The Ontario Historical Society

Thunder Bay Museum: Reel Memories of the Lakehead: News from the Giant
2022-11-15 19:30 (America/Toronto) | Thunder Bay Museum, 425 Donald St E., Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7E 5V1, Canada
Join us at the Thunder Bay Museum on Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022 at 7:30 PM to watch some exciting recently digitized historical newsreel film with us.
The Thunder Bay Museum, Friends of the Finnish Labour Temple, and ShebaFilms presents:
Reel Memories of the Lakehead: News from the Giant
The Reel Memories of the Lakehead project was a partnership between the Thunder Bay Museum, Friends of the Finnish Labour Temple, and ShebaFilms. News from the Giant is a series of 8 short vignettes from the Thunder Bay (formerly Port Arthur and Fort William) and Northwestern Ontario region. These vignettes replicate the year-end highlight reels, that news stations and movie theaters of the day used to show, reviewing major events of the year. The newsreel film was originally donated to the Thunder Bay Museum by Fraser Dougall and spans from approximately 1958-1978. These vignettes represent a small portion of a very large collection of 16mm film that has been cleaned, spliced, and digitized for academic and public use.
Free Museum Admission during the event. Refreshments will be available.
To register please use the registration link or contact reception@thunderbaymuseum.com or at (807) 623-0801 (Tuesday to Sunday 1pm-5pm) indicating email address, phone number and the names of those attending in your party.

The Historical Society of Ottawa: Through My Lens
2022-11-16 13:00 | Ottawa Public Library, Main Branch, 120 Metcalfe St., Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5M2, Canada
Guest Speaker: Ron MacIvor, Award-winning Photojournalist, Parliament Hill with UPI (1970-1980), Ottawa Citizen (1980-2007)
Forty-two years as a photojournalist provided Ottawa’s Rod MacIvor with the opportunity to be an up-close witness to decades of history in the making. Rod talks about his journey as a photographer, how it all started at the Ottawa Ex…and some of the amazing places his remarkable career would take him.
All are welcome to attend without charge.

Friends of the South Grey Museum Speaker Series 2022: Barbara Dickson, "Bomb Girls: Trading Aprons for Ammo"
2022-11-16 19:00 | online
The Friends of the South Grey Museum invite you to the Speakers Series 2022, developed and hosted by Barry Penhale. As someone with an interest in the Museum and its programs, you know how much we have all missed many activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, including our series of talks. We decided to welcome our supporters back to a virtual series for 2022, offered as webinars via Zoom with another eight programs, occurring as usual on the third Wednesday of each month, April to November, at 7:00 pm.
The Museum being no longer available as a host site, and with the continuing threat of COVID, going virtual was the obvious solution. Moving to a virtual delivery brings with it some additional costs, so we have made this a subscription series, but we’ve kept the usual at-the-door cost as a household fee of $10 per session. We are grateful to the Municipality of Grey Highlands for continuing their support for the presenters.

Barbara Dickson is a professionally-trained public speaker, local historian, and award-winning author in both fiction and non-fiction. During the Second World War, over 21,000 patriotic citizens, predominately women, courageously worked with high explosives. Barbara provides an account of women working in high-security, dangerous conditions making bombs in Toronto during the Second World War. For over a four-year period they filled munitions for the Allied Forces at a top-secret facility located in Scarborough, Ontario.
Some 170 buildings comprised the site along with over four kilometres of secretive tunnels, which remain as mysterious today as they did years ago. What was it like to work in a munitions factory during the Second World War? Barbara’s comprehensive presentation focuses not only on the breadth of the war-time endeavour but also on the amazing women who worked there. This little-known military story about Canada’s bomb girls—the girls behind the guns—will appeal to every Canadian who honours those who fought for their freedom both overseas and here at home.

