The Ontario Historical Society

Nine Ships 1825: 26th Annual Peterborough St. Patrick's Day Parade
2026-03-16 13:30 (America/Toronto) | Peterborough Knights of Columbus Hall, 317 Hunter Street West, Peterborough, ON, K9H 2M1, Canada
Join Irish historical geographer and author Christy Roche for an exploration of the over 5,000 year history of the Blackwater Valley. He will speak about the different civilizations that have inhabited the Valley and their cultures, beliefs and traditions; and examine administrative, political and population changes in the area over the centuries.
These events are free to attend and everyone is welcome! Come out and celebrate Irish Heritage Week with us and this year’s Grand Marshall

Glencoe & District Historical Society Meeting - Treaty 21 and the Longwoods Treaty
2026-03-18 19:00 | Glencoe and District Historical Society Archives, 178 McKellar Street, Glencoe, Ontario, N0L 1M0, Canada
Hello friends of the historical society, we are really looking forward to welcoming Mark French, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation Elder. He is going to help us understand the Treaties, the history, and their relevance today.
“Sell a country! Why not sell the air, the great sea, as well as the earth? Did not the Great Spirit make them all for the use of his children? – Chief Tecumseh”
Share an evening with Chippewas of the Thames First Nation Elder Mark French for an understanding of Treaties, why they were made and the resulting impact on Canadian law from an Anishinaabe respective.

Oakville Historical Society Speaker Night - "SOPHIA POOLEY 1766 - 1856: An Enslaved Woman and the Men who Owned Her"
2026-03-18 19:30 | Oakville Historical Society, King Street 110, Oakville, Ontario, L6J 1B1, Canada
The Oakville Historical Society is pleased to announce the speaker for our first “Speaker Night” of 2026, local historian, Ms. Jane Mulkewich, on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 at
7:30 pm in the Coach House (right next door to the Oakville Historical Society).
Jane is a seventh-generation descendant of some of the first white settlers in Ontario, and her own family genealogy research combined with her anti-racism work
has led to her research on indigenous history and racialized people in Ontario. A graduate of McMaster University, she has held some high-profile roles doing
anti-racism work with the Hamilton Police Service and with McMaster University, and went to law school at the University of Western Ontario when she was in her
40s. Currently Jane is Legal Director (with a team of five lawyers) of a large union representing 75,000 essential workers across Ontario in a wide range of sectors.
Jane lives in Dundas, and has two adult sons.
The story of Sophia Pooley may well be the only existing first-person narrative of someone who lived in slavery in Canada. She was interviewed by Benjamin
Drew, and her story was published in a collection of his interviews in 1856 when she was over 90 years old. She was born in New York state where her master (or
owner) was Joseph Harris (according to Jane Mulkewich’s research). Later, she was brought to Canada as a young girl by Joseph Brant, a Mohawk Chief, whom
she lived with for almost 30 years, and later she was sold to Samuel Hatt, before getting her freedom. Other prominent settlers including early settlers of Oakville
make a guest appearance in Sophia’s story.

Guelph Black Heritage Society - Bloom & Belong Summer Drop-In for BIPOC Youth
2026-03-20 16:30 - 18:30, 2026-03-27 16:30 - 18:30, 2026-04-03 16:30 - 18:30, 2026-04-10 16:30 - 18:30, 2026-04-17 16:30 - 18:30 | Heritage Hall, Essex Street 83, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 3K9, Canada
Fridays in July & August
Heritage Hall, 83 Essex Street, Guelph
Open to youth ages 12–18
Free refreshments provided
Join us for a welcoming and empowering space where BIPOC youth can connect, create, and celebrate community all summer long. All are welcome.
Special thanks to the Upper Grand District School Board and Wellington Catholic District School Board for their generous support of this initiative.
For more information, contact: info@guelphblackheritage.ca

