On today’s episode of VMLS via Podcast special guest Andy Panko explores the Welland Canal Construction Railway, a railway built specifically to service the construction of the Welland Ship Canal. His lecture is titled “The busiest piece of railway in Canada” and was originally presented on October 5, 2021.
Artifact of the Week: Glasso Anti-Dimming Composition
This week’s artifact is a tube of Glasso Anti-Dimming Composition, including a box and cleaning cloth. This compound was used […]
History from Here: Walker’s Creek
Sycamore trees, Jefferson Salamanders, wild plums, nearly countless waterfalls, hot summers with snowy winters – these are just a few […]
Artifact of the Week: Military General Service Medal
This week’s artifact is a medal issued to Sergeant Angus Cooke I, who lived in Grantham Township from 1831-1860, for […]
Artifact of the Week: St. Catharines Collegiate Institute Medal
John Henderson was employed as Classics Master and later as Headmaster of the St. Catharines Collegiate Institute from 1872-1909. This […]
VMLS via Podcast: Adventures in Housekeeping
As the 20th century dawned with new excitement and a look forward to the next century, St. Catharines was in a period of growth and prosperity. Did that rosy picture translate into the home and domestic life? Look behind closed doors and catch a glimpse of the domestic sphere and how it was changing with the new century.
Artifact of the Week: Arctic Flying Suit
This week’s artifact is an arctic flying suit used by Air Commodore and famed “Saviour of Ceylon” Leonard Birchall during […]
Artifact of the Week: Scout Hat
This week’s artifact is a leather hat with press used by Hazen Davidson as a member of the 1st Merritton […]
Artifact of the Week: Canadian Navy Badges
These badges were owned by Frederick William Davis for his service in the Canadian Navy. 2004.13.75 Find more information and […]
Artifact of the Week: Horse Hair Couch
This week’s artifact is a horse hair couch donated by Mrs. Eldridge Affleck. Horse hair was commonly used in 19th […]
Museum Chat Live! E801 – Hearing History: Foghorn
This episode is the first in the Hearing History series, which explores the history of St. Catharines through sound. Close […]
Artifact of the Week: Fire Chief Pedal Car
Fire Chief Car No. 503 is a children’s riding car manufactured by American Machine and Foundry. It is constructed of […]
Yearbook Flip – Student Stanzas
1972-73 St. Catharines high school alumni are now celebrating their 50-year anniversary. Though they no doubt have witnessed many changes […]
Artifact of the Week: Ville de Mons Medal
This week’s artifact is a Ville de Mons Medal given to John Fitzgerald. This was a commemorative medal that was given to the members of the 3rd Canadian Division for liberating the Belgian Town of Mons on Nov 9th, 1918, two days before the end of the First World War. The ribbon is faded and at one time was the colours of the Belgian flag.
Artifact of the Week: Carbide Bicycle Lamp
This Miller’s Carbo Carbide Bicycle Lamp is a gas headlight, typical of those used on bicycles around the turn of the 20th century. Similar lamps were used on automobiles at this time. Operators beware: a collision could yield explosive results!
Artifact of the Week: Metric Converter
This week’s artifact might familiar to some. It’s a slide rule conversion tool for the metric system. Anyone else have one these lying around? This one belonged to Fred Davis, who worked on the Great Lakes.
The St. Catharines Women’s Literary Club
To mark International Women’s Day, we are looking at the rich history of the Women’s Literary Club, a St. Catharines institution for the education and enrichment of women in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Artifact of the Week: Commemorative Coin
This commemorative coin celebrates the third World Rowing Championships held in St. Catharines in 1970. The coin was issued by the Empire Lodge of Odd Fellows.
Artifact of the Week: Dining Tablecloth Brush
This dining tablecloth brush used locally, is similar to other types of clothes brushes used in this area, c. 1840. Brushing crumbs, dust, and lint away helped to keep the cloth clean, which was especially useful before machine washing made it easier to wash large items frequently.
Filling in the Gaps: Historical Records After the Underground Railroad
The stories told over this blog series highlight moments of success, aspiration, challenge, pride, joy, and determination in the lives of Black individuals. These are universal concepts we all feel and experience. These are stories of everyday people, People of Colour who lived, went to school, worked, made friends, and pursued a full life in St. Catharines. These were the lives Freedom Seekers aspired to for themselves and their families when they arrived in St. Catharines more than 170 years ago.
Artifact of the Week: Cream Separator
Donated by a resident of St. Catharines, this model of cream separator was sold by Eatons, and may have been purchased at the Canadian Department Store at the corner of William Street and St. Paul Street. CDS was a division of Eatons.
