The Ontario Historical Society

Lundy's Lane Historical Society Presents Mark Richardson, "A Look at the Evolving Cemetery Landscape"
2023-02-06 19:00 (America/Toronto) | Niagara Military Museum, 5409 Victoria Ave., Niagara Falls, Ontario, L2E 4E2, Canada
The next regular meeting of the Lundy’s Lane Historical Society will be held Monday February 6, 2023, at at the Niagara Falls Military Museum, 5409 Victoria Avenue. Parking is in the rear.
The speaker for the evening will be Mark Richardson, Manager of Cemetery Services, City of Niagara Falls, presenting “A Look at the Evolving Cemetery Landscape.” This presentation will take a brief look at the history of cemetery design, function and public perspective surrounding death and dying.

Guelph Historical Society Evenings with History: "The Ontario Reformatory: Valuing What We Can't See"
2023-02-07 19:30 | Guelph Museum, 52 Norfolk St, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
Speaker: P. Brian Skerrett
Mr. Skerrett will discuss over 150 years of the Ontario Reformatory land’s history including “pre-Reformatory” years, the Reformatory’s roots and ideals, and a look at the current state and potential future of this landmark property.

Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum Virtual Lecture: Free at Last
2023-02-08 11:00 | online
George Webber presents “Free at last:” A look back at the lives of early black residents.
George is a board member of the Niagara Historical Society and is currently working on a committee to uncover more information on the people buried in the Niagara Baptist Church Burial Ground (formerly known as the Negro Burial Ground.)
Presentations are free for all but registration is required. Use ticket link below to register on Zoom.
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZZxu1BCRTGiBOZDR84tShg

Esquesing Historical Society February Meeting: Eaton Family
2023-02-08 19:00 | The Studio, Halton Hills Cultural Centre, 9 Church St., Georgetown, Ontario, L7G 2A3
Dave Bartlett, who started bottle collecting in the early 70’s, found one of the first sealer bottles he received was an Eaton’s Sealer Jar. This led him to learn and collect more information about Eaton’s Canada. During the early part of the 1900’s it was the lifeline for rural Canada to grow and develop. Rural Canada depended on Eaton’s. Dave has collected books and items of interest from Eaton’s and he realized how important they were to the small towns across Canada. Dave joins us to share his presentation.

Willowdale Central Ratepayer's Association (WCRA): Neighbourhood Networking Event
2023-02-11 15:00 - 17:30 | John McKenzie House, 34 Parkview Ave., North York, Ontario, M2N 3Y2, Canada
You are invited to a community networking event. Meet your neighbours and find out what we are doing to enhance the Willowdale experience!
The Willowdale Central group (WCRA) is hosting a community networking event and we are looking for engaged, community-minded individuals to join us as we explore the following topics:
1) 2023 Event Planning: We know it can be hard to manage community events, during this session we will share best practices and success stories. We will also explore partnership opportunities that lighten the burden for those that are interested in hosting an event but lack the volunteers, time and/or financial means.
2) Community Challenges & Activism: Willowdale has been transitioning from a suburban neighbourhood to an urban centre over the past 30 years and the pace of change is accelerating. With the transition comes a number of community challenges. During this session we will explore the main issues and determine if there is an interest to address the challenges through community activism.
We hope you will join us for this networking event. There is much we can accomplish when we work together and the need has never been greater. Come with an open mind, a focus on steps that can be taken to enhance our community and good things will follow.

Albion Bolton Historical Society: The History of Wildfield
2023-02-13 19:30 | Albion Bolton Community Centre (Meeting Room C, 2nd Floor), 150 Queen St. South, Bolton, Ontario, L7E 1E3, Canada
The Village of Wildfield has a vibrant history spanning over 200 years. Join us when lifelong Wildfield resident Dan O’Reilly recounts family and village history through anecdotes, facts and photographs. Wildfield is the site of St. Patrick’s Church, the 2nd oldest church in the Archdiocese of Toronto. But there are many other historical facts about Wildfield that are interesting, if not fascinating.
Questions: Nathan at 905-584-2801 nhillerphoto@bell.net

Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum Virtual Lecture: “The Discovery and Investigation of the John Butler Homestead"
2023-02-15 11:00 | online
Ron Williamson presents “The Discovery and Investigation of the John Butler Homestead: Perspectives from Two Decades Later”
In addition to delineating the foundations of the John Butler Homestead, which are now interpreted on the site, ASI investigations yielded over 50,000 ceramic sherds and over 14,000 animal bones. These finds allowed our archaeologists to reconstruct the family’s meal systems and to interpret life in the Butler home, especially at the dining table. In addition, a detailed analysis of the spatial distribution of almost 100 artifacts related to flint-lock firearms and military-uniform accoutrements afforded an opportunity to identify the archaeological evidence of the War of 1812 skirmishes at the site. Also, John Butler was well known for his relationship with Indigenous peoples but what he might not have realised is that he situated his homestead on a location that had been host to Indigenous peoples periodically for more than 8,000 years! Dr. Williamson will summarise all these findings in his presentation.
Ronald F. Williamson is Founder and now a Senior Associate of Archaeological Services Inc. He holds an Honours BA from the University of Western Ontario and MA and PhD from McGill University, all in Anthropology. He has published extensively on both Indigenous and early colonial Great Lakes history. In 2016, he was conferred the Smith-Wintemberg award, the Canadian Archaeological Association’s most prestigious award for outstanding contributions to Canadian Archaeology, and in 2019, he was given Heritage Toronto’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Williamson also directed the Archaeological Management Plan for the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake and directed excavations at the Snake Hill and Peace Bridge sites in Fort Erie, the Colonel John Butler Homestead, and the Kings Point Archaeological site.
Presentations are free for all but registration is required. Use ticket link below to register on Zoom.
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zzvCWf0zRdKjBU9Kz6SQ_g

Orillia Museum of Art and History (Virtual): From Virginia to Canada: The Journey of My Black Ancestors (A Black History Month Presentation)
2023-02-15 19:00 | online
While breaking down his ancestral brick wall, which had him stumped for almost thirty years, Paul Barber, a Caucasian born and raised Canadian, found out that his through his maternal side, the Hendersons, he was part of African-American history.
Join us to hear Paul Barber recount the family journey that led him to Orillia where, the Hendersons, who made their way to Canada in 1840, played a contributing role in the history of our community.

Oakville Historical Society Speakers' Night - “Outside the Gate: The True Story of a British Home Child in Canada”
2023-02-15 19:00 - 21:00 | online
Join by Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3614629408?pwd=[REDACTED]
Wednesday, February 15th, 2023 7:20 pm. – 9:00 pm.
​Between 1869 and 1932, over 100,000 children were sent from Britain to Canada through assisted juvenile emigration. These migrants are called “home children” because most went from an emigration agency’s home for children in Britain to its Canadian receiving home. The children were placed with families in rural Canada.
The children were promised a bright future in the land of opportunity, and some managed to make a good life, but many were abused, neglected and reviled by those who took them in. Although most still had families back home, reunification was discouraged. One of those children was Winnie Cooper. Born in Scarborough, Yorkshire in 1908, she was sent at age twelve to Barnardo’s Village Home for Girls near London. Three years later, Winnie was shipped off to a farm in rural Ontario. Nothing back in England had prepared her for working the rough land in Canada, but despite the long days, isolation, and bitterly cold winters, Winnie’s natural wit and cheery disposition helped her find love and friendship. Yet she always dreamed of returning to her mother in Yorkshire.
​The story, told by her granddaughter, author Carol Marie Newall, is a family saga of love and loss, pain and joy as Winnie struggled to find her place in a young inhospitable country. It’s also a revealing portrayal of a troubling chapter in Canadian and British history.

UEL Kawartha Branch February 2023 Meeting (Virtual): Jean Rae Baxter on "The Knotted Rope"
2023-02-19 14:00 | online
Featuring guest speaker, Jean Rae Baxter, UE, who will be talking about her latest book, The Knotted Rope.
The Knotted Rope, the sixth and final novel in what has become known as the “Forging a Nation” series, is set in Niagara in 1793 during the last days of slavery in Upper Canada. It returns to the subject of Jean Rae Baxter’s third historical, Freedom Bound, in which she told the story of the Black Loyalists’ escape from slavery during the American Revolution. In The Knotted Rope, Jean Rae Baxter unravels another strand of the complicated, sometimes tragic, but ultimately victorious, history of the fight to end slavery.
In this presentation, she examines the paradox at the heart of writing responsible historical fiction. To honour our history, we must be true to it.
But how can we tell the truth by means of made-up stories? That is the question. The answer, she explains, lies in the use of historical facts to trigger the action. The writer shows how people reacted to, and were affected by, actual events. Just such an event was The Proclamation of “An Act to Prevent the further Introduction of Slaves and to limit the Term of Contracts for Service Statutes of Upper Canada 33 George III.”
The Knotted Rope is available for purchase on Amazon.ca.