Many Sessions, Your Choice
Hoping you will join us for another exciting series, this time from the comfort of your home, no uncomfortable folding chairs, and no expenditure on gasoline!
Choose which parts of the series you prefer. Visit our web site for in-depth descriptions of The Sessions.
Full Series of all eight sessions monthly April to November
with one free session discount
for $70
OR
Half Series of four sessions monthly April to July
for $40
OR
Half Series of four sessions monthly August to November
for $40

Buy $70 Full Series (8 sessions) April to November
Buy $40 Half Series (4 sessions) April to July
Buy $40 Half Series (4 sessions) August to November

Kingston Historical Society (Virtual): David Gordon, "Mayor Clifford Curtis: Queen’s Economist and Municipal Reformer"
2022-11-16 19:00 | online
Please contact kingstonhs@gmail.com if you want the link to the Zoom presentation.

Orillia Museum of Art and History (Virtual): Jackson's Wars: A.Y. Jackson, The Birth of the Groups of Seven and The Great War
2022-11-16 19:00 | online
Before he cast his lot with a group of like-minded Toronto artists, Alexander Young (A.Y.) Jackson was an artist with a growing international reputation, as well as a soldier and a war artist. In this lecture, award-winning author Douglas Hunter will give a captivating account of the many wars Jackson fought, on and off the battlefields of Europe, with critics, collectors, public galleries and fellow artists, as he became one of the best-known Canadian artists of the 20th century.

Heritage Matters Live with Jay Pitter
2022-11-16 19:00 | Winter Garden Theatre, 189 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5B 1M4, Canada
Join us for a talk and panel discussion with award-winning placemaker and thought leader/city builder Jay Pitter.
Date: November 16, 2022 at 7 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.)
Location: Winter Garden Theatre, 189 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario
What is placemaking? Placemaking is an inclusive, community-based approach to public space design, activation/programming and policy.
The Ontario Heritage Trust is excited to announce that Jay Pitter is the Heritage Matters Live 2022 speaker and will be giving a talk called “The Future of Culture is …” This event will be hosted and moderated by Nahlah Ayed, host of CBC Ideas.
Pitter’s work is at the cutting edge of understanding and grappling with our complicated histories while ensuring an equitable future. Her incredible experience in placemaking, as well as her broader work in the culture sector, will make for a thought-provoking talk that will tackle the future of culture and design through a heritage lens.
In “The Future of Culture Is …,” Pitter asks us to examine how we define heritage, whose heritage is deemed worthy of protection and how to confront the complexity of colonial heritage symbols. Using examples from her practice, research and community stories, Pitter will take audiences on a journey that starts in the past, before looking at new possibilities for the future.
Jay Pitter has a vast body of experience to draw from, and some recent examples of her projects include:
— working with the City of Toronto to develop a Cultural District Program Proposal and a Little Jamaica Master Plan
— engaging the community regarding a statue to Queen Victoria and local efforts to decolonize public spaces, for the City of Kitchener
— leading the project to reimagine the Cheapside Confederate monument in Lexington, Kentucky, with site practice and research to address the community impacts of these public commemorations
At the end of the talk, there will be an onstage panel discussion with Pitter and a number of guests who will share examples of the tangible ways that individuals and organizations can meet the positive vision for the future laid out in Pitter’s presentation.

Heritage Ottawa (Virtual): Welcome to the Tunnel. Now: How'd we Get In, and How do we Get Out?
2022-11-16 19:00 | online
The mushrooming fix-up business is the largest component of Canada’s largest industry, construction. In Ontario, it pumps tens of billions of dollars annually into our GDP. And one in every eight Ontario buildings was constructed before World War II.
But if it is so economically vital, Marc Denhez asks, why is it still so hard to target even the best-of-the-best for reuse, instead of a trip to the dump? How did we get into this tunnel?
Join Marc Denhez, lawyer and adjudicator with over 30 years’ experience in the law of built, natural and intangible heritage, who breaks the problem down into three clear headwinds:
– A biased tax structure (including incentives for demolition and disincentives for repair);
– Misleading branding of the fix-up / reuse option; and
– Shortages of funded training for doing good fix-up on a budget.
Marc also sets out a path that could lead us out of the tunnel. Find out how a level playing field could be restored to the industry in order to not only sustain our building assets, but capitalize on them.

