Movin’ on Down the Road — The North Lanark Museum 1979

Appleton Museum 1980 Fire

1979

North Lanark Historical Society (NLHS) this year. A streak of good fortune and some very generous donations have made it possible for the society to purchase a fully constructed, portable bungalow to be used as a museum for the society’s historical artifacts And last Friday, the home was moved on a flatbed by Drumond Brothers Ltd to the site of the old Appleton school museum, which served as the society’s museum before it was destroyed by fire last summer.

The NLHS is endeavouring to have the home, which came fully equipped, insulated and fitted so it could be heated, operational as soon as possible. Once operational, the society plans to move its archive, presently located in the Mini-Mall on Bridge Street (Almonte), and those artifacts of the museum that survived the fire, to the new museum at the corner of Concession 11 and High Street, Ramsay Township. With Almonte’s centennial next year, museum curator Dawn Leduc says it was important for the society to have a working museum in which to display Lanark’s historical artifacts to the influx of tourists and former residents expected during the Centennial year.

The society still plans to rebuild the old Appleton schoolhouse for museum purposes, however, it has resigned itself to the fact it may not realize those plans for several years yet. The new museum building, worth $30,000 in material alone, was re- .cently bought on behalf of the society for $10,000 by Drummond Brothers from Campeau Corporation in Ottawa. The society has, in turn, paid the Drummonds back thanks to two major donations. The first donation has been in the hands of the society *for some time. It’s the $6,000 insurance cheque turned over to the society by the Lanark Board of Education which school museum. The board still owns the property upon which the old schoolhouse stood.

A second donation of $5,000 came more recently from a friend of the society who wishes to remain anonymous. However, the donations alone would not have allowed the society to purchase a replacement building so soon had it not been for the contribution made by the Stewart Drummond family of RR 3, Almonte, particularly, that made by the family’s mother, the late, Doreen Drummond,after whom the society has saw fit to name the new museum. Apparently, in securing the house at a low price for the society, the Drummond brothers, Dave and Gib, were fulfilling a promise they made their mother before she died. According to the brothers, one of the last places their mother visited before she died was the ruins of the old schoolhouse which had burnt down while she was in the hospital being treated for cancer.

After visiting the ruins, the brothers say their mother asked them to promise her that they would do what they could do to help the society rebuild its museum. Mrs Drummond died in October. The brothers began by offering the society to be on the lookout for a portable building it could use as a temporary museum. Their first idea was to get the” society a portable school room which they are often involved in relocating: however; something better became available just a few weeks ago. A portable house used as a sales office by the Campeau Corporation at Barrhaven Meadows was put up for sale. Having been called in to give an estimate on moving the house, the brothers were aware of it going up for sale. At first, they thought of buying the building for themselves and reselling it at a profit, but then they realized the house would make an ideal museum for the society because of its layout. As a former sales office, the 44 by 22-foot house has a number of features that lend themselves to displaying. For instance, the main room takes up three-quarters of the space in the house making for a large display area. The same room is lit by spotlights fitted into the roof and contains a display wall which has spotlights especially trained on it. Other features include washroom facilities, a kitchenette, and a real fireplace.

Also read-The Re-Opening of the North Lanark Regional Museum (Appleton) 1980

Movin’ on Mill Street– Supertest Building

Well, We’re Movin’ On Up to Franktown Road

The House that Skated to Carleton Place — Kennedy House

An Update to the Kennedy House — Harold “Ozzie” McNeely

Things You Didn’t Know About the Moore House — or Maybe you Did

While You Were Sleeping —-The Storyland Bunny Moves to the Hi Diddle Day House

North Lanark Museum

William Wylie Cabin — The House that Seniors Saved — North Lanark Regional Museum

The Re-Opening of the North Lanark Regional Museum (Appleton) 1980

Appleton Museum 1980 Fire

Update — Teacher Fired in Appleton School May 1931 –Annie Neilson

Appleton Map and Odds and Ends — Clippings of Appleton

Moving Appleton Community Hall, photo by Irene Thompson

Date:

Circa 1980

Location:

Appleton, Town of Mississippi Mills, Ontario, Canada

Credits:

Courtesy of Irene Thompson

Photographer: Irene Thompson

William Wylie Cabin — The House that Seniors Saved — North Lanark Regional Museum

PLease play while viewing photos…..

Photo Millstone News Before

Photo- Dawn Morrison– After

The Pioneer Log Cabin located on the grounds of the North Lanark Regional Museum has always been a popular tourist destination for many years. The cabin has not only local historical importance, but is architecturally an excellent example of rough-hewn log settler’s home. The construction is typical of log homes found across the Ottawa Valley in the early half of the 19th century.