Brock University Department of History - Sankey Lecture “Religion and Politics in Early Eighteenth-Century English Freemasonry"
2026-03-22 15:00 | Sean O’Sullivan Theatre, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, ON, L2S 3A1, Canada
The Department of History at Brock University invites you to attend this year’s annual Dr. Charles A. Sankey Lecture in Masonic Studies.
Our lecture this year is by Dr. Susan Mitchell Sommers (Saint Vincent College, Latrobe, Pennsylvania). In her talk, entitled, “Scenes From a Biography of James Anderson: Religion and Politics in Early Eighteenth-Century English Freemasonry,” Dr. Mason will explore the intellectual and cultural world of one of Freemasonry’s major figures.
We hope you can join us on Sunday, March 22, at 3 p.m. in the Sean O’Sullivan Theatre at Brock University. The talk will be followed by a reception.
Tickets are free, and you can register at: https://sankeylectures.ca/tickets/. (Note that it is not too late to register.)
Or, if you cannot attend in person, you can watch the livestream here: http://live.sankeylectures.ca

The Hidden Power of the Needle - Women, Work & Untold Histories
2026-03-24 18:30 - 21:00 | 401 Richmond Street, 401 Richmond Street W, Toronto, ON, Canada
Join us for an evening exploring the untold stories of women who stitched their way to independence. With special guest: Historian and Fashion Expert Dr. Alanna McKnight.

Oxford Historical Society Talk: BURGESS HOMESTEAD RUINS - Where History and Mystery Converge
2026-03-25 18:30 | Chartwell Oxford Gardens, 423 Devonshire Ave, Woodstock, Ontario, Canada
For the upcoming March meeting, the Oxford Historical Society is excited to announce that Julie Hawkins will be speaking about her family’s BURGESS HOMESTEAD – Where History and Mystery Converge!
Free admission & parking. Donations welcome!

HEIRS Meeting - Historic Newspaper Digitization in Essex County
2026-03-26 13:30 | Harrow Arena Community Room, 243 McAffee St., Harrow, Ontario, N0R 1G0, Canada
On March 26 there will be two meetings for HEIRS members and friends. The first will be a very brief meeting, for a members’ vote. This will be followed directly afterwards with the regular monthly meeting which will feature Arthur Rhyno and Historic Newspaper Digitization, which everyone is welcome to attend.

Newcastle Village and District Historical Society Annual General Meeting
2026-03-28 11:00 | Newcastle Community Hall, 20 King Ave W., Newcastle, Ontario, L1B 1H7, Canada
Mark your calendars!
Saturday, March 28, 2026 at 11 a.m.
Historical Room, Newcastle Community Hall

Find out what we’ve been doing for the past year

Elect the 2026-2027 Board of Directors

Participate in our fun and informative Show and Tell

Enjoy a light lunch afterward

The meeting portion will be short and then it will be on to the fun of sharing our interesting items of historical interest. Found some mysterious items when cleaning out the basement at Grandma’s? Or something amazing at a garage sale last summer? Bring it in and share at our very own Newcastle mini “Antiques Roadshow”
Free light lunch.
Hope you can join us!
Don’t forget to renew your membership if you’ve received a notice; you must be a member in good standing in order to vote at the Annual Meeting.

