-01-25 19:00 - 20:30 | Toronto’s First Post Office, Adelaide Street East 260, Toronto, Ontario, M5A 1N1, Canada
Join us as we explore the Darker Side of Toronto History with the final presentation in our Annual Author Series! On January 25th Lorna Poplak will present on her publication “The Don”” as she unveils and investigates the origins and evolution of Toronto’s most infamous jail, presenting a in-depth exploration of the jail from its inception through jailbreaks and overcrowding to its eventual closure and rebirth. Pre-registration is required and spots are limited!

The Historical Society of Ottawa Speaker Series: OTTAWA'S SHORELINE... BUILT FROM GARBAGE?
2024-01-27 13:00 | Ottawa Public Library, Main Branch, 120 Metcalfe St., Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5M2, Canada
Running out of landfill space? Why not dump it in the river! The 1950s and 1960s was an era of all-important progress and little concern for “environmental assessments”. Learn about the decision-making process that led to much of the Ottawa River shoreline from Mechanicsville through LeBreton Flats being built from our garbage.
Learn about this story and more as Dave Allston takes a look back at some of the major alterations to Ottawa’s landscape in the years following Jacques Greber’s sweeping recommendations.

Guelph Historical Society Public Lecture - A Stolen Life: The Life of Richard Pierpoint
2024-02-06 19:30 | Guelph Museum, 52 Norfolk St, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
The speaker for Black History Month is Peter Meyler, co-author of A Stolen Life: Searching for Richard Pierpoint.
He will recount the story of Richard Pierpoint, a slave, and veteran of the American Revolution and the War of 1812 who established himself in the Fergus area with land in Garafraxa Township after the War of 1812.

The Historical Society of Ottawa Speaker Series: THE HISTORY OF OTTAWA'S CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY
2024-02-07 19:00 | online
Dave Tulloch looks back at how people from the Caribbean have made Ottawa their home over the past seven decades, making the transition from sandy beaches to some of the coldest winters in the world, and coming together to form one of the city’s most vital and vibrant communities.
This speaker series presentation will take place on Zoom. Registration: tinyurl.com/HSO-2024-02-07

All are welcome to attend without charge.

Weston Historical Society Speak Presentation: “Riverstoryz: Conversations on the Humber River”
2024-02-07 19:30 | Weston Seniors’ Residence, King Street 15, Toronto, Toronto, M9N 3X1, Canada
The Weston Historical Society invites you to attend our next meeting Wednesday February 7th 2024 at 7:30pm with Guest Speaker: Chris Higgins. His presentation topic is: “Riverstoryz: Conversations on the Humber River.”
Please join us for what promises to be an interesting and informative evening. Join us at Central King Seniors’ Residence, 15 King Street, Weston.
Books will be available for purchase for $21.00 — CASH only.
All Welcome!
Refreshments served after the meeting

Albion Bolton Historical Society "Upper Canada Preserved"
2024-02-12 19:30 | Albion Bolton Community Centre (Meeting Room C, 2nd Floor), 150 Queen St. South, Bolton, Ontario, L7E 1E3, Canada
Presented by Richard David Feltoe February 12, 2024 at 7:30 P.M.
After over 200 years, the War of 1812-1815 may seem a distant memory. However, it is still possible to visit many of these significant historic sites and event locations across Ontario (Upper Canada). Feltoe will lead a virtual tour of some of these historic locations, using original artwork and current photographs to reveal what can be seen on a modern family tour or day-trip down the Niagara Peninsula.

Four Seasons Bottle Collectors Club Presentation “The Rich History of 19th-century Toronto Potteries.”
2024-02-17 19:00 - 21:00 | Armour Heights Community Centre, Avenue Road 2140, Toronto, Ontario, M5M 4M7, Canada
FSBC is proud to host Moe Johnson as a guest speaker at our Feb 17th meeting. The topic of the presentation is “The Rich History of 19th-century Toronto
Potteries.”
Moe Johnson is well known for his book, “The Potter’s Reach in 19th Century Ontario,” which examines Ontario Pottery and its place in the province’s social
and economic development. The presentation is about an hour in length followed by a shorter “show and tell” where you are invited to bring an example or two from your collection for
discussion.
We meet at the Armour Heights Community Center, 2140 Avenue Road Toronto.
Start time is 7:00 pm.
Space is limited at the facility, please RSVP to: Jon Matheson FSBC (Four Seasons Bottle Club) Jwmatheson1@gmail.com

Model Railroad Club of Toronto Celebrates Family Day
2024-02-18 11:00 - 16:00, 2024-02-19 11:00 - 16:00 | Model Railroad Club of Toronto, 11 Curity Avenue, Toronto, ON, M4B 1X4, Canada
The Model Railroad Club of Toronto has many new scenes and architecture, such as stations modelled after Hamilton CNR and Leaside Stations, plus too many new details to count!
You’ll see over 85 years of innovation in technique from hand-crafted models to 3D printing. We use prototypical switching, signals and dispatching of passenger and freight trains, controlled digitally and connected with wifi.
Inspired by the Central Ontario Railway that ran from Picton to Maynooth, our O scale railroad captures some of the flavour of Central Ontario through industries and natural features, and by naming passenger cars after towns along the original route.
Sunday, February 18, Monday, February 19 (Family Day) & Sunday, February 25, 2024
11 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.