Sadly, the cabin has been closed for almost three years owing to its state of disrepair and accessibility issues. Major repairs were required to preserve the exterior and to maintain the cabin and its contents in a safe condition.

Photo- Dawn Morrison

The cabin was originally built circa 1840 on Lot 15 Concession 11 of Ramsay (near the present Almonte Roundabout), by the William Wylie Family who resided on that lot from 1837 to 1853. The building was also owned by the Lockhart Family for several generations, and finally by the Thurston Family. It was donated originally to the town of Almonte. A few years later they decided that they did not have use for it and the North Lanark Historical Society in 1983 by Don and Britt Thurston and moved to its current location. The historical society set up a committee in 1983 to oversee the cabin project, with members Grant Anderson, Helen Davidson, Stewart Drummond, Ernie Giles, Victor Kellough, Dawn Leduc, Frances McLean, Norman Paul, Jean Steel and Gerry Willard.

They cut the ribbon!!!

Stones for the fireplace and chimney came from the local Don Duncan farm. The cabin was rebuilt over the next two years with funds from a New Horizons Grant and volunteer labour from the NLHS. It opened as part of the museum in the summer of 1985 and has since been a popular attraction for visitors of all ages.

With files from The Millstone and the North Lanark Regional Museum.

The Wolfe family –we were asked as a school if we could attend and answer questions about log cabin construction historical tools and common repairs or restorations as well as anything about what we teach. I (Stuart Morrison) of the Morrison family am currently head instructor of our school and Brian and Dawn are the Owners of the Pat Wolfe Log Building School. Stuart Morrison—

Pat Wolfe Log Building School

Thanks to my BFF Kevin Mitchell from Valley Sheds for help with the new holding shed

Yesterday was the GRAND REOPENING OF THE HERITAGE CABIN

In an age where I constantly am faced with watching one older building after another torn down for new development –yesterday gave me great joy to see this building loved and finally restored. The fact that every step of the way was organized by a group of seniors from conception to end made my heart proud.

We Celebrate

Music!!!

Alex!!

Amy!!

DONATE

All donations will be recognized and issued a charitable tax receipt. Donations may be sent to the NHLS by regular mail or you can donate online electronically.

Donations can be made online or by cash or cheque in-person at the Museum or by mail:

North Lanark Regional Museum
P.O. Box 218
Almonte, ON
K0A 1A0

Cheques can be made payable to the North Lanark Historical Society

All you need is love, some elbow grease, and never give up. Thank you to all who did. May developers one day realize heritage matters.

Mississippi Mills Councillors John Dalgity, Bev Holmes and me Linda S…. Councillor for Carleton Place..

Mississippi Mills Deputy Mayor Rick Minnille, Councillors Jhn Dalgity and Bev Holmes

Now take the kids and family to visit this amazing log cabin

Admission fee is by donation

VISIT US

We’re on the outskirts of the pretty little village of Appleton, about 10 minutes from Almonte. The collection is always available for researchers by appointment. 

HOURS

Weekdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Also open weekends starting in June

CONTACT

• 647 River Rd, Almonte, ON K0A 1A0
• 613-257-8503
• nlrmuseum@gmail.com

CLIPPED FROM
The Lanark Era
Lanark, Ontario, Canada24 Dec 1918, Tue  •  Page 8

Walking Around Carleton Place 1986

my collection- Linda Seccaspina

Carleton Place is haunted. But not by pale, moaning spectres that stand at the foot of the bed and rattle chains. The town’s ghosts appear as faint outlines of gothic windows on old St. Andrew’s Church, a third-floor false window at the Leland Hotel, and gas fixtures shaped like lion’s heads on the walls of the old Town Hall.

These buildings are just a few of the many clues to the past that lie quietly around the town, forgotten and overlooked by visitors and residents alike. But a local historical group has put together a walking tour of the town to dig up these ghosts and unearth their tales.

The picturesque town, about a half-hour’s drive west of Ottawa, has a population of a bit more than 6,000. The committee has linked 36 of the town’s oldest sites in the tour, and is distributing more than 5,000 brochures that illustrate and describe them. The stroll through history, which takes about an hour at a leisurely pace, starts at the old Town Hall on Bridge Street, and loops around the Mississippi riverfront area where the town first began. First stop is Town Hall, built in 1895. Like a castle surveying the river, it features roof pinnacles, wrought-iron cresting and tiny dormers with metal flags.

The building has seen an eclectic assortment of occupants: over the years, policemen and librarians, actors and firefighters have passed beneath the carved stone flowers on the entrance’s huge archway. Inside is a wood-panelled council chamber and opera hall with a raked stage and 90-year-old plywood chairs.