Culinary Historians of Canada - Delicious & Profound History of the Dining Room
2026-03-28 13:00 - 16:00 | Campbell House Museum, 160 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 3H3, Canada
Dive into history’s most captivating dining rooms as bestselling author and architectural writer John Ota takes a fascinating journey across the globe, investigating the architecture, interior design, and dining experience of twelve remarkable spaces, including dining rooms of Claude Monet, Frida Kahlo, Frank Sinatra, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Downton Abbey and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. John will explore these special dining spaces and reflect on the significance of dining rooms to history, culture and the art of dining.
Tickets available through Eventbrite
$17.55 – $25.00 (plus service charges)
The Dining Room
John’s latest book The Dining Room follows on the success of his previous bestseller The Kitchen. John’s charming observations of the surprising impact of dining rooms on our lives and the cherished moments we share within them will delight armchair travelers, history fanatics, and interior design enthusiasts alike.
Each chapter features one unique dining room and bursts with expert architectural and interior descriptions along with John’s illustrations of the rooms and insight into the food served within—you can even recreate one era-accurate recipe for each location.
The Dining Room will be available in stores in March. Copies will be available for sale at the event.
About John Ota
John has been involved with architecture and design since 1978, with degrees from Columbia University, the University of Toronto, and the University of British Columbia. His book The Kitchen was a 2021 Taste Canada Awards finalist and a 2021 Paris Gourmand Cookbook finalist in the book design category. After working in architecture in Toronto, New York, and Vancouver, John now loves to travel the world visiting historic houses, cooking regional food, and meeting people of all backgrounds.

The Historical Society of Ottawa: The Rideau Canal
2026-03-28 13:30 | Ottawa Public Library, Main Branch, 120 Metcalfe St., Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5M2, Canada
Guest Speaker: Allison Margot Smith, Historian & Documentary Filmmaker

Details
A Special Bytown200 Presentation
Allison explores the fascinating history of the Rideau Canal, including a presentation of her new film (created especially for the 2026 HSO Bytown200 Bicentennial Storytelling Challenge): “Two Wars, Three Watersheds, a Slew of Surveys and a Canal”.
Admission is free. All are welcome to attend.

Antique Shows Canada - Old Book and Paper Show
2026-03-29 10:00 - 16:00 | Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre, Sakura Way 6, Toronto, Ontario, M3C 1Z5, Canada
The only event of its kind in Ontario, this show and sale focuses on vintage printed material of every conceivable type. Sellers set up 80 tables piled high with all manner of old paper plus rare and antique books. Categories include pulp fiction, old advertising, concert, travel and movie posters, vintage comics, old photography, postcards, prints, magazines, old paperbacks, out of print books, sports memorabilia, antique maps, unusual, rare and antiquarian books and eccentricities of interest to everyone. One thing for certain…you’ll see nothing digital here.

East York Historical Society Presentation: Bill Suddick "40 Years of East-end History in Editorial Cartoons"
2026-03-31 18:30 - 20:00 | S. Walter Stewart Toronto Public Library, 170 Memorial Park Ave., East York, ON, M4J 2K5, Canada
Members and Friends of East York Historical Society, you are invited to attend East York Historical Society meeting on Tuesday evening, 31st. March, 2026.

You are all encouraged to attend this meeting. Bring a guest or two, all are welcome.

The Canadian Crown: Lecture and Wine & Cheese Reception with Dr. Carolyn Harris.
2026-04-01 18:00 | Faculty Club University of Toronto, 41 Willcocks St., Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada
Join us for an evening exploring the history and role of the Crown in Canada, followed by a wine and cheese reception and discussion.
Date: April 1, 2026
Location: Faculty Club, University of Toronto
6:00 PM Doors Open and Wine and Cheese Reception
6:30 PM Lecture
7:30 PM Reception Continues
Prerequisite: Dark suit or business casual for women and men. For military personnel: mess dress with miniature medals.
Tickets:
https://lepointdevente.com/billets/ja8260401001?lang=en

Weston Historical Society Movie Night - "Weston's Early History"
2026-04-01 19:30 | Weston Seniors’ Residence, King Street 15, Toronto, Toronto, M9N 3X1, Canada
Free admission; refreshments served!
If you prefer to join the Zoom Meeting April 1, 2026 at 07.30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81778733957?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 817 7873 3957 Passcode: [REDACTED]

