This week’s artifact is a tea canister from Imperial Blend Indian & Ceylon Tea (ca 1900-1950). This model of canister […]
Artifact of the Week: Staffordshire Blue Transferware Soup Tureen
This week’s artifact is a soup tureen from the early 19th century. The artifact belonged to Jacob Keefer, who was […]
Artifact of the Week: Taylor and Bate Ltd. Ale Beer Bottle
This week’s artifact is a Taylor and Bate beer bottle. This bottle used to contain beer produced by a local […]
Artifact of the Week: Cream Whipper
This week’s artifact is a cream whipper used locally in St. Catharines c. 1915. 1978.59.14 Find more information and other […]
Artifact of the Week: Large Wine Press
This week’s artifact is a large red wine press from the mid 19th century. This press was later owned by […]
Museum Chat Live! E1005 – Food, Glorious Food Blog Series Wrap-up
On this episode of Museum Chat Live! we’re chatting local food history and baking as we wrap up our (now beloved) Food, Glorious Food Blog Series. The series was a chance for Abbey Stansfield (public programmer) and Kathleen Powell (curator) to explore local food history by baking through historic recipes in our collection. This bake-off was a way to explore food history in a first-hand way and draw attention to our temporary exhibit of the same name, on display at the Museum through the autumn of this year. Listen in for a chat about food history, writing a blog series together, challenges in baking historic recipes, the things we learned, and most importantly: our favourite desserts!
Artifact of the Week: 6 Gallon Crock
This week’s artifact is a large 6 gallon crock from the late 19th century that was used locally in St. […]
Food, Glorious Food! Part 8: Peach Pie Ontario
Throughout the series, Curator Kathleen Powell and Public Programmer Abbey Stansfield (both the expert bakers here at the Museum), have been exploring Victorian-era recipes and local food history to help us all appreciate the importance of food and its history in our daily lives.
Please enjoy the final installation of the series, Part 7: Peach Pie, baked by Abbey Stansfield.
Thank you to Abbey and Kathleen for an engaging and tasty blog series. And a big thank you to all of our readers for their support, participation, and sharing food memories with us!
Artifact of the Week: Decorative Ceramic Iron
This week’s artifact is a ceramic iron that was likely used as a decorative storage container. The item is undated […]
Food, Glorious Food! Part 7: Calla Lillies
Things are about to become a whole lot sweeter with Part 7: Calla Lillies, written and baked by Curator Kathleen Powell.
Artifact of the Week: Doultons Improved Foot Warmer
This week’s artifact is an early 20th-century stoneware foot warmer. This item was made in London and sold through the […]
Museum Chat Live! E1003 – Supercut 1: Canal Crossings
Throughout our 10th season, we will be including several “supercut” episodes which revisit clips from some of favourite episodes, themes, […]
History from Here: St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Church at 49 Carlton St.
The area around Ontario and Carlton Streets is probably most remembered for McKinnon Industries and St. Catharines’ first General Motors […]
Artifact of the Week: Soap and Tray
This week’s artifact is a late 19th to early 20th century soap dish including a partial bar of soap. At […]
Food, Glorious Food! Part 6: Wartime Cake
In this edition of Food, Glorious Food, we’re back with another sweet treat: Wartime Cake, written and baked by Curator Kathleen Powell.
Artifact of the Week: White Dress
This week’s artifact is a dress worn by Helen Stanley Smith when she was a young girl around 1914. Also […]
Artifact of the Week: Wedding Slippers
This week’s artifact is a pair of wedding slippers worn by Elizabeth Campbell (neé Oille) at her wedding on September […]
Food, Glorious Food! Part 5: Cheese Timbals
In this edition of Food, Glorious Food, Kathleen tries a recipe for Cheese Timbals from the St. George’s ACW Jubilee Cookbook.
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 […]
Artifact of the Week: Pink Ostrich Feather Fan
This week’s artifact is a c.1920-1940 pink ostrich feather fan that was owned by Margaret Elizabeth Bate of St. Catharines. […]
Museum Chat Live! E1002 – Hearing History: Film Projectors
This podcast episode is in our Hearing History series, exploring local history through sound. Today’s sound is the film projector, which has […]
Artifact of the Week: Derby Hat
This week’s artifact is a derby hat worn by George Doty, President of the St. Catharines Riding and Driving Club […]
Hiding in Plain Sight Part 4: Hiding Our History
In part four of our annual Black History Month blog series we explore the persistence of myths and their contribution to our national identity.
Food, Glorious Food! Part 4: Pink Velvet
In this edition of Food, Glorious Food, we discover the strange world of Jello in the 1920s with a post written by our curator Kathleen Powell.
Museum Chat Live! E1001 – What’s Coming Up in Season 10?
The 10th season of our Museum Chat Live! podcast is here! My, oh my, how time flies. It’s like one […]
Artifact of the Week: Skating Club Cardigan
This week’s artifact is a cardigan from the Linwell Skating Club, c.1950s. The cardigan was owned by Tom Fraser, President […]
Hiding in Plain Sight Part 3: Living in Plain Sight
In part three of our annual Black History Month blog series, we explore the experiences of life for those Freedom Seekers who publicly settled in St. Catharines.
Artifact of the Week: Axe Label
This week’s artifact is a label from a Kelly brand tool. This American brand was made for the Canadian and […]
Hiding in Plain Sight Part 2: Extradition
In part two of our annual Black History Month blog series, we explore the history of extradition in Upper Canada/Canada West and the legal protections afforded to Freedom Seekers once they “crossed that line.”
Food, Glorious Food! Part 3: Lemon Tartlet
Things are about to become a whole lot sweeter with Part 3: the Lemon Tartlet, written and baked by Public Programmer Abbey Stansfield.
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.
Artifact of the Week: Regatta Badge
This week’s artifact is a badge promoting the Canadian Secondary School Rowing Association Regatta (also know as “School boy”) held […]
Artifact of the Week: Plough Plane
This week’s artifact is a wooden wedge-stem plough plane with screw stop used locally in St. Catharines between the years of […]
What Happened to the Old Canals? Part 4: Change Management
In part four of our series about what happened to the old canals, we discover the complexity of managing change against a sense of place.
VMLS via Podcast – Unearthing Niagara’s Industrial History
On today’s episode we’re sharing to provide a lecture presented on December 13, 2022 which provided an update on her work at the Shickluna Shipyard archaeological dig.
Artifact of the Week: Softball Badge
This badge denotes participation in the 1971 East End Girls Softball league in St. Catharines. 2011.20.26 Find more information and […]
VMLS via Podcast – Ponderous Fraus, Mynheers, and Jaded Farm Horses
On today’s episode we’re sharing “Ponderous Fraus, Mynheers, and Jaded Farm Horses, or Early St. Catharines Before the First Welland Canal” with special guest Brian Narhi.
Artifact of the Week: Commemorative Coin
This week’s artifact is a coin commemorating the Third World Rowing Championships held in St.Catharines in 1970. It was issued […]
What Happened to the Old Canals? Part 2: The Modern City
In part two of our blog series about what happened to the old canals, we look at the establishment of the modern city and its impatience for the old canals.
History from Here: Yale & Towne Lock Factory
The early Welland Canals had helped set St. Catharines up as a manufacturing powerhouse in the mid 1800s. But by […]