Photo- Linda Seccaspina

Across the river, one immediately notices the late Dr. Johnston’s mansion with its tower, gable and arched windows. But the hurried observer might miss the relics across the street. These four plain-looking buildings feature false fronts extensions of the front wall with nothing behind. Read-Summers of Carleton Place Past — Memories of Gooffy’s? The buildings were built in the boomtown days of the 1850s, when Carleton Place was on the railway line linking Halifax to Vancouver, and the railroad employed hundreds of people. read –Dr. Johnson Downing and Ferril I Presume? Carleton Place Then and Now–Bridge Street Series– Volume 12 a

no longer stands

The old Leland Hotel continues this theme of pretence, but adds a wrinkle of its own – a false window on the third floor with only empty sky behind. Around the corner on Bell Street, a dark old building sags with age, its wooden shutters hanging open at a crazy slant. This is the old Peden Store, built about 1845 and the oldest structure on the tour. With merchandise at street level and living space upstairs, it was a typical store of the mid-19th century.

Over on the corner of George and Edmund streets is the original Town Hall, built about 1872. It was conv -ted to a school about 10 years later. For a while it housed the town’s jail, and there are stories of wide-eyed students peering around their books at guards dragging handcuffed horse thieves down the hall.

 Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum read-The River Dance of the McArthur Mill in Carleton Place

Down the street and over the river is the McArthur Mill, built about 1871. Originally a woolen mill powered by a turbine fitted with wooden teeth, the building now shelters several high-tech electronics firms. Up the river is another clue to the origin of Mill Street’s name. The Boulton Brown Mill, built in 1823, is made up of three stone buildings and is dominated by the five-storey roller process and elevator built in 1885. The original millstone, which was hacked out of local granite, lies across the street. The mill is being renovated into an 11-unit condominium.

The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
16 Mar 1927, Wed  •  Page 11

If you’re lucky, not all the Carleton Place history you’ll find on the tour is clapboard, or stone and mortar. For example, you could meet 86-year-old Alan Swayne strolling down Judson Street on his way to one of his thrice-weekly swims. A resident for more than 60 years, he still remembers a cold February day in 1927. It was five o’clock, and his shift at the McArthur Mill had just ended. He was looking forward to dinner and then lacing up his skates for a hockey match that evening.

From the door of the mill, Swayne could see the railway line that spanned the river, and the sound of the Pembroke local thundering towards it made him look up. But what he saw made him forget about dinner and hockey and made him race towards the bridge. There was a woman thrashing in the icy water. “I threw off some clothes, jumped in and pulled her out,” says Swayne matter-of-factly, leaning on his cane. Read-John Alan Hope Swayne — Local Hero

The woman was safe, Swayne was freezing, and his co-workers escorted their new hero back to the mill. “They put me in a hot dryer to warm me up,” he says. “Then someone gave me a drink, and that was it.” He never made it to the hockey game. When Swayne walks out Judson and down Mill Street, he can see the old mill and most of the buildings that have stood in Carleton Place for more than 100 years. Swayne remembers, and sees what many others would overlook. Read –Working in the Grist Mill

Harold Silver photo

Thanks to Jeannie and Nic Maennling for looking after the museum for some of its life. We used to have a good crowd at the CP Historical Society.. and Ill remember it always.

https://www.habicurious.com/tag/nic-maennling/

A Piece of Almonte History for Sale –A. H. Whitten- Almonte Hotel

I don‘t sell on Ebay NOR do I promote others BUT when I see something that should be in a museum I make people aware of it. Anyways the watch is sold… but the story still needs to be told

I got an email yesterday that said:

After reading Community Memories of the Almonte Hotel

“The gold Eterna Challenger watch purchased by the Almonte Hotel staff for presentation to A.H. Whitten in 1948 is currently up for sale on eBay (July 8, 2020). The ‘tank’ (rectangular) style watch by Eterna (a Swiss firm) has a ivory colored dial with a small second hand at the ‘6 position’, a gold case, and a brown leather band. It is engraved on the back-“A. H. Whitten–From the Staff Hotel Almonte1948”

Sure enough here it is:

The back of the case has the following engraving: A. H. Whitten From The Staff Hotel Almonte 1948, 10kt Gold Filled Apex

A. H. Whitton was the Mayor of Almonte

The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
20 Nov 1959, Fri  •  Page 2

The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
02 Aug 1960, Tue  •  Page 12

The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
02 Aug 1960, Tue  •  Page 7

The Almonte Hotel — 1990s More history

Community Memories of the Almonte Hotel

The Almonte Hotel –Need Community Help!