Swansea Historical Society April Meeting Presentations
2026-04-01 19:30 | Swansea Town Hall, 95 Lavinia Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M6S 3H9, Canada
Please mark your calendars for the next meeting of the Swansea Historical Society; it will be a special session with two presentations:
(1) Speaker Lydia Pyluk – Swansea Memorial Library. This Library began in 1919, located in Swansea Public School, as a memorial to the Swansea residents who served overseas in First World War. Lydia is a Librarian with the Toronto Public Library working at both the Runnymede and Swansea Memorial branches. She has responsibility for the local history section of the Runnymede Branch.
(2) Speaker TBC – Life in Swansea in 1925. This presentation is based on the recollections of John Richards who was the father of one of our members. John lived an active life, living in three different homes as he grew up in Swansea and attended Swansea Public School.
Once again, the meeting will be conducted in a hybrid format so that participants can attend in-person at the Swansea Town Hall or connect on-line using the Zoom tool.

The Historical Society of Ottawa: Histoire de la jeunesse franco-ontarienne engagée (1905-1970)
2026-04-04 13:00 | Ottawa Public Library, St-Laurent Branch, Coté Street 515, Ottawa, Ontario, K1K 0Z8, Canada
Guest Speaker
Michel Bock, Directeur du Centre de recherche sur les francophonies canadiennes (CRCCF)

Details
Admission is free. All are welcome to attend.
Please note: this presentation will be conducted in French.

Women's History Project: Voices Rising: Activism and the Modern Workplace.
2026-04-09 16:30 - 18:00 | online
The Women’s History Project is excited to invite you to our second Writing Women Into History webinar series. Our 2026 theme is: From Resistance to Redesign: Women Transforming Work
Across Canada and beyond, the movement to learn, teach, and protect women’s histories is reaching a defining moment. For generations, feminist scholars, leaders, and changemakers have shown how women’s stories — including around labour, leadership, and resistance — have been undervalued or unknown. Reclaiming these histories offers more than overdue recognition: it gives us the insight we need to redesign the future of work. By understanding where inequities come from, we can challenge them more effectively, champion fairer practices, and build systems that truly value women’s contributions.
The Women’s History Project invites you to be part of this powerful three‑part webinar series, where we confront these gaps together. You’ll hear directly from women who have researched these histories, lived them, and fought to change the conditions shaping women’s work in Canada and from women who continue to challenge the status quo and look ahead to new opportunities. —as well as from those continuing to challenge the status quo and push toward new possibilities.
This series is for anyone committed to gender justice: students, educators, researchers, labour organizers, activists, policymakers, community advocates, and emerging leaders who believe that understanding women’s history is essential to transforming our world. collective future. We must know our history to defend our future.
You can reserve for all three sessions here on Eventbrite —- or to each of the individual events below.
Session 2: Voices Rising: Activism and the Modern Workplace
April 9, 2026, 4:30pm – 6:00pm EDT
This session will examine persistent inequities across industries, women’s unpaid work, the impact of the care economy on women’s labour and barriers faced by women with diverse identities. This is a call to action for anyone committed or interested in how to buildbuilding workplaces where all women can thrive.
Session 3: Beyond the Glass Ceiling: Designing Tomorrow’s Workplaces
May 7, 2026, 4:30pm – 6:00pm EDT
This forward-looking session will explore emerging opportunities for women in evolving industries, how leaders can build equitable, inclusive futures and the lessons today’s trailblazers want to pass on. This is a conversation about possibility—and responsibility.
Why This Series Matters
Women’s histories have too often been pushed to the margins of mainstream narratives. Yet these stories—of struggle, solidarity, innovation, leadership, and courage—are essential to understanding how gender inequality has been built, resisted, and reshaped over generations.
From the early fights for maternity leave and reproductive rights, to landmark human rights cases, to decades of unpaid and under‑recognized labour, women have continually challenged Canada to confront its inequities. The push for pay equity, workplace safety, accessible childcare, and fair representation is part of a long continuum of women demanding better—for themselves, for their families, and for their communities. And while progress has been made, the work is far from finish
Founded in 2021, The Women’s History Project is committed to advancing gender equality by shining a light on women’s achievements across Canadian history. We believe that understanding the past equips women—and allies—to lead, advocate, and create meaningful change today.
We hope to see you there!
Visit our Substack to learn more about what the Women’s History Project does, and find out about our 1000 Voices, 1000 Stories podcast, subscribe to the Voices & Stories weekly digest, and explore recommendationsrecommendation from On Our Bookshelf.
Be part of the history we’re building.
Join us there.