Mississauga South Historical Society: Lakeview: Past, Present, Future
2022-11-16 19:00 | Huron Park Recreation Centre: Iroquois Room, 830 Paisley Boulevard West, Mississauga, Ontario, L5C 3P5, Canada
Speaker: Ward 1 councilor Stephen Dasko
People from all over have discovered that Mississauga South is a great place to live. New residential developments are springing up all across Clarkson, Lakeview, Lorne Park and Port Credit. In many cases, historic homes, stores and parks are being removed to make room for new homes and condos, yet many of the newcomers have chosen to live here to be part of the historic charm that Mississauga South still has, but may lose.
Our public meeting for November will look at our past and our future. Our slate of presenters for the evening will take stock of what we still have in Mississauga South and look at what the community can do to save what we still have.
This meeting, and all upcoming MSHS meetings are free events.

Oakville Historical Society Speakers Night: History of the Oakville Fire Department
2022-11-16 19:20 - 21:00 | St. John’s United Church, Oakville, 262 Randall Street, Oakville, Ontario, L6J 1P9, Canada
Rick Barrett: History of the OFD
​​
Rick Barrett is a retired Captain with the Oakville Fire Department.
His career ran from April 1976 until retirement in May 2004.
Rick spent his career working at the different stations situated throughout Oakville, finishing as Captain on Ladder 232.
For one year, Rick was the first Public education officer for the OFD.
Hear about the early years of the OFD and the volunteers. Then the transition when Oakville started hiring full time in the early 60’s.
The equipment and changes that occurred over the years.
See pictures of the major fires that were fought in Oakville’s history.
​
What happens after dark at the Oakville Fire Department Museum?

Women's Art Association of Canada (Virtual): Artist’s Voice ZOOM Lecture Series: “Seeing Your City in the Park” with Robert Burley
2022-11-17 13:00 - 14:00 | online
Robert Burley will discuss his work exploring landscapes where the urban and the natural worlds meet. This will include an overview of two recent book projects (An Enduring Wilderness ECW 2017 & Accidental Wilderness 2020) and a discussion of new work-in-progress.
His photographs of the visual landscape and its concentration on the relationship between nature and the city, have been extensively published and can be found in the National Gallery of Canada and internationally. Books featuring his work include Viewing Olmsted: Photographs by Robert Burley, Lee Friedlander, and Geoffrey James (MIT Press 1996) and The Disappearance of Darkness: Photography at the End of the Analog Era (Princeton Architectural Press 2012). He is the recipient of numerous awards, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a Senior Mellon Fellow. He is represented by the Stephen Bulger Gallery.

Culinary Historians of Canada (In-Person and Virtual): Naomi Duguid Talks About Her New Book, The Miracle of Salt
2022-11-17 19:00 - 20:30 | Campbell House Museum, 160 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 3H3, Canada
Award-winning cookbook author Naomi Duguid talks about her latest, The Miracle of Salt, a “mesmerizing mix of history and recipes.”
About this event
Naomi Duguid, who’s taken food lovers to many corners of the globe, now invites readers and cooks on a very different journey—a deep dive into the miracle of salt and its essential role in preserving, fermenting, and transforming food.
Duguid will look at salt’s history and its impact on culture and cuisine across the globe. She’ll explain how salt — the chemical — works, how it’s used to ferment and preserve, and how that knowledge can be used to make basics like miso, sauerkraut and basturma. She’ll talk about what to cook with salt-preserved ingredients like salt cod, kimchi, fish sauce and preserved lemons and how to create a “salt pantry” with enticing blends of salt and spices. Duguid will wrap up the talk by elaborating on the ways salt transforms everything it touches, from vegetables, soups, mains, pasta dishes, to desserts. A Q&A will follow the talk.