Meeting Your Neighbours — Paul Latour and The Almonte Hotel

What is Heritage? — The Old Hotel in Almonte

The Fight for Senior Housing in 1982 – Almonte History

Cool Burgess — Minstrel Shows at Reilly’s Hotel

Susie’s Kitchen Band– Names Names Names

He Said-and– He Said! Oh Let the Song of Words Play!

gail Barr photo–

Appleton Museum 1980 Fire

LIPPED FROM

The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
21 Jul 1980, Mon  •  Page 3

 

The Appleton Incident 1954

Tom Edwards Appleton Photos 1910-1920

The Story of the Appleton Sleigh Ride–Audrey Syme

Appleton Notes– Who Do you Know?– Names Names Names

The Bryson Craig Farm in Appleton

“They Didn’t Fit My Dinner”—Letters from Hilda-Maberly and Appleton– – Doug B. McCarten

Where was Bay View House in Appleton?

You Never Talk About Appleton

Suspended Teacher —Appleton School 1931 — Miss Annie Neilson

Local News and Farming–More Letters from Appleton 1921-Amy and George Buchanan-Doug B. McCarten

The Letters of John Buchanan and Mary Ilan–Appleton– from Doug McCarten

Why the Appleton Bridge Collapsed…

The Day the Appleton Bridge Collapsed

Lawsuits in Carleton Place — The Collapse of the Appleton Bridge

Poutine Curds From the Appleton Cheese Factory?

The Appleton General Store and Polly Parrot

The Insane Spinster Ghost of Appleton Ontario

The Abandoned Appleton Mill

Unravelled: Appleton textile mill

The Abandoned Appleton Mill

What’s New at the Mississippi Textile Museum?

Michael Rikley-Lancaster  sent this to me last night. Here is your 2018 MVTM board!

Hesch Hanley President/ Director

Hesch has 35 years of federal government experience working at central agencies and large operational departments, providing executive advice and direction in the areas of resource reallocation and governance, project management, risk management, strategic and operational planning, policy development, task force management, and program management and review.

During his career, the wind down and the transformation of Museums Canada from one corporate entity into new corporate entities: the National Gallery of Canada, Museum of History, and other notable federal cultural institutions, occurred. Hesch was also part of the Public Service 2000 initiative that oversaw the transformation of the federal government, including Program Review I and II. Hesch has lectured at Queen’s University and the University of Ottawa.

Lizz Thrasher, Vice President/ Director

With a background that ranges from kitchen management to auto restoration, Lizz has an unusual mix of technical and artistic skills.  She formally trained in conservation and arts administration at Sir Sandford Fleming College, Peterborough.

Since starting her career as a conservator and museum professional, Lizz has worked in a variety of heritage institutions, including the Canada Museum of Science and Technology and The Klondike National Historic Site. She has worked on objects as diverse as a beaded silk wedding dress and the carding machines upstairs at the MVTM.  She is currently the Facilities Manager at the Diefenbunker, where she is responsible for the building and building infrastructure as well as the care of the museum collection.

Meredith Filshie, Secretary/ Director

Meredith has been passionate about textiles, fibres, beads and beautiful things all her life. She has an undergraduate degree specializing in Textiles, Clothing and Design from the University of Guelph and an MBA from the University of Western Ontario. For 24 years, she worked in economic development policy groups with the federal government and had increasing levels of management responsibility. Currently she is the owner of Canada Beading Supply in Ottawa and is a member of several fibre arts organizations in the Ottawa area. Her experience in management, policy development, strategic and operational planning, budgeting and personnel combined with her involvement in the fibre arts community will help the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum remain a vital and exciting institution in Eastern Ontario.

Alan Jones, Treasurer/ Director

Alan was the Chief Valuator for Revenue Canada, and retired in 2000. He and Glenda moved to their new home in West Carleton in 1994. They have 20 acres of ANSI land -Area of Natural and Scientific Interest. Alan is an MBA, and a Fellow of the Chartered Business Valuators, the Chartered Professional Accountants, and the Certified General Accountants. He has been involved with the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum (MVTM) since 1995,and served as treasurer 1997-2003 and president 2008-2012. He has served on a number of local initiatives, such as the Stewardship Committee, the Heritage Committee, the Mills Community Support Corporation and the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority. Alan and Glenda won the Mississippi Volunteerism Award in 2013.

John Beesley, Director

John has now lived in Almonte for 3½ years. He has recently been looking at ways that he can contribute to the community in a meaningful way, while also leveraging some of the skills that he has developed in his full time work. John has come to appreciate the importance of arts organizations to the community, and given that the MVTM is one of the pre-eminent arts organizations in Almonte, he believes he can help the organization build on its past successes and prepare for the future.

From an academic perspective, John has an Executive MBA from the Smith School of Business, Queen’s University.  The program is generalist in nature and provides a background in business management, human resources, operations management and finance.  Additionally, he has worked for CIBC in a number of roles with increasing scope and complexity throughout the years. His work experience has given him exposure to personal & small business banking, project management, leadership of branch and district teams and regional operations accountability.