Life in the Year Books: Historical Records After the Underground Railroad
As a source, high school yearbooks certainly bring light to the achievements of Black students through the decades of the 20th century, but beyond this, they also offer unique insight into how these students navigated such a formative period of their lives. Though the Black student population in St. Catharines’ high school was small through most of the 20th century, students of colour made considerable impact in their school communities, from their academic successes to contributing their talents to clubs and sports teams. Black experiences, visible on the pages of local yearbooks, shows us all aspects of student life: friendship, school spirit, team participation, and aspirations.
Life in the News: Historical Records After the Underground Railroad
Newspapers are an important source of information in finding the historical pulse of a community. While the documentation isn’t perfect, and there are always gaps of subjects that didn’t receive coverage, the news stories and photographs can tell us a lot about the tangible history of the subject of news and the history of the community’s intangible biases and interests.
Who Stayed? Historical Records After the Underground Railroad
There is no information available as to why this population change, although the historical record might help shed some light on some of the reasons, such as difficulty finding work due to discriminatory hiring practices, people moving to be closer to family or support groups in other communities, people moving back to the United States after the Civil War, etc. We can only speculate based on the historical information available. The numbers don’t illustrate motivations.
Artifact of the Day: Telegraph
This telegraph machine was used by the St. Catharines Fire Department.
Should I Stay? Historical Records After the Underground Railroad
Our series this year will look at the lives of those of the Black community left behind – those few Freedom Seekers who stayed to build a new life and those, along with their descendants, who had been the backbone of the community’s efforts to help during the Underground Railroad.
St. Catharines Museum Black History Resources
With over thirty different resources centred on Black History there is plenty of content to catch up on this Black History Month. The St. Catharines Museum has created this resource to help navigate our content by detailing where it can be accessed and what it is on. Included are Black History Blog Posts, Lectures, Presentations and Podcasts detailing Black History in St. Catharines.
Artifact of the Week: Seal Embosser
This seal embosser was used by the Waterworks Commission at 125 Welland Avenue.
Artifact of the Week: Avondale Dairy Milk Crate
A wooden milk crate used by Avondale Dairy Ltd, c. 1940.
Artifact of the Week: Kit Bag
This kit bag was used by Leslie Merritt Stull (b.1895-d.1955) who served in the 3rd Heavy Battery in 1918. Leslie Stull was born and raised in St. Catharines.
Artifact of the Week: Wicker Wheelchair
A wicker wheelchair made by Gendren Wheel Co. of Toledo Ohio. The wheelchair is from the Pattison Estate. c. 1890.
History from Here: The Independent Rubber Company
On this episode of History from Here, host Sara Nixon visits the former site of the Independent Rubber Company, now The Keg Steakhouse + Bar.
A catalyst in a golden era of industry. Powered by the waters of the Second Welland Canal. A surviving remnant of the past that has withstood fire, neglect, time, and significant change. The Independent Rubber Company building, with its towering smokestack, is an enduring testament to Merritton’s industrial heritage.
VMLS via Podcast: A Model City
On today’s episode of VMLS via Podcast we’ll hear a presentation from our own Sara Nixon with her lecture titled ‘A Model City: the 1913 St. Catharines Board of Trade Yearbook’. The lecture was originally recorded on May 11, 2021.
Museum Chat Live! E705 – Heritage Advocacy
On this episode of Museum Chat Live!, we discuss what heritage advocacy looks like on the local level, on the ground and at the grassroots. To help us navigate the many layers to identifying, protecting, and enhancing community heritage, we’ve invite Andrew Humeniuk onto the podcast. Andrew is a member of the the St. Catharines Heritage Advisory Committee and Executive Director of The Brown Homestead here in St. Catharines.
Stories From the Front: St Catharines’ Wartime Sources Part Four
John D. Hills was taken prisoner of war by the Germans after the raid at Dieppe in 1942. He remained a prisoner until his liberation in 1945.
VMLS via Podcast – The Fight for History with Dr. Tim Cook
On today’s episode of VMLS via Podcast we’ll hear from war historian and author Dr. Tim Cook. Tim’s book ‘The Fight for History’ looks at the significance of remembering the Second World War. This lecture was originally presented on April 27, 2021.
Stories From the Front: St Catharines’ Wartime Sources Part Three
Within days of Canada declared war on Germany in 1914 the 19th Lincoln Regiment and the 44th Lincoln and Welland Regiment were placed on active duty. The men from these regiments were charged with protecting potential targets in Niagara including the hydroelectric sites, bridges, railways and the canal.
Stories from the Front: St Catharines’ Wartime Sources Part Two
ohn “Jack” Hardy transcribed his diaries after the war to ensure that his experience fighting in Europe wasn’t lost.
VMLS via Podcast – The General: A Symposium with the Brock University Historical Society.
Today’s lecture, is a bit different. We were happy to host the students of the Brock University Historical Society in symposium on the series on April 13, 2021. You’ll hear lots of different voices and stories on this episode. For more information on the work of the Brock University Historical Society, please visit their Facebook page: facebook.com/brockhistoricalsociety.