Hiding in Plain Sight Part 1: The Rumour Mill

In part one of our annual Black History Month blog series, we explore the root of the myth that Freedom Seekers remained in hiding even after arriving in St. Catharines on the Underground Railroad.

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What Happened to the Old Canals? Part 1: Apathy and Indifference

In part one of a new series examining the fate of the old canals, we look at the centuries of “apathy and indifference” stuck to the Welland Canal.

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Museum Chat Live! E1010 – Supercut 3: Primary Sources

Throughout our celebration of season 10 we’ve put together a few “supercut” episodes looking back at some of our favourite moments and episodes. We revisited the series we put together about the history of the bridges of the Welland Canal, and we revisited the series about the Victorians called Victorian Tweets. On today’s last episode of season 10, we bring you a supercut compilation of our favourite instances where we used primary sources on the podcast.

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One Hour in the Past E806 – Pablum

It’s time for the big reveal. After an interesting discussion about pablum (ironic, we know), Adrian reveals the theme (and subthemes) that linked together the episodes of this season!

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14th Annual Guided Spirit Walks – Director’s Notes

Now in its 14th year, the annual Guided Spirit Walks at Victoria Lawn Cemetery are an excellent way to experience historical narrative lifted off the written page. It’s traditional (and sometimes required) for the writer/director to offer thoughts and perspective on the intentions and research behind the stories of the annual production.

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One Hour in the Past E805 – The Wirephoto

In the most scientific episode since the infamous gyroscope episode in season 7, Kathleen and Adrian try to tackle the fascinating and very technical history of the wirephoto.

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Know Your Neighbours – Delos White Beadle

In Canada, Delos White Beadle of St. Catharines, a prominent figure in horticulture and gardening, exemplified how legitimacy in horticulture became increasingly tied to institutional affiliation, publishing, and participation in formal associations.

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Know Your Neighbours – Sidney Rose Badgley

The architect of Massey Hall in Toronto, Sidney Rose Badgley was born in 1850 in Ernest Township, Ontario near Kingston. As a young boy however, the family moved to St. Catharines. Badgley attended Grantham Academy on Church Street, a building that still stands today and is home to Bridges Niagara. 

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One Hour in the Past E804 – The Electronic Wave Organ

Bet you didn’t know how an electronic organ works! Well, now you do! In another attempt at explaining science, Kathleen and Adrian explore the history of this impressive instrument, talk family electronic organs, and sports!

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14th Annual Guided Spirit Walks – Historical Profiles

The challenge, which I always enjoy, is simultaneously selecting historic persons to include on the tour whose burials are located on an enjoyable walking tour route that also fit into the theme of that year’s tour, and whose life story can appropriately carry a relevant historical narrative.

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One Hour in the Past E803 – The Route Reference Computer

How does the mail get sorted? One of the first computerized and automated mail sorters was the Route Reference Computer. Despite its “state secret” level of confusing technical aspects, we learned a lot about the mail in this episode.

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14th Annual Guided Spirit Walks – The Source Material

It’s this imbalance of the application of justice, which runs through all the source materials – letters, diaries, court records, jail lists, summaries of convictions, and most of all, newspapers – that threads the many narratives of crime together in this year’s walks. Hundreds of pages of newspapers and handfuls of letters, testimony, and court records show us a St. Catharines that in some ways is unrecognizable, and in other ways, show us that society still has a long way to go.

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One Hour in the Past E802 – The Electric Powered Wheelchair

On this episode we’re explore the important history of the electric powered wheelchair, and our research takes us through the history and importance of mobility aids today.

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One Hour in the Past E801 – The Egg Carton

We’re cracking open season 8 of One Hour in the Past with the history of the egg carton. The episode is filled with a surprising amount of unintended egg puns and lots of egg-sellent history. Enjoy the episode!

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