Building Toronto: Railways and the Development of Toronto Online Lecture
2022-11-17 19:00 - 20:30 | ON
Join us for “Building Toronto: Railways and the Development of Toronto”, an online lecture on November 17!
How did the railways benefit Toronto? What ways did Toronto City Council support this type of development? Building Toronto: Railways and the Development of Toronto will focus on the development of railways in Toronto from a political perspective. Presenter Michael Dowbenka will discuss how the construction of railways to and in Toronto were supported and encouraged by Toronto City Council and what role they played in the process.
FREE TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE
Tickets for this event are free, although registration is required. Please note this event has a limited capacity.
Attendees will get access to our exclusive Zoom meeting room, where they can engage directly with the presenter and museum historians in a post-lecture Q&A. The event will begin at 7pm Eastern Standard Time, and will end at 8:30pm EST.

National Trust for Canada (Virtual): Getting Ready to Fundraise for Your Heritage Place
2022-11-18 13:00 - 13:45 | online
FREE

It all begins with a Plan. Avoid the pitfall of lurching from one scheme to another and get your fundraising off to a good start. In this fundraising webinar, learn how to create your fundraising plan – from setting goals, to choosing strategies that fit your resources, establishing budgets and timelines, and building a volunteer team. Get ready to fundraise for your heritage place!
Who should attend? This introduction to fundraising will benefit organization leaders and staff involved in fundraising, volunteers, board members, & committee chairs.
This webinar is part of a free bundle of fundraising webinars available to you through Regeneration Works, a program of the National Trust for Canada.

UEL Kawartha Branch November 2022 Meeting (Virtual): Birchtown: Its People and Their Stories
2022-11-20 14:00 | online
Speaker: Stephen Davidson UE
Based on his 2019 book Birchtown and the Black Loyalist Experience: From 1775 to the Present. Available in bookstores, richly illustrated with photos of Birchtown and the Black Loyalist Heritage Centre, this book recounts the saga of Canada’s first free Black founders.
Join a few minutes early at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81576651796?pwd=[REDACTED]

Scarborough Historical Society November 2022 Meeting: "Battle of the Atlantic" with Ted Barris
2022-11-22 19:30 | Bendale Branch, Toronto Public Library, 1515 Danforth Rd., Scarborough, Ontario, M1J 1H5, Canada
Please visit our website www.scarboroughhistorical.ca for news and updates.

Thunder Bay Museum Free Public Lecture (In Person and Virtual): POW Art Exhibit- George Romick
2022-11-22 19:30 | Thunder Bay Museum, 425 Donald St E., Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7E 5V1, Canada
Please join the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society for a lecture from George Romick on POW art. This will be a in-person event that is free to view. The lecture will be broadcast live via ZOOM for those who cannot attend in-person and recorded and posted to the Museum’s YouTube at a later date.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE WEBINAR
In conjunction with the exhibit partnership between the Thunder Bay Museum and the Thunder Bay Military Museum to display arts and crafts of World War II prisoners-of-war, this lecture will discuss the story of German submariner Georg Hoegel and his diverse artwork created while interned at POW camps in England, Northwestern Ontario and Alberta.
Speaker Bio:
George Romick has been the Director and Curator of the Thunder Bay Military Museum since 2010 and has revamped the complete museum to bring it up to modern display requirements. He has a vast knowledge of military history and military items, including the Military History of Northwestern Ontario and the Lake Superior Scottish Regiment. He is also the Vice President of the Organizations of Military Museums of Canada (OMMC), which is a national organization for the promotion of military museums in Canada. He is also a member of the Honours & Awards Committee, the Governance Committee of the OMMC and assisted with the 2022 OMMC Studies Program in Sackville, New Brunswick. George joined the Canadian Armed Forces reserves in 1975 and progressed through the ranks from Private to Chief Warrant Officer, then taking his Commission to Captain. He presently a Captain with the Canadian Instructor Cadre, with 2294 18(Thunder Bay) Service Battalion Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps, where he has been the Commanding Officer and is presently the Administrative Officer. He will be retiring from the Canadian Armed Forces at the end of January 2023, just shy of 47 years of service.
Free Museum Admission during the event. Refreshments will be available.