Edith Cody-Rice, Director

Edith is a senior lawyer, now retired, with years of experience in public, legal, and voluntary sectors. She is deeply committed to public service and is a strong negotiator and team player with superior collaborative and communication skills. Edith is fluent in both official languages and has long experience in governance and management of projects, policy development and the crafting of legislation and reports. She loves the arts and museums, and thinks that the textile museum is one of the most valuable assets in the town of Mississippi Mills. Edith has been deeply involved in the voluntary sector most of her adult life.

Josée Dambois, Director

Josée has had a lifelong curiosity and interest in fibre arts, learning sewing from her mother at age ten to being a self-taught quilter and knitter. Currently, she is pursuing coaching in classical drawing and painting as well as apprenticing with a master weaver. She is a member of the National Gallery of Canada, the Ottawa Valley Weavers’ and Spinners’ Guild, the Out of the Box Fibre Artists group and, of course, the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum (MVTM). Fluent in both English and French, her work experience includes three national museums (the Canadian Museum of Nature, the National Gallery of Canada and the Canada Science and Technology Museums Corporation) amongst other national organizations.  Josée brings over 20 years of experience in non-profit sector, ten of those years in corporate governance. She holds a Diplôme d’Etudes Collégiale (DEC)  in Business Administration with specialization in Finance, a Fine Arts Certificate from Algonquin College and a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in psychology, from Waterloo University.

Jill McCubbin, Municipality of Mississippi Mills Council Representative/ Director

Jill is a Mississippi Mills Councillor, Almonte Ward. She also works at the Mississippi Mills Public Library, at Mill Street Books and provides marketing and communications services to a couple of private organizations. Jill’s background includes small business (mainly bookstores) website design and development, publishing, writing and editing. She was a founder and early editor of theHumm and of Independently Reviewed (a national newsletter). Jill is also an artist and has exhibited paintings in Ottawa, Peterborough, Almonte and at the MVTM in 2013.

Kathy Priddle, Director

Kathy has lived and worked in Almonte for more than 23 years. She has raised her 3 children here and been a tireless volunteer over the years. Her roles have ranged from President of the Almonte Toy Lending Library to President of the MVTM. Kathy also volunteers at The Hub and Cornerstone Community Church and served on the Mississippi Mills Library Board. She still finds time to work part-time in downtown Almonte and also teach drama. Early in her career, Kathy taught Grade 4 and was also a nature interpreter for the MNR. Her educational background is in Environmental Studies (B.E.S., University of Waterloo) and Education (B.Ed., Nipissing University).

Fraser Scantlebury, Director

Fraser is currently the Executive Director of the United Way Lanark County, having joined the organization in the spring of 2011 as Fund Development Officer. He brings to that position an extensive business career as a consultant, combined with a long-standing volunteer commitment to the non-profit community. Fraser has had extensive dealings with a number of senior level management teams across various industries, government, and non-profit organizations, and his management roles have included international experience, as well as serving on the boards of a number of non-profit organizations and a publicly traded company. Primarily areas of expertise include leadership learning; fund-raising and marketing; governance; e-learning program development; and project management.

Michael Rikley-Lancaster

 

How Much is that Doggie In the Museum?

Emotional Patchwork at The Mississippi Valley Textile Museum

The Rosamonds Would Love You to Come and Shop Vintage!

Guess What I Found?–A Purchase from the Yard Goods Store

Does Fabric Make You Happy? Read This!!

Should we Really Keep Time in a Bottle or a Box?

The Rosamond Woolen Company’s Constipation Blues

Was Working in One of Our Local Mills Like Working in a Coal Mine?

Babies in the Textile Mills

Emotional Patchwork at The Mississippi Valley Textile Museum

Carleton Place Rules the World — Almonte Waves a White Flag!

DeBunking The Biggest Nose in Perth Story

 

 

 

In the Perth Courier, of March 25, 1870 there was a short sentence on the front page that the former published Courier story of a man who had a nose so big he could not blow it without the use of gunpowder was said to be a hoax.

Thank you….

Apparently something called a ‘third rate museum’ had blown through Perth which had offered the locals the attractions of a skeleton man and a Chinese Giant. There were rumours abound that they had placed an advertisement in the local papers for a man with a giant nose for some local interest. In fact the ‘museum’ didn’t want just any giant nose- they wanted the biggest nose in the world– and ‘none but monstrosities need apply’. The next day there came to the manager’s room two local men whose noses were positively gigantic.

As they waited for the manager they looked at each other and smiled.

“I suppose we both came here for the same purpose,” one said.

The other agreed, saying it was ‘as plain as the nose on his face’ and asked what it would take to make the other lad leave. The other man refused his offer of $15 and said he would be the one to exhibit his nose as he had a special talent as well. Word in the Courier was that he could not blow his nose without the use of gunpowder.