Peterborough Historical Society February 2023 Lecture (Virtual): “The History of Lacrosse in Peterborough”
2023-02-21 19:30 | online
NOTE: THE FEBRUARY SPEAKER EVENT WILL BE VIRTUAL ON ZOOM. The speaker schedule remains on the third Tuesday of the month; January, February, March and May at 7:30 p.m. A question and answer period will follow the speaker’s presentation. Attendees will be provided with the Zoom link to join meetings when they register by email to the email address provided.

“The History of Lacrosse in Peterborough”
Don Barrie
Peterborough has a long and intimate connection with lacrosse. The first lacrosse game was played in Peterborough in 1872. In 1892 the Daily Examiner gave a history of the origins of lacrosse, noting the formation of the Montreal la Crosse [sic] Club in 1860 (actually 1856) followed shortly after with the National La Crosse Association of Canada. The Examiner article noted the “retirement” of Joe Phelan who was a prominent player and executive member of the Peterborough Lacrosse Club for many years. In acknowledging his contribution, club president W.E. Lech noted Phelan’s “untiring services in promoting the interests of the national game.” Don Barrie, the author of Lacrosse the Peterborough Way, will present his extensive research on what he describes as “Peterborough’s winningest sport.”
Tuesday, 21 February 2023, 7:30 p.m. on Zoom. Register to attend by sending an email note to info@peterboroughhistoricalsociety.ca with “Lacrosse” in the subject line.

Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum Virtual Lecture: “Canada and the Civil War"
2023-02-22 11:00 | online
Brian Martin presents “Canada and the Civil War: Opening Eyes in Niagara and Beyond.”
Canada and Canadians played an interesting role before, during and after the American Civil War, 1861 to 1865. About 40,000 Americans, primarily formerly enslaved Black persons arrived along the Underground Railroad. During the war Canada sold goods to both sides and gave refuge to spies, plotters, draft-dodgers and others. After the war, former plantation owners and racists fled to Canada, along with Confederate officials and generals who settled for a time in places like Niagara-on-the-Lake, Toronto, Montreal and elsewhere.
Brian Martin is the author of From Underground Railroad to Rebel Refuge: Canada and the Civil War, published by ECW Press of Toronto. Brian was an award-winning journalist for more than 40 years, telling the stories of Southwestern Ontario. He has written two true crime books, several biographies and baseball histories, and is a member of two historical societies. He lives in London, ON.
Presentations are free for all but registration is required. Use ticket link below to register on Zoom.
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_J1C-m0emQ0aKvx0lEzeFFA

North Toronto Historical Society (Virtual): Avenue Road: An Illustrated History
2023-02-22 19:00 | online
The history of one of Toronto’s most important thoroughfares from the late 19th century onwards, examining the history and architecture of important sites that have shaped Avenue Road. These will include estates, apartment buildings and schools. Presentation by NTHS member Eli Aaron, an urban planner with an interest in history and heritage preservation.
NOTE: A brief Annual General Meeting will precede this programme.

PLEASE REGISTER TO ATTEND AFTER 1 FEBRUARY
Email membership@northtorontohistoricalsociety.org and we will send you an invitation with details. You can join us on Zoom by internet or phone.

Oakville Public Library (Virtual): Karolyn Smardz Frost on "The Four Points of the Compass: Oakville and the Underground Railroad"
2023-02-23 17:30 - 19:30 | online
A unique opportunity to learn more about Oakville’s Black History. For Teens and Adults

Archaeologist, historian and Governor-General’s award-winning author Karolyn Smardz Frost has helped explore and preserve our nation’s rich African Canadian past for nearly four decades. Recently she has been working with the Town of Oakville to unearth clues to the lives of Black immigrants who made Halton County their home during the Underground Railroad era. A consummate storyteller, she will share four intriguing tales about people who arrived from the South, West, North and East. Each carried with them skills and talents, courage and ambition to help build Oakville as we know it today.