Mattawa Museum 2022 Annual General Meeting
2022-11-24 19:00 | Mattawa Museum, 285 First St., Mattawa, Ontario, P0H 1V0, Canada
The annual general meeting (AGM) of the Mattawa Museum will be held on Thursday, November 24, 2022 at the Museum on 285 First Street beginning at 7pm.
It has been both an exciting and successful year for the Museum, with a significant number of visitors, an interesting and immensely popular traditional Indigenous canoe build on site during the summer, the realization of several funding grants, and the employment of an enthusiastic and youthful summer staff.
“We are very proud of all that has been accomplished this year,” says Judy Toupin, Curator of the Museum. “It was without a doubt one of our best years ever, and we want to build on that momentum.”
The AGM will highlight much of what has been achieved at the Museum during 2022 and will also present future opportunities and options that will allow for its continued growth and success.
“There are about two hundred email subscribers of the Mattawa Museum and almost 1,000 followers on our Museum Facebook page.” says Judy. “We want to continue to our wonderful momentum by having a membership drive.”
One of the specific areas of interest for us as a member of this community is supporting our local youth. We had one of the most amazing teams of young people this past summer and giving back is especially important to us. To that end, as part of your paid Membership to the Museum, a portion of funds collected will be given in the form of a scholarship/bursary to each high school in our community.
We see this as a win-win-win, so let’s continue to support our community. Together we can grow and enhance the museum and increase its visitation so that it becomes an integral part of the many attractions in the Mattawa area.
Snacks and refreshments will be served during the Museum’s AGM, so please register if you plan to attend so that organizers can ensure that quantities are adequate. We look forward to seeing you there. To register for the Mattawa Museum AGM, please contact us at: curator@mattawamuseum.ca or 705-744-5495

UEL Association of Canada Toronto Branch November 2022 Meeting (Virtual): A Beginners look at DNA
2022-11-24 19:30 | online
This seminar is meant for those who are considering having their DNA tested for family history research and those who have tested and aren’t sure what to do with the results.
Beth has tested with several companies and worked with the results for about 8 years. She will go over what should be considered before testing, a brief comparison of the different companies and take attendees on a tour of the Ancestry and MyHeritages DNA sites. Beth is an active member of the Toronto Branches of the Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS) and UELAC, as well as the Upper Ottawa Valley Genealogical Group in Pembroke.
To register, email Sally Gustin, Programme Coordinator attorontouel@gmail.com. She will return the link early in the week of the meeting.

The Historical Society of St. Catharines Online Lecture (Virtual): “The Whisper on the Night Wind: The True History of a Wilderness Legend"
2022-11-24 19:30 | online
NOVEMBER 24, 2022 7:30pm “The Whisper on the Night Wind: The True History of a Wilderness Legend”, presented by Adam Shoalts, professional explorer and #1 national best-selling author.
N.B. Due to copyright issues, no recording for later viewing on Youtube will happen. So plan to attend on the 24th at 7:30 PM.

Hutchison House Museum Christmas Market
2022-11-26 10:00 - 12:00, 2022-11-27 10:00 - 12:00 | Hutchison House Museum, 270 Brock Street, Peterborough, Ontario, K9H 2P9, Canada
The Christmas Season is upon us, and Hutchison House Museum volunteers will host their annual Christmas Market on Saturday November 26 and Sunday November 27 from 10am-12pm. Baked Goods, Jams and Jellies, Pies and more! In addition to the Empire Cheese orders, we will be offering some of our most popular items for pre-ordering as well. Be sure to order ahead to ensure that you get the items you hope for. There will be NO Attic Treasures available this year. The Deadline for all advance orders is Wednesday November 16, 2022. For more info check out our website at www.phs-hutchisonhouse.ca or call the office at 705-743-9710.