Really?

Right there I was doubtful of the whole situation as if any of you that have seen Nicolas Cage’s film Lord of War knows about mixing cocaine and gunpowder which they called “brown brown”.  None of that ended well.

I don’t know about you but I personally wouldn’t recommend putting gunpowder up anyone’s nose. Honestly, think about it. It probably wouldn’t do any permanent damage just to try it, but, I mean whats really the purpose?  Would you really do that just to get noticed in Lanark County?.

I would hope that the Perth Courier tidbit was a hoax as anybody thinking of putting gunpowder up their nose, or in their body at all, really should save the few brain cells they have left. Was it just another ploy by the ‘fly by night road show” or even the Perth Courier to sell tickets and newspapers?

Of course everyone in those days had their noses in everyone else’s business. Sounds like tales were being told, and the moral is and continues to be : “If you don’t see it with your own eyes, then don’t invent things with your small mind, and share it with your big mouth.” –– or newspapers for this fact.

 

 

 

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  26 Feb 1898, Sat,  Page 1

Clipped from Vancouver Daily World,  02 Apr 1898, Sat,  Page 6

 

Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in The Townships Sun and Screamin’ Mamas (USA)

Come and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read. Also check out The Tales of Carleton Place.

 

Mrs. Jarley’s Wax Works -Creepy Entertainment

 

Mrs Jarley and her Waxworks Hits Lanark– and they call me strange:)

Entertainment in Rural Towns–Dancing Bears and Monkeys?

The Day the Hypnotist Came to Carleton Place

 

cbcbc

 

Friday October the 13th– 6:30.. meet in front of the old Leland Hotel on Bridge Street (Scott Reid’s office) and enjoy a one hour Bridge Street walk with stories of murder mayhem and Believe it or Not!!. Some tales might not be appropriate for young ears. FREE!–

 

 

Here we go Carleton Place– Mark Your Calendars–
Friday October the 13th– 6:30.. meet in front of the old Leland Hotel on Bridge Street (Scott Reid’s office) and enjoy a one hour Bridge Street walk with stories of murder mayhem and Believe it or Not!!. Some tales might not be appropriate for young ears. FREE!–

Join us and learn about the history under your feet! This year’s St. James Cemetery Walk will take place Thursday October 19th and october 21– Museum Curator Jennfer Irwin will lead you through the gravestones and introduce you to some of our most memorable lost souls!
Be ready for a few surprises along the way….
This walk takes place in the dark on uneven ground. Please wear proper footwear and bring a small flashlight if you like.
Tickets available at the Museum, 267 Edmund Street. Two dates!!!
https://www.facebook.com/events/1211329495678960/

OCT 28th
Downtown Carleton Place Halloween Trick or Treat Day–https://www.facebook.com/events/489742168060479/

Did you Know we have a “World Class Museum” right in Lanark County?

 

Photo from the Middleville & District Museum

As someone who studies the past, I have strong personal ideas about what makes a good museum. To get my vote, a museum has to be prepared to take some risks,  and it should present different views and ideas. That said, everyone has a different opinion, but my bottom line is it should be innovative and really involved with its local community. If people donate their family items to a museum they want to see it on display– and that is what the Middleville Museum does. There is very little in their stock room, and each exhibit is set in its own vignette. I didn’t sense institutional stuffiness or aloofness either, which are two of the threats of low attendance at museums– in fact, it was the absolute opposite.

Interior one room sod home–Middleville & District Museum

 

Chances are you probably have not visited this little gem smack dab in the middle of Lanark County, and I was one of the guilty ones. It’s not like I didn’t try– a few times the museum was closed for the season, or I came during the week. My driving has its limits now, and then this year I got sick and stayed inside for most of the summer. I knew they closed Thanksgiving weekend and time was of the essence– so when Steve asked me where I wanted to go on Saturday — it was definitely ‘The Middleville Museum”.

 

 

So much to see at the Middleville & District Museum

 

This museum as far as I am concerned is one of the best kept secrets of Eastern Ontario, and deeply entwined with the life of the surrounding area. Some museums might have assumed a level of audience, but not always among the general visiting public. Putting something in a glass case with a parallel text next to it can be a not-very-immersive experience for the visitor.

 

Something for everyone in the family and a great place for local schools to visit. You don’t need to go to Ottawa–Middleville & District Museum

The Middleville Museum hits it all- with photos and mementos, a small interactive log cabin that you can step back in time, a classroom, and even antique autos and an old funeral hearse. Every turn of the corner was a delight, and even if  a good portion is based on objects–there was an instant connection made between the object and history, which gives us a special kind of access to the past. Immediately I sensed the community in the Middleville Museum, whether it was separated by a pane of glass or not.