Middlesex Centre Archives Heritage Fair 2026
2026-04-11 10:00 - 16:00 | Delaware Commuity Centre, 2652 Gideon Dr., Delaware, Ontario, N0L 1E0, Canada
MCA is pleased to host this year’s annual Heritage Fair at the Delaware Community Centre, 2652 Gideon Dr., DELAWARE (Google defaults to East London) on Saturday, April 11. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Heritage and cultural groups from across the area will be on-site to help celebrate the diversity of our community.

Lanark County Genealogical Society Speaker Event
2026-04-11 13:30 | Beckwith Township Municipal Office Complex, 2022 Beckwith Park Lane, Carleton Place, ON, K7C 3P2, Canada
All are welcome to join us on April 11, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. for a presentation by Larry Schruder of the Ottawa Valley Genealogy Group. Larry will speak about the group’s revitalization, highlighting its recent successes and sharing updates on current and ongoing projects. This promises to be an engaging and informative session for anyone interested in genealogy and local history.

La Société d'histoire de Toronto HISTORITOUR - L’Avenue Madison
2026-04-12 14:00 | Wellington County
Départ : Coin nord-ouest de l’avenue Madison (une rue à l’est de Spadina) et rue Bloor Ouest (métro Spadina). Attention, à cause de travaux le panneau avec le nom de la rue Madison n’est plus là voyez l’affiche ci-dessus qui sera notre point de rencontre
Arrivée : Avenue Madison et rue Dupont (Métro Dupont). Terrain plat
Guides : Rolande Smith et Silvia Oliveira
Venez explorer l’avenue Madison au centre du quartier résidentiel de l’Annex, au centre-ville de Toronto. Une avenue où les maisons de style Queen Anne lui donnent un aspect très homogène. Ce style architectural se retrouve uniquement à Toronto.
Construites à la fin du 19esiècle, certaines maisons ont été dessinées par d’importants architectes torontois dont E.J. Lennox.
Saviez-vous que sans l’intervention de Jane Jacobs (1916-2006), militante et philosophe de l’architecture et de l’urbanisme, le quartier de l’Annex aurait été sévèrement mutilé avec l’autoroute Spadina ?
Pas nécessaire de réserver – Visite guidée gratuite – pas de chien
La Société d’histoire de Toronto passe le chapeau à la fin de la viste
Contact : info@sht.ca ou smth7631@rogers.com

Albion Bolton Historical Society Meeting - The History of the Albion and Bolton Libraries
2026-04-13 19:30 | Caledon Seniors’ Centre, Rotarian Way 7, Bolton, Ontario, L7E 1Y2, Canada
Jules Maule-ffinch will present The History of the Albion and Bolton Libraries. For over 180 years, through many renditions, locations and librarians the local library has evolved into a popular community centre. You are invited to bring any library memorabilia to the meeting to share with the group. PLEASE NOTE we are now meeting at Rotary Place, Caledon Senior’s Centre, 7 Rotarian Way, Bolton, Multi-purpose Room 2, located behind the Caledon Wellness Centre on the North Hill.

Toronto Railway Museum - Rails Reclaimed: How Toronto’s rail infrastructure found new life
2026-04-14 19:00 - 20:00 | online
Our Second Tuesday Speaker Series continues with Jeremy Hopkin, who will take us on a tour of rail infrastructure sites across the Toronto that have been repurposed over the years. This presentation will give you new perspective on Toronto’s streetscape both past and present.
While registration is required to receive the Zoom link, these talks are free and open to the public, with a suggested donation of $10 to support future programming. The Toronto Railway is a registered Canadian charity (838626943RR0001) and charitable tax receipts are issued for donations over $25.
REGISTER HERE.