Aylmer-Malahide Museum & Archives: Christmas Through the Ages Opening
2022-11-26 11:00 - 16:00 | Aylmer-Malahide Museum & Archives (New Location), 75 Talbot Street East, Aylmer, Ontario, N5H 1H3, Canada
Join us for Christmas Through the Ages, a pop-up exhibit looking at Christmas traditions and popular decorating styles through the years.
We will be holding the exhibit opening on November 26ᵗʰ between 11 am and 4 pm, during which visitors can enjoy complimentary refreshments and enter to win a door prize. The exhibit will be open from 1-6 pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays over the following two weeks, including November 29, December 1, December 3, December 6, December 8, December 10.
Exhibited at our new building located at 75 Talbot Street East.
Donations to the AMMA Relocation Project and non-perishables for the Aylmer Corner Cupboard Food Bank are gratefully accepted.
We hope to see you there!

Kingston & District Branch UELAC (In-Person and Virtual): The Treaty of Niagara (1764)
2022-11-26 13:00 | St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Kingston, 137 Queen St., Kingston, Ontario, K7K 1A8, Canada
Author Nathan Tidridge is the speaker.
This is a hybrid meeting. To attend in person: 137 Queen Street, St. Paul’s Anglican Church Hall, access off Montreal Street. Arrive after 12:30 pm, possibly with a bagged lunch. This will be our AGM.
To join by Zoom, visit uelac.org/Kingston-Branch/ after 12:45pm, Sat Nov 26, and click the link under EVENTS.
All are welcome for this free event.

Hutchison House Museum Snowflake Tea and Dessert
2022-11-26 13:00 - 15:30, 2022-11-27 13:00 - 15:30 | Hutchison House Museum, 270 Brock Street, Peterborough, Ontario, K9H 2P9, Canada
In addition to the Christmas Market Hutchison House volunteers will host a Snowflake Tea on Saturday November 26 and Sunday November 27 with sittings at 1pm and 2:30pm. Enjoy a light tea with Christmas treats by the Fire in the Keeping Room for $15 each. There is limited seating and pre-registration and payment is required. Items for sale at the Christmas Market will be available during the tea. For more information or to reserve your seat please contact the Museum office at 705-743-9710. Tours will not be available during this event.

Bruce County Historical Society November 2022 Meeting: Bruce County O.P.P. Constable Otto McClevis
2022-11-26 13:30 | Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre, 33 Victoria St N, Southampton, Ontario, N0H 2L0, Canada
Featuring Pat Kelly speaking about Bruce County O.P.P. Constable Otto McClevis (1901-1971) and his enforcement experiences during prohibition.
Admission is free.
To register: email bchsregister@gmail.com or call 519-386-6397 (leave message)

Toronto Railway Museum: Museum Store Sunday 2022
2022-11-27 12:00 - 17:00 | Toronto Railway Museum, 255 Bremner Blvd, Stall 17, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 3M9, Canada
Join us on Sunday, November 27 to shop the museum store and save! Museum Store Sunday is here and with it amazing deals. Visit the store to take part in some festive activities, plus get ahead of your holiday shopping.
Museum Store Sunday kicks off at 12:00pm on the Don Station platform and runs until 5:00pm.

Riverdale Historical Society (Virtual): Modest Hopes: Homes and Stories of Toronto's Workers by Leslie Valpy
2022-11-29 18:30 | online
RHS welcomes Leslie Valpy, a heritage conservationist practitioner and Don Loucks, a Heritage Architect, to speak about their recent book, “Modest Hopes, Homes and Stories of Toronto’s workers from the 1820s to the 1920s”, which celebrates Toronto’s built heritage of row houses, semis, and cottages and the people who lived in them.
Toronto’s workers’ cottages are often characterized as being small, cramped, poorly built, and in need of modernization or even demolition. But for the workers and their families who originally lived in them from the 1820s to the 1920s, these houses were far from modest. Many had been driven off their ancestral farms or had left the crowded conditions of tenements in their home cities abroad. Once in Toronto, many lived in unsanitary conditions in makeshift shanty-towns or cramped shared houses in downtown neighbourhoods such as The Ward. To then move to a self-contained cottage or rowhouse was the result of an unimaginably strong hope for the future and a commitment to family life.
Note: this is a Zoom presentation. If you are not on our mail list, send us your request via the “Contact RHS” page.