Cars and such-Middleville & District Museum

 

Middleville Museum, Part 1– Photo by John Rayner– as there is no way my “bad shot” conveyed the awesomeness of this vehicle

 

No one has an idea about why we go to museums ourselves, or indeed why other people might go. The truth is– are any of us really sure?  Today, I felt this museum was where the unexpected happens and I can’t really put how I feel into words.  I am not a historian, I write and share stories of the past– and today, I looked at the content of the Middleville Museum and didn’t want to leave. If you let your imagination fly while you are walking around a museum and it invades your emotions, you’ve probably got a rather good museum on your hands. Even today, I am still thinking about what I saw– space that was thoughtfully transformed back into time. Well done– the ancestors are smiling from above!

 

General store and Post Office at the Middleville & District Museum

 

Schoolroom with personal mementos at the Middleville & District Museum

Curator Alice Borrowman from the Middleville & District Museum

Stay tuned all week to the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page to see more photos of some great interesting things from the Middleville & District Museum.

Middleville & District Museum—Address: 2130 Concession Rd 6D, Lanark, ON K0G 1K0
Hours: · 11AM–3PM– check out their hours before you go.
Phone: (613) 259-0229  Open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for the next couple of weeks and also on Thanksgiving Monday from 11-3.CLOSES THANKSGIVING WEEKEND!

 

Interested in Family Histories from the Middleville/Lanark Township area? Come have a chat with David Murdoch, our resident expert. That would be Archives Lanark and Lanark County historian Marilyn Snedden sitting there. Photo-Middleville & District Museum

 

In memory of  the late Carman Lalonde who I miss greatly. (sitting in front of Clyde Hall in Lanark Village at his granddaughter and my son’s wedding)

The night before I made my journey to the Middleville & District Museum I had a dream where Carman was discussing ‘The Vertical Board House” and Carman was saying, “I told you that was the Sommerville House— did you forget?” I will never have the memory of Carman Lalonde.. there was only one Carman Lalonde.

 

 

When History Comes to You–A Visit from Middleville

Visiting the Neighbours — Middleville Ontario and Down the 511

It’s the Middleville News

Hissing Steam, Parades and a 1930 Hearse–Pioneer Days Middleville

Have You Ever Paid Tribute to our Pioneers? Middleville Pioneer Cemetery

Why Am I Obsessed with History?

Where is it Now? The Heirloom of William Camelon

 

John Rayner’s Posts

Middleville Museum, Part 3

Middleville Museum, Part 2

Middleville Museum, Part 1

 

 

 

Preserving the Past With Love Without Embalming It — Photos of the Carleton Place Museum 2011

Carleton Place Rules the World — Almonte Waves a White Flag!

The Rosamond Woolen Company’s Constipation Blues

Calling on the Victorian Neighbours Full of Lustre!

When I was 17- The Kitten- Glenayr Knitting Mills Reunion

Shaw’s of Perth-(About the Matheson’s of Perth)- Matheson House Museum

I was Born a Boxcar Child- Tales of the Railroad

The North Lanark Quilts

Bill Armstrong and The Innisville Museum (closed)

 

 

 

 

 

Middleville & District Museum
Yesterday at 10:00 AM  · 

We’re opening! … Saturday, July 24, at noon, we will open for our 2021 season.
Days/hours: Saturdays, Sundays, and Holiday Mondays, up to an including Monday, October 11th – 12 noon to 4pm.
COVID restrictions still apply. Contact-tracing information will be collected as per the Health Board.
For more information, message us or check out our website at http://www.middlevillemuseum.org/.

Armchair Tourism in Carleton Place –Part 4–Stepping Back in Time

Photo- the gals and a gent on the Carleton Place Chamber of Commerce tour of Carleton Place– come along with us today to see The Labyrinth and Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum

Today is Part 4 in a new series called Armchair Tourism in Carleton Place. We have a great town and we need to explore it. What if somebody comes from out of town and asks you what they can do in Carleton Place? We, as a collective group of Citizens, need to keep on top of this and spread the history about the folks and our beautiful locations in our town that keep the wheels going round.

If you have anything to add, or places that should be in this series, then please tell me so we can write about it.

 

 

Did you know Carleton Place was ‘Founded Upon a Rock’? What else don’t you know about Carleton Place?  The Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum will have most of your answers.

Who knew? It’s the best kept secret when you just need to get out of the office and breathe in some fresh air and learn about Carleton Place’s past.

 Photo by Robert McDonald

 

 

Did you know there is a labyrinth in the back?  A labyrinth is a circular path, an ancient spiral symbol that has been used for over 4000 years. A labyrinth’s path guides a participant to its centre and back out again. Unlike a maze, the labyrinth holds no tricks or dead ends. The walker is free to focus on a thought, a prayer, or simply enjoy the walk itself. Walking a labyrinth has been used for centuries to support healing, meditation and personal growth.