Purchase tickets at the door: cash, debit, credit card
Children $10, Seniors $12, Adults $15, Family rate: $45.
info@modelrailroadclub.com
www.modelrailroadclub.com

11 Curity Avenue, Toronto M4B 1X4
Note: basement location, not wheelchair accessible.
Parking is free, and TTC access is via the 91 Woodbine Bus from Woodbine Station.

We hope to see you there!

Coptic Museum of Canada Art Workshop: Intro to Stained Glass
2024-02-19 11:00 - 15:30 | Coptic Museum of Canada, 41 Glendinning Ave., Scarborough, Ontario, M1W 3E2
Family Heritage Day: Intro to Stained Glass
In celebration of Canadian Heritage Day, the Coptic Museum of Canada presents an opportunity to create stained glass works with artists Fadia and Akram Gabra.

To register, please email: Copticmuseumcanada@gmail.com. Registration deadline Feb 15 or when registration is full.

North York Historical Society presents Adam Bunch, The Toronto Book of Love
2024-02-21 19:00 | North York Central Library, 5120 Yonge St., North York, ON, M2N 5N9, Canada
The North York Historical Society is excited to have renowned author Adam Bunch present The Toronto Book of Love, that shares fascinating true tales of romance, marriage, and lust: From the scandalous love affairs of the city’s early settlers to the prime minister’s wife partying with rock stars on her anniversary; from First Nations marriage ceremonies to a pastor wearing a bulletproof vest to perform one of Canada’s first same-sex weddings. Home to adulterous movie stars, faithful rebels, and heartbroken spies, Toronto has been shaped by crushes, jealousies, and flirtations.
The Toronto Book of Love explores the evolution of the city from a remote colonial outpost to a major modern metropolis through the stories of those who have fallen in love among its ravines, church spires, and skyscrapers.

Adam has an “unmatched flair for storytelling” (Toronto Star) as “No one does Toronto history quite like Adam Bunch” (Open Book)

How better to celebrate the month of love?

Canada Black Music Archives - Black History Month Celebration
2024-02-23 16:00 - 20:00 | City of Toronto Archives, Spadina Road 255, Toronto, Ontario, M5R 2V3, Canada
You’re invited to a Black History Month Celebration!
The evening will feature performances by legendary artists Michie Mee, Shakura S’Aida, Jay Douglas, Kobena Aquaa-Harrison, and DJ Carl Allen, and will be hosted by Michael Williams. The event will also feature a display focussing on the life and accomplishments of Eric Mercury, and will feature a special address from Rosemary Sadlier.

The History Symposium Annual Conference
2024-02-24 09:00 - 16:30 | Museum London, Ridout Street North 421, London, Ontario, N6A 5H4, Canada
Since 1990, a small group of dedicated historians have annually held a History Symposium in South-Western Ontario. Based on the success of our 2021 and 2022 online conferences, we stayed online for 2023.
We are thrilled that we will be returning to an in-person format for 2024! We will also offer an online streaming option for our long-distance friends!
Online Registration
In-person Registration
For the first time ever, we are offering this Conference FREE OF CHARGE! Please consider making a donation to support this event.
8:00 – 9:00 – Registration
9:00 – 10:30 – First Speaker, Leroy Hibbert, Acknowledging, Celebrating and Understanding Black History
10:30 – 12:00 – Second Speaker, Graham Broad, London Knight: The Story of Eddie McKay, London’s First World War Flying Ace
12:00 – 1:30 – Lunch, including Three Minute Thesis Competition Replay
1:30 – 3:00 – Third Speaker, Hanae Weber, Loyalist Refugee Experiences During and After the American Revolution
3:00 – 4:30 – Fourth Speaker, Alison Klages, 50 Years On: Reflecting on the History and Next Steps for Ska-Nah-Doht Village and Museum
4:30 – Cocktail Reception

The Historical Society of Ottawa Speaker Series: A LOOK BACK AT A CENTURY+ OF SCOUTING AND GUIDING
2024-02-24 13:00 | Ottawa Public Library, Main Branch, 120 Metcalfe St., Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5M2, Canada
Guest Speaker: David Truemner & Emma Kent
Emma and David team up to examine the fascinating legacy of the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides here in Ottawa.

Visit our website for full details and the links to pre-register for the virtual (Zoom) presentations:

https://www.historicalsocietyottawa.ca/activities/meetings