Thunder Bay Museum Free Public Lecture (In Person and Virtual): Oula Seitsonen - Finnish-Canadian Homestead Research
2022-11-29 19:00 | Thunder Bay Museum, 425 Donald St E., Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7E 5V1, Canada
Please join the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society for a lecture from Oula Seitsonen, chair in Finnish Studies at Lakehead University, 2022‑2023. This will be a in-person event that is free to view. The lecture will be broadcast live via ZOOM for those who cannot attend in-person and recorded and posted to the Museum’s YouTube at a later date.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE WEBINAR
Finnish-Canadian homestead research in the footsteps of archaeologist Sakari Pälsi
This lecture describes ongoing contemporary archaeological research on the material heritage of Finnish-Canadian immigrants and on retracing the footsteps of Finnish archaeological pioneer Sakari Pälsi who traveled across Canada in 1927. In October 2022, my Canadian colleagues and I carried out archaeological, ethnographic, and anthropological work at a Finnish homestead in Tarmola, Gorham Township, where the great-grandparents of my colleague Meaghan Peuramäki-Brown lived since 1924. This work will be the Canadian part of our cross-Atlantic co-operation: in tandem with the fieldwork at the Kainulainen homestead in Tarmola, we will study their ancestral farm in eastern Finland. Material culture approach to recent past historical events can reveal new and unexpected perceptions of seemingly familiar subjects, like everyday lives and foodways, and even such unanticipated issues as folk magic and beliefs, as suggested already by our preliminary work. Besides the archaeological work in Tarmola, I have retraced the travels of famous Finnish archaeologist Sakari Pälsi and his wife across Canada 95 years ago; I have earlier followed Pälsi’s wide-ranging travels in Finland, Russia, and Mongolia. On the trip from Quebec to Vancouver Island and back Pälsi visited Finnish communities and homesteads, logging sites, bush camps, and mines, and documented the lifeways of immigrants and the landscapes that they lived in. Port Arthur, the “great city of Finns”, was one of Pälsi’s main destinations on his journey. I have revisited and re-documented most of the locations along Pälsi’s trail, and also returned his photographs to the local museums along the way. Sakari Pälsi’s insightful ethnographic notes and photographs provide also relevant background material for our multidisciplinary work at the Kainulainen homestead in Tarmola.
Speaker Bio
Oula Seitsonen (Sakarin-Pentin Ilarin Oula) is a chair in Finnish Studies at Lakehead University, 2022‑2023. He is an archaeologist and geographer at the University of Oulu, Finland, and his research interests cover a wide range of themes, both temporally and geographically, from the archaeology of early pastoralism in Fennoscandia (Sápmi), Mongolia, and East Africa, to traces of the 21st-century refugee crises. At Lakehead, he is pursuing a project on the material heritage of Finnish immigrants. Focusing on the 1927 cross-Canada trip of Finnish archaeological pioneer Sakari Pälsi.
Free Museum Admission during the event. Refreshments will be available.

Oxford Historical Society November 2022 Meeting: Life Aboard a Lancaster Bomber in WWII
2022-11-30 18:30 | Woodstock Museum, 466 Dundas Street, Woodstock, ON, N4S 1C4, Canada
John Bullen, from the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, will be presenting Life Aboard a Lancaster Bomber in WWII.
This presentation will take place at the Woodstock Museum, NHS. Doors open at 6:30pm and the meeting will start at 6:45pm. This is a free public meeting, all are welcome to attend.