Wellington County Historical Society: “A Stolen Life - Searching for Richard Pierpoint” with author Peter Meyler
2023-02-23 19:00 - 20:30 | online
Thursday, February 23, 7:00 p.m. — Author Peter Meyler talks about Richard Pierpoint’s life, from early years in slavery to soldier, freedom and building a black community.
Presentation via Zoom. Register for “A Stolen Life – Searching for Richard Pierpoint” with author Peter Meyler

Richard Pierpoint was a loyalist, soldier, community leader, social justice advocate, and storyteller. As a leader in the early Black Canadian Community, Pierpoint fought and petitioned for causes important to himself, his community and to Canada as a whole. Peter Meyler will reveal Pierpoint’s legacy as a man taken from his home and enslaved as a teenager, who fought for his freedom in two wars and worked to build a Black Community amid prejudice and discrimination.
Peter Meyler is the co-author of A Stolen Life: Searching for Richard Pierpoint. In 2001, Peter edited a reissue of an 1889 book, Broken Shackles: Old Man Hanson From Slavery to Freedom, one of the very few books that documented the journey to Canada from the perspective of a person of African descent. He contributed his research on early Black Canadian pioneer John Daddy Hall as part of a 4-part TV mini-series, BLK: An Origin Story, which aired in February 2022 on History Canada. Peter has written numerous articles about Ontario’s black history, which have appeared in such publications as The Beaver, the Toronto Star, Share and Families.

UEL Association of Canada Toronto Branch February 2023 Meeting (Virtual): "British Child Migration" by Pat Skidmore
2023-02-23 19:30 | online
On February 23, 2023 at 7:30 pm via zoom, Pat Skidmore is going to give us an overview of the 350 year history of British Child Migration – a history that has been kept silent for a good portion of the 350 years. British Child Migration took place as far back as the 1830s to the late 1940s, although the ‘height’ of child migration to Canada was between 1869 and the 1930s.
Her research is mainly centered on the Prince of Wales Fairbridge Farm School and her mother, Marjorie’s, experience there. Over 120,000 children were sent to Canada . Over 95% of the children were not orphaned.
To register, send an email to torontouel@gmail.com – a meeting link will be sent out by February 20th.

The Historical Society of St. Catharines Online Lecture (Virtual): “A Community at War – the Military Service of Black Canadians of the Niagara Region”
2023-02-23 19:30 | online
Presented by Jim Doherty, president of the Niagara Falls Military Museum, via Zoom.

Woodland Cultural Centre: Ędwadǫtga:dǫh (We Will Have Fun)
2023-02-25 - 2023-02-26 | Six Nations Community Hall, 1738 4th Line, Ohsweken, Ontario, N0A 1M0, Canada
Join us February 25-26th for Ędwadǫtga:dǫh (We Will Have Fun), a family celebration of art, theatre, music, dance, and food!
This two-day event at the Six Nations Community Hall in Ohsweken is a performing arts festival for the entire family. There will be children’s workshops, storytelling, and activities on the afternoon of the 25th, and a coffee house with several featured performers in the evening.
On the 26th, there will be a dance performance in the afternoon, a vocal performance, and food tasting, with a theatre performance to follow.
For more information, please contact Eden Capulong via email or phone at 519-759-2650 or arts@woodlandculturalcentre.ca.

Thunder Bay Museum Free Public Lecture (In Person and Virtual): Lakehead University Graduate Students - Christine Green and Haileigh Riddell
2023-02-28 19:00 - 21:00 | 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 Lakehead University Graduate Students Christine Green and Haileigh Riddell. 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

