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. 

History from Here: Former Merritton Town Hall

Before 1961, Merritton was an independent municipality, separate from St. Catharines. Merritton developed around the Welland Canal’s most aggressive escarpment […]

The 2022 Guided Spirit Walks Roar into the 1920s  

As part of the Guided Spirit Walks creative team, I can tell you that our historical interests span widely, and we are always imagining up new ways to bring the stories of those buried in Victoria Lawn Cemetery to our audiences. This year, we present Roaring into the ‘20s: A New Chapter for our City and invite you into the stories of those who lived through the tumultuous period of 1920s St. Catharines. We might imagine the Roaring Twenties as a risqué period of flappers, jazz, and prohibition, and while these were dramatic parts of the era, the 1920s can be characterized by even more dramatic shifting social norms, economic and political turbulence, and rapid technological innovations. Some embraced these drastic changes as a signal of a better future, while others were apprehensive.

History from Here: St. Catharines City Hall

Built in the midst of the Great Depression. Designed for a hopeful future of an ever-growing city. St. Catharines City Hall is a symbol of civic pride, modernism, and progress. Watch to learn the fascinating history of this municipal building.

History from Here: Glen Ridge School

Built to meet the needs of the families moving to one of St. Catharines’ earliest residential suburbs. Designed in cohesion with the architectural features so characteristic to its neighbourhood. A lasting symbol of what can be achieved when a community works together. From its very beginning, Glen Ridge School and its surrounding greenspace have served its community as a place for learning, play, gathering, and identity.

On this episode of History from Here, Public Programmer Sara Nixon takes you to the former Glen Ridge School building at 101 South Drive in St. Catharines, Ontario.

Lego Challenge: Built Heritage Edition – Public Weigh Scales

We LOVE to build with Lego and now YOU can build along with us at home! Each week, Adrian will challenge you to build a different historic structure in St. Catharines using Lego and the photos we post as a template.

Follow along with Adrian’s daily updates and post your progress with #StCLegoChallenge! We can’t wait to see your Lego creations!

One Hour in the Past E104 – The Arts & Crafts Movement

On this episode…

Kathleen and Adrian jump into the world of the styles and forms of Arts & Crafts architecture, design, decor, and explore a little into the lives of the founders of the movement. They end this episode with a discussion about great examples of Arts & Crafts architecture in St. Catharines.