Today’s lecture features Adrian Petry, visitor services coordinator here at the Museum. In this presentation, he looks at the research that goes into creating our annual Guided Spirit Walks at Victoria Lawn Cemetery, and how dark tourism like ghost walks have influenced the practice public history and the public’s imagination of historical personalities.
History from Here: The Royal Canadian Henley Rowing Course
Home of the St. Catharines Rowing Club, Brock University Rowing, the Ridley Rowing Club, and the Ridley Graduate Boat Club; a training site for numerous school rowing teams, and a venue for rowing competitions of all levels, including the highly reputable Henley Regatta – the Royal Canadian Henley Course has welcomed and cultivated world-class rowers and coaches on its waters, since 1903.
On this episode of History from Here, Sara takes you to Rennie Park, across from the Henley Grandstand, to learn about the Royal Canadian Henley Rowing Course in St. Catharines, Ontario.
Remembering the Welland House
From what we’ve seen online and in the news over the last few weeks, it is clear that the loss of the Welland House Hotel has hit the St. Catharines community hard. It is no different here at the St. Catharines Museum. Within all the varied work of a museum, the history of the Welland House would come up at least once a week among staff, volunteers, researchers, and visitors in some way. It’s tangible loss is stark.
History from Here: St. James Church at 405 Merritt Street
A building dismantled and relocated to a different community, then destroyed by fire and rebuilt, only to be met with a treacherous tornado a few years later. The story of St. James Anglican Church is a story of grit.
Museum Chat Live! E301 – Company Town
In this podcast study guide (to go along with your reading of the book) we take a look at the idea of Merritton, one of the 4 former cities that amalgamated into St. Catharines, and it’s development as a ‘company town’ alongside the historic Welland Canals. Of course, the history of Merritton, and the history of any place, is far more complex than could possibly be analysed in a brief study-guide podcast, and so this episdoe should not be considered a complete history of the town, but rather the presentation of one idea as a just one part of explaining its rich history.
Museum Chat Live! E202 – The Monuments
How do we deal with monuments that commemorate problematic histories and problematic historical figures? It’s a debate that has gotten quite heated in recent weeks, and as museum professionals, the Museum Chat Live! podcast team thought we’d weight in.
Fire Insurance Plans Print Series
The plans continue to remain an important resource in my work as a public historian at the Museum today. I often find myself considering research questions by first checking the city’s business directories spanning the last 150 years, and the fire insurance plans. They aren’t perfect – they are static and only cover certain geography – but the visuals are priceless.
And that’s why we just couldn’t keep these plans to ourselves.
One Dominion: On the Path to Confederation
In our research, we found a handful of St. Catharines politicians and businessmen whom were adamantly against Confederation. These men were part of a movement usually referred to as the Anti-Confederate movement. Plenty of politicians across the new Dominion, now vilified by time and memory, were against a political union for a surprisingly wide variety of reasons.
History InSite 2017
If you’re a history keener (like us) and are interested in taking a guided walking tour, you can meet Museum historians at the Festival Hub/Interactive Village on James Street on the hour between 11 am and 4 pm on Saturday and Sunday, April 29 and 30, 2017
Narratives of Fugitive Slaves – Part 3
“Rents and provisions are dear here, and it takes all I can earn to support myself and my children. I could have one of my children well brought up and taken care of, by some friends in Massachusetts, which would much relieve me, but I cannot have my child go there on account of the laws, which would not protect her. This is a hardship: but had I to struggle much harder than at present, I would prefer it to being a slave. Now I can lie down at night in peace – there I had no peace even at night, on account of my master’s conduct.” – Mrs. Ellis (pp 63-64).
Narratives of Fugitive Slaves – Part 2
I have seen hundreds of escaped slaves, but I never saw one who was willing to go back and be a slave. I have no opportunity to see my friends in my native land. We would rather stay in our native land, if we could be as free there as we are here. I think slavery is the next thing to hell. If a person would end another into bondage, he would, it appears to me, be bad enough to send him into hell, if he could.
aMUSE: Lost Architecture
The Last aMUSE of 2016 Our final aMUSE pop-up exhibition of 2016 focused on the lost and remaining 19th century […]
Busy and Beautiful Downtown St. Catharines
The St. Catharines Museum is excited to have our next aMUSE event popping up at the St. Catharines Farmers Market […]
Ask Alicia – YMCA
Dear Alicia, I have been told that there used to be a Y.M.C.A. located downtown. Is that correct? If so, […]
Ask Alicia – St. Catharines Standard
Hi Alicia, There are many beautiful historic buildings in downtown St. Catharines. A good example is the former St. […]
Ask Alicia – Canada Hair Cloth Co.
Hi Alicia, I’m fairly new to St.Catharines and since I work at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, I thought I’d […]
History InSite 2016
History InSite originally appeared at the In the Soil Festival in April of 2016. — History InSite is a site-specific photo […]
The Women’s Institute
The Women’s Institute (WI) is an organization most often associated with the UK, but as I recently (and very patriotically) explained […]
Ask Alicia – Buchanan Hall
Alicia, Just wondering if you have any history on the Buchanan house? I would find that super interesting. Thanks, Nancy […]
Managing Change – Morningstar Mill in context
The turn of the 20th century was a time of transition in Canadian life. The last traces of pioneer life quietly disappeared […]
Ask Alicia – Curious about 211 Queenston Street
Dear Alicia, I am interested in learning more about the property at the corner of Queenston and Eastchester Streets in […]
Ask Alicia – 321 St. Paul Street
Dear Alicia, The building at 321 St. Paul Street is so beautiful and unique. It really stands out but I […]
Morningstar Mill – Keeping up with the Joneses
When Wilson purchased Mountain Mills in 1883, the mill had already been updated with a modern turbine. Turbines had replaced […]
Salem Chapel, BME Church and Zion Baptist Church
Salem Chapel, BME Church During the mid-1800s, a vibrant Black community took root in and around Geneva and North Streets. Harriet […]