Christine Green, Constructing a Collective Past: Locating Indigenous Histories in Local Narratives
Truth and Reconciliation Commission Call to Action #67 calls for the federal government to undertake a national review of museum policies and best practices to determine compliance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and make recommendations. Of specific importance is UNDRIP Article 15.1, outlining Indigenous peoples’ right to have their cultures, traditions, and histories appropriately represented in education and public information.
One of the main ways the public interacts with Canadian history is through museums and public history initiatives. So, the question becomes what representations of Indigenous histories are being presented in museums? This presentation will examine exhibition and programming practices in museums located in Northwestern Ontario in order to analyze the collective imagining of community histories in relation to Indigenous peoples. By examining exhibits, programming, and outreach materials at various museums across Northwestern Ontario a pattern of representation emerges where Indigenous histories are relegated to the fur trade era and earlier. This presentation will examine why this pattern exists, what museums are doing to correct it, and what museums need in order to support the major changes required.
Haileigh Riddell, Eugenics: A comparison of Ontario and Alberta while examining the connection to Northwestern Ontario
Her presentation compares the Eugenics Society of Canada, based in Ontario, and the Alberta Eugenics Board, while examining the connection to Northwestern Ontario. In comparing the two provincial eugenic organizations, the talk explores the similarities and differences in key policies, legislation, and public sentiment, while discussing the lasting impact of eugenic practices in Canada.
Free Museum Admission during the event. Refreshments will be available.

Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum Virtual Lecture: “Women Who Broke the Glass Forts”
2023-03-01 11:00 | online
Elizabeth LeBlanc, Julia Grcevic and Erin Ronfeld present “Women Who Broke the Glass Forts”
Presentations are free for all but registration is required. Use ticket link below to register on Zoom.
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NNDmOB2wTRylEOPe6AVShg

UEL Association of Canada - Governor Simcoe Branch (In-Person and Virtual): March 2023 Meeting
2023-03-01 19:30 | St. David’s Anglican Church, 49 Donlands Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M4J 3N5, Canada
“Murder & Mayhem, Settlers & Sinners, Colonists & Criminals: More Thrilling Stories from New France” — Presentation by Carol Ufford and Dawn Kelly
Wednesday, March 1, at 7:30pm – on Zoom; Register here
The meeting will take place in the downstairs meeting room at St. David’s Church, 49 Donlands.
If you plan to attend in person, RSVP to Anne Neuman at anneneuman@hotmail.com or 905-888-1278.
Carol Ufford and Dawn Kelly return with more fascinating stories from New France — unusual deaths, illegitimate children, and of course a little witchcraft and murder. As they tell the stories, Carol and Dawn will show some of the resources they used to trace their family histories.
Dawn Kelly is a veteran radio newscaster. In 1998, after 13-years moving town-to-town, up-and-down the dial in private radio, she signed on as a national newscaster at The Canadian Press. Dawn has won multiple national awards for her broadcasts as well as a Finalist Award from the New York Festival for Outstanding Achievement. She started searching for her Irish ancestors many years ago only to discover she has deep French-Canadian and Acadian roots.
Carol Ufford is a retired librarian and has been researching her family history off and on for over 30 years. Since retiring in 2016, she has been able to devote more time to her hobby and has made great progress on her family history story. Her family has deep roots in Ontario, but she is jealous of her husband’s deep French-Canadian roots on his father’s side, which include 35 Filles à Marier and 34 Filles du Roi. Carol is currently Chair of the Toronto Branch of the Ontario Genealogy Society.
In 2021 Carol and Dawn won the Members’ Choice Award from the Toronto Branch of Ontario Ancestors for their presentations on New France.

Swansea Historical Society (Virtual): Robert Home Smith, Riverside Drive, and the Humber Valley Developments
2023-03-01 20:00 | online
We are pleased to announce that our speaker for March and April will be Richard Jordan. We thoroughly enjoyed Richard’s presentation to the Swansea Historical Society in November 2019 on the subject of Hurricane Hazel, and we are delighted that he has consented to return (virtually) to join us in Swansea in the coming months.
Richard Jordan is a former President of the Etobicoke Historical Society.
A seasoned writer and an exciting and entertaining speaker, for seven years Richard contributed a local history column to the Toronto Star. His feature articles on various topics have appeared in the Saturday Star, the Sunday Star, and international history and genealogy magazines. He has made hundreds of presentations on local history in various venues, and now that he is retired, his repertoire also includes his experiences travelling the world.
The topic of Richard’s March 1 presentation will be Robert Home Smith, Riverside Drive, and the Humber Valley Developments. Robert Home Smith was a fascinating and mutli-faceted Toronto character in the early 1900s, a lawyer by training, a civic leader, an international investor, and a property developer who was also a natural-born town planner with a vision and an eye for architecture. Among his many contributions to Toronto’s history were the development of a series of elegant west-end neighbourhoods including The Kingsway, Baby Point, Humber Valley Village, and Swansea’s Riverside Drive area.
In April, Richard will share his knowledge of the history of Etobicoke’s three lakeshore communities, Mimico, New Toronto, and Long Branch. The three former municipalities share many things, including the streetcars of Lake Shore Boulevard West and the beautiful shores of Lake Ontario, but they have very different histories. Mimico is an older town, once the home of palatial estates. New Toronto had its start as a gritty industrial suburb. And Long Branch began as a gated, upper-class cottage community and resort in Victorian times. No doubt, in each case you will see many parallels with the history of Swansea. Richard invites us to come take a pleasant journey with him along the lake and hear stories about the people and neighborhoods of Etobicoke’s Historic Lakeshore.
HERE ARE THE LINKS FOR THE MARCH 1 VIRTUAL MEETING ON ZOOM.
The link will be open shortly after 7:30 pm and we are suggesting that people sign in before 8 pm so that we can get the meeting started promptly at 8.
March 1, 2023 – 8 p.m. start, however accessible at 7:30:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89694421653?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 896 9442 1653
Passcode: [REDACTED]