 

The first project of the Carleton Place and District Horticultural Society when it formed in 1988 was the transformation of the former hard-packed cinder playground into this lovely oasis on the north side of town.

The Garden of the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum is designed, planted and maintained by the Horticultural society members who donate plants from their own gardens along with their time and gardening talents. Take a few moments to relax under the vine-covered trellis and view the original Carleton Place horse-watering trough, now a delightful planter. Then wander through the 20th Anniversary Celebration arbour and hedge to visit the Community Gardens Project.

 

Check out the murals in the back. The Museum undertook the “opening up” of 10 sealed up windows on the outside of the building by hiring local artists to create mural panels to fill these spaces.

These murals were produced by members of “Arts Carleton Place”, and depict the various uses of the building’s history as the Town Hall, a Lock-Up, a School, and now as the local Museum.

 

Erected in 1872, this heritage designated building served the community of Carleton Place as the Town Hall and lock up until 1879, and as Victoria School (as seen below) for 90 years until 1969.

The museum is run by the Carleton Place and Beckwith Historical Society with assistance from the Town of Carleton Place and the Township of Beckwith. Opening as the Victoria School Museum in 1985, the name was changed in 2011 to the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum to reflect the scope of it’s collection and it’s audience.

The Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum houses almost 10,000 artifacts, including three-dimensional objects, textiles, photographs, and archival documents. Their mandate is to obtain articles relevant to the communities and individuals of Carleton Place and of Beckwith Township. They obtain all of their artifacts by the generous donation of individuals in the community.

The Current Summer Exhibit

In honour of Beckwith Township’s 200th Anniversary, they present the Art of Annie Elexey Duff. Born in 1873 at Oreno Villa on the shore of Mississippi Lake, Duff was an accomplished painter, photographer and naturalist. 
She spent time working for Samuel Jarvis Photography Studio in Ottawa, and for Vogue Magazine in New York City before returning to live out her days in Beckwith.
See Beckwith through the eyes of an artist at this fascinating exhibit. Opens May 21, 2016.

Annie E. Duff at Niagara Falls, no date. Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum

Email : cpbheritagemuseum@bellnet.ca
Call: (613)253-7013
267 Edmund Street, Carleton Place ON
K7C 3E8

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Related Reading

Armchair Tourism in Carleton Place –Part 1–Bud’s Taxi

Armchair Tourism in Carleton Place –Part 2–A Snack and a View

Armchair Tourism in Carleton Place–I Threw Away my Candy at The Ginger Cafe Part 3

 

Related Carleton Place and Beckwith Museum posts

WALKING THE CARLETON PLACE LABYRINTH

What Justin Bieber is Missing by Not Coming to Carleton Place

True Confessions —– I Just Shook Hands With My Vacuum Cleaner

The Female Artist from Carleton Place That Never Went Viral

Forever Young –The Horrors– The Chafing

In the 50s streets were considered safer, and kids could run to the store for eggs, pick up the dry cleaning, and buy some stamps on their way home. Jello was considered a food group, and the faux whipped cream on top was considered a solid serving of calcium.

Due to the baby boom, there was a high demand for clothing for children. Children’s clothing began to be made to a higher quality, and some even adopted trends popular with teenagers. Many boys started wearing jeans to Elementary school– but still girls of all ages wore pants outfits at home and for casual public events, but they were still expected-if not required-to wear dresses and skirts for school, church, parties, and even for shopping.

Out of all the outfits I wore as a child I remember my 3 piece red wool winter snowsuit.   The picture above is me after that outfit was taken off and I was pretty upset.  That particular red outfit and Toni Perm’s were definitely enough to drive me to a psychologist for years.  The outfit in the photo from the upcoming Forever Young display at the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum below is pretty well the exact style except the colour.

 

 

There was nothing like playing out in the snow with this 3 piece red wool outfit on. I have to wonder what manufactures and mothers were thinking. It wasn’t warm, and when it got wet it weighed triple its weight. The scratchy wool fabric rubbed my thighs so much that chafing couldn’t even be called a word. Red dye number 7 has never been safe for the world, but in the 50s when you removed wet coloured clothing your skin matched the shade you had been wearing. It took a lot of scrubbing to get the colour residue off, but nothing was redder than my raw inner thighs.

This outfit traumatized me so much that at the age of 64, it is sill planted firmly in my memory. Maybe this has been one of your horror stories of childhood too. Come see what children wore years ago at the Forever Young display beginning December 12th at the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum.  Don’t forget the Eaton’s Christmas Catalogue display room will only be up for a limited time.