On this episode of Museum Chat Live!, host Sean embarks on another sonic journey through time in the Hearing History series. This time, it’s all about the steam whistle. Find out where this unique sound-making device came from and what role it has played in the history and culture of St. Catharines.
History from Here: Fairview Mall at 285 Geneva St.
In the years following the Second World War, North America was growing and evolving fast. New technologies, a baby boom, […]
Museum Classroom: William Hamilton Merritt Biography
Explore the history and narrative of William Hamilton Merritt and his involvement with the Welland Canals through this interactive biography activity.
Museum Classroom: Careers on Land and Sea (Intermediate)
Explore the various careers of the Welland Canals on land and sea for grades 3-8. Understand the importance of each career through interactive activities and how each career helps support Welland Canal operations.
Museum Classroom: Careers on Land and Sea (Junior)
Explore the various careers people have working on the Welland Canal through this interactive career investigation activity.
Museum Classroom: Knot Tying
Learn about the various types of knots that are used on the ships that pass through the Welland Canals through this interactive knot tying activity.
Museum Classroom: Cargo on the Welland Canal (Intermediate)
Explore and learn about the various cargo materials that are shipped through the Welland Canals through this interactive cargo activity.
Museum Classroom: Immigrating to Canada
This lesson plan explores the history of various diverse groups and their immigration to Canada from a local perspective.
Museum Classroom – St. Catharines Women in Action
Explore some St. Catharines’ pioneering women in action who made significant contributions to the community.
Museum Chat Live! E606 – In Conversation with Tim Cook, Historian and Author
On this episode of Museum Chat Live! We are thrilled to be joined by Dr. Tim Cook, who is a historian at the Canadian War Museum and author of 11 books on Canadian Military History in the 20th Century. In this interview with Tim Cook, our Curator, Kathleen Powell talks to him about his new book – The Fight for History: 75 Years of Forgetting, Remembering and Remaking Canada’s Second World War.
Museum Chat Live! E605 – Spooky Halloween Episode 2020
On this episode of Museum Chat Live!, we consider why we’re so interested in the paranormal and delve into a few supernatural stories connected to historic places and events in St. Catharines history.
Museum Chat Live! E604 – Victorian Tweets: Contradictions Performed
As modern, progressive people of the 21st century we enjoy a certain distance from the romanticized and contradictory Victorian period but are we really that different from our Victorian ancestors?
On this third and final episode of this special podcast series, we’ll finally tell you what we think about our post-modernist status as non-Victorians. Enjoy the episode.
Museum Classroom: The Old Canals
Explore how the former Welland Canals looked and what has become of them. Understand the importance of protecting historical places and landmarks.
Yearbook Flip – High School Graduation
This year, due to the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, the graduation ceremonies of the Class of 2020 in St. Catharines and beyond look very different. This change in tradition and ritual does not diminish the incredible accomplishments and exciting opportunities ahead for the Class of 2020. Rather, it marks the special resiliency of this graduating class. This is a moment to create new rituals and new markers to celebrate this cohort of young people who are already proving they have what it takes to make real progress and positive change for our future.
Museum Classroom: Commemoration in Stamps
Learn about the importance of stamps and their role in the history of communication through this interactive activity of designing your own stamp.
Museum Classroom: 19th Century Letter Writing
Learn about the different methods of communication from the past and the benefits of reading letters through this interactive 19th century letter writing activity.
BHM: The Howe Report Part 4
The picture of Canada and of St. Catharines I had in my head was one that was a ‘safe haven’ for Freedom Seekers. Technically true: legal freedom was available to Freedom Seekers. But St. Catharines wasn’t much of a ‘promised land’ afterall. Understandably, it is difficult to reconcile this information found in the testimonies of the Howe Commission, into the established picture we have of St. Catharines.
BHM: The Howe Report Part 3
St. Catharines in this period was truly the industrial hub of Niagara. Agriculture and shipbuilding – the largest employers – dominated the landscape. The Welland Canal brought innovation, wealth, technology, and tourists to St. Catharines. It was dirty – animals had the run of downtown, but it was also clean – Victorian tourists swept into the city at this time to take advantage of all the recreational opportunities available.
Museum Chat Live! E309 – We Did Our Bit: Closing our WWI Exhibit
Our very popular WWI exhibition, Doing Our Bit: St. Catharines to the Western Front is officially closing its doors at […]
We Did Our Bit: WWI Exhibition Favourites Part 6 – Ordinary Objects, Extraordinary Stories
This is the sixth and final installment of the We Did Our Bit WWI exhibit-closing series. This post was contributed by […]
Museum Chat Live! E308 – The Fallen Workers Part 4
This is Part 4 in a Museum Chat Live! podcast mini-series detailing the Fallen Workers of the Welland Canal. Click […]
We Did Our Bit: WWI Exhibition Favourites Part 3 – Bessie Beyer’s Uniform
This is the third installment of the We Did Our Bit series. Click to read earlier posts in the series here. This post […]
Museum Chat Live! E307 – The Fallen Workers Part 3
This is Part 3 in a Museum Chat Live! podcast mini-series detailing the Fallen Workers of the Welland Canal. Click […]
Museum Chat Live! E306 – The Fallen Workers Part 2
This is Part 2 in a Museum Chat Live! mini-series detailing the Fallen Workers of the Welland Canal. Click here […]
Museum Chat Live! E305 – The Fallen Workers (Mini-Series): Introduction
E305 This is the first in a series of episodes that details the Fallen Workers of the Welland Canal. Over […]
BHM Part 1: Using Our Past to Inspire Us to Compassion and Action
Black History Month is an incredibly important time to recognize, reflect, and commemorate the history of the Black community in St. Catharines, and indeed, throughout Canada. It does not start on February 1, nor stop on February 29.
More over, Black History should never be recognized, reflected, or commemorated as a silo of history. Black History is as important and vital a part of the Canadian story as any other.
I’ve found myself searching for ways to make our history relevant to our current human experience. To be honest, it can be difficult to connect to the past with the news the way it is these days. Things move so fast that it’s hard to figure it all out.
Yet parallels exist. Our community has a strong history of responding to injustice with compassion and action. And so my goal, with this first post in our series of four is to reveal how our history can inspire compassion and action in our daily lives and in our community.
Museum Chat Live! E204 – Spooky Halloween Episode
It’s the spookiest time of year! In the haunted spirit of Halloween, we’ve dedicate this episode of Museum Chat Live! to some of the creepiest and eeriest stories in St. Catharines’ history. You might want to listen with the lights on…
A Walk Around Town – Walk F
Excerpts from “Walk F” in “St. Catharines A-Z” by Junius, originally published in the St. Catharines Journal on June 12th, […]
A Walk Around Town – Walk D
Excerpt from “Walk D” in “St. Catharines A-Z” by Junius, originally published in the St. Catharines Journal on May 29th, […]
Ask Alicia – John N. Jackson
Alicia, I am have come across a number of books about St. Catharines written by John Jackson. I know he […]