West Toronto Junction Historical Society (Virtual): Adam Bunch, "The Toronto Circus Riot: A True Tale of Sex, Violence, Corruption and Clowns"
2023-03-02 19:00 | online
The strangest riot in Toronto history broke out in the summer of 1855, sparked by a brawl at a King Street brothel. When some rowdy clowns picked a fight with a battle-hardened crew of firefighters, they would quickly learn they’d made a terrible mistake. The circus performers found themselves facing off against Toronto’s powerful Orange Order in a bloody clash that revealed the fault lines that once violently divided our city.
Adam Bunch is an award-winning storyteller who brings the history of Toronto and Canada to life. He’s the author of The Toronto Book of the Dead and The Toronto Book of Love, the host of the Canadiana documentary series, and the creator of the Toronto Dreams Project.
ADVANCED REGISTRATION REQUIRED! REGISTER AT:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMpfu6przotG9ErjgvQ_AuRjDIA7mCRXLhq
Zoom then will send you Login details

Town of York Historical Society: Toronto at 189 with Jesse Wente
2023-03-06 19:00 - 22:00 | St. Lawrence Hall, 157 King Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 1G9, Canada
March 6, 2023 is Toronto’s 189th Birthday! Celebrate in the heart of Old Town Toronto, where the city was born.
Toronto’s First Post Office and the Town of York Historical Society invites you to take part in our annual commemoration of the day Toronto became a city: March 6, 1834.
After two-years of meeting virtually, we are celebrating in a big way, in person, and returning to our previous venue at the historic St. Lawrence Hall. We’re so excited to present our very special guests: broadcaster and Indigenous advocate Jesse Wente, with Native Earth Preforming Arts.
Of course, it wouldn’t be March 6th without the popular Old Town Silent Auction, featuring many of our favourite local businesses! In addition, we will be offering a cash bar and small plates featuring food from the vendors of St. Lawrence Market. Doors will open at 6:30pm.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @TOs1stPO, and this event #TOs189th to find out more about our performers, food and drink sponsors, silent auction donors and lots, and event sponsors.
Don’t delay! Tickets are strictly limited. You must be an existing Town of York Historical Society member for member pricing. If you would like to join or need to renew, simply choose the membership and ticket option.
We appreciate the support of many community partners in this fundraiser, including our members, neighbours, and friends who purchase tickets to our annual celebration. Proceeds from this event benefit the Town of York Historical Society and Toronto’s First Post Office, a museum and National Historic Site. The Town of York Historical Society researches, interprets, and promotes the history of the Town of York and early Toronto, and fosters the preservation of the Town of York’s surviving built environment.

Guelph Historical Society Evenings with History: "Guelph Pipe Band"
2023-03-07 19:30 | Guelph Museum, 52 Norfolk St, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4H8, Canada
Speaker: Tyler Bridge
Tyler will talk about the history of the Guelph Pipe Band from its origin to present day through first hand experience and passed on aural knowledge as well as documented records of the band and its 100 year presence in the City of Guelph and surrounding communities. Tyler will cover events that marked the 100th anniversary this past year as well as other significant events still present in the collective memory of the band as they look forward to the decades ahead and the future of the organization. His talk will include multimedia segments as well as a live musical performance followed by a question period.

Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum Virtual Lecture: Historic Homes in Queenston
2023-03-08 11:00 | online
Linda Fritz presents “Historic Homes in Queenston”
Presentations are free for all but registration is required. Use ticket link below to register on Zoom.
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ngbKzS7VQFq-SvOqSIHzSw

Woodland Cultural Centre: Virtual Tour of the Former Mohawk Institute Residential School
2023-03-15 18:00 | online
The Woodland Cultural Centre presents a screening of the Mohawk Institute Residential School. Your donation will help support our education department to create and deliver virtual programming at the Woodland Cultural Centre. We want to continue to deliver the highest quality programs centered on a Hodinohsho:ni worldview, celebrating, and sharing Indigenous cultures, languages, and art.
The virtual tour video was created with local production company Thru the Reddoor, and it follows the guide, Lorrie Gallant, as she gives a tour of the former Mohawk Institute Residential School. During the video Lorrie provides the history of the institution over its 140 year history. Viewers will get to see the different rooms in the school, from the girls’ and boys’ dormitories, the cafeteria, laundry room, and other rooms throughout the building, as well as hear interviews from five Survivors of the Mohawk Institute.

Kingston Historical Society March 2023 Meeting (In-Person and Virtual)
2023-03-15 19:00 | Kingsbridge Retirement Community, 950 Centennial Dr., Kingston, Ontario, K7M 0G8, Canada
Military historian Dr. Matthew Barrett will discuss his ground-breaking use of graphic art – cartooning – to convey historical narrative and analysis. Barrett’s pictorial chronicle of events such as the battle for Hill 70 in World War I have been widely featured in the national press.

We return to in-person meetings in January, now at the Kingsbridge Retirement Community which has graciously agreed to let us use their very comfortable theatre lounge for our meetings. This is a most attractive location with comfortable armchairs and the most up-to-date audio-visual equipment. The spaciousness of this venue also allows us to offer light refreshments and an opportunity for socialization after each lecture.
The Kingsbridge Retirement Community, 950 Centennial Drive is the tall building just south of Princess Street. Ask for the theatre lounge on the lower floor. Enter by the prominent door on the east side. Someone will be at the door to give you directions and to check your double vaccination status. There is free visitor parking along the north side of the building. Express buses #501 and 502 serve upper Princess Street to very near Kingsbridge. Bus #4 offers slower service along Princess Street from downtown. Use the Centennial Drive bus stop.
Covid precautions: Please wear a mask on entry to the building, but you may remove your mask once in the room. Proof of vaccination is mandatory. The building is kept meticulously sanitized.

Orillia Museum of Art and History (Virtual): Elizabeth Wyn Wood: Renowned Sculptor, Art Educator and Orillian
2023-03-15 19:00 | online
Elizabeth Wyn Wood (1902-1966) became a nationally renowned professional sculptor at a time when it was extremely difficult for a woman to have a full-time career.
Join us to hear Sylvia Browne tell the story of her connection with her grandmother, Elizabeth Wyn Wood, and how Wood’s upbringing in Orillia and her exploration of the Canadian Shield informed her art and life.

Richmond Hill March 2023 Meeting: A Brief Introduction to the Richmond Hill Garden & Horticultural Society
2023-03-20 19:30 | Wallace Hall, Richmond Hill Presbyterian Church, 10066 Yonge Street, Richmond Hill, Ontario, L4C 1T8, Canada
Speaker: Doreen Coyne, Richmond Hill Garden & Horticultural Society
During this presentation, Doreen will give you a bit of the history of the Society and an overview of the volunteer effort that the members accomplish each year. All of which aim to educate and encourage the beautification of our community and neighbourhoods with plants, flowers, shrubs, and trees.

The Richmond Hill Historical Society meets on the third Monday of each month (except July and August) at 7:30 pm in Wallace Hall at the Richmond Hill Presbyterian Church, 10066 Yonge Street in Richmond Hill. All are welcome to attend.
Bring a friend or two! Guest Fee $5.00. Yearly memberships are available at $40.00 for Family and $25.00 for Individuals.
Light refreshments are served following the meeting.
For further information about meetings or programs, please call Andrea Kulesh at 905-884-2789