Italian Canadian Archives Project (ICAP) Presents Making of: "Separated from Santo"
2026-04-16 18:00 - 19:00 | online
Join us for a presentation by the writer of “Separated by Santo”, a graphic novel about an Italian-Canadian Internee during WWII.
Join the Italian-Canadian Archives Project (ICAP) for a conversation with author Brian Barazzuol about Separated from Santo: The true story of an Italian-Canadian Internee during the Second World War (Heritage House Books, 2025). Registered attendees will receive the event Zoom link. ICAP GMM to follow.
Please note: only registrants will be sent the zoom link for the event. Individuals wishing to watch the event separately will need to register separately.

About Separated from Santo:
A poignant and eye-opening graphic novel chronicling one Italian-Canadian family’s traumatic separation when their loving father and husband is interned as an “enemy alien” during the Second World War.
In 1933, disturbed by the rise of Mussolini’s fascist regime, Santo and Alice Pasqualini left their native Italy and settled in Vancouver, Canada, to create a new life far away from the burgeoning madness of Europe. The couple opened a bakery and became naturalized residents of their new country, avoiding politics and concentrating on working hard and building a family.
Unfortunately, their refuge was short-lived, when Santo was arrested for being an “enemy alien” and interned first in Kananaskis, Alberta, and then in Petawawa, Ontario. Italian Canadians, similar to Japanese and German Canadians were considered a threat to the country and therefore, these individuals, mostly male, were imprisoned with no release date determined. Santo, a hardworking man who loved his family, lost his bakery, delivery truck, and house. Meanwhile, his wife and children struggled to get by, as he was interned for twenty-four months, with little to no communication between him and his family. Alice suffered a nervous breakdown due to the stress of the situation and was hospitalized, resulting in their two children being sent off to live with two separate families for nearly two years.
Told in dynamic graphic novel form, Separated from Santo depicts an individual who was mistreated, who persevered, and eventually was reunited with his family. Instead of being bitter towards adopted country, the family accepted the situation for what it was, and was thankful to build a home in such a great country. Decades later, apologies from the Canadian government acknowledged the injustice, though the incident reverberated through generations. Written by the great-grandson of Santo and Alice, this poignant and powerful story is a reminder to see the humanity behind every so-called “enemy.”
For more info and to purchase: https://heritagehouse.ca/products/separated-from-santo

Annual Town of York Historical Society Fundraiser
2026-04-16 18:30 - 21:00 | Campbell House Museum, 160 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 3H3, Canada
You are most ardently invited to join us for an elegant evening of Toronto Regency history in celebration of Toronto’s First Post Office & the Town of York Historical Society’s Annual Fundraiser. This event not only commemorates 192 years since the incorporation of the City of Toronto but also serves as a significant opportunity to support the preservation of our rich historical heritage.
Learn about the life and work of the Regency periods’ most famous author, Jane Austen, and how her novels affected the Town of York’s residents at the time of their publication and the impact they are still having on Toronto residents today. After the presentation, guests will experience a regency dance demonstration.
Regency dress is strongly encouraged!
As our venue has a lower in-person capacity than previous years, virtual tickets will be available for purchase which will allow you access to the main presentation, keynote speaker, and the silent auction only. Purchase of a virtual ticket will not grant you entry to the event on-site. Please choose your ticket option with care.

Thunder Bay Museum: A Taste of History Dinner 2026
2026-04-17 18:00 | Whitewater Golf Club, 1961 King George's Park Dr, Rosslyn, Ontario, P7K 0N8, Canada
Join The Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society for our annual fundraiser and themed dinner at the Whitewater Golf Club. This year’s theme is the Sports and Sporting Facilities. This year’s speaker(s) will be announced soon.
