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Author: Norfolk Heritage & Culture

Jacob Joseph Proracki (2024)

Agricultural Hall of FameJacob Joseph Proracki(2024)Born in Manitoba on July 23, 1918, Jacob “Jake” Proracki was the son of hard-working Ukrainian immigrants. His farming life began when the family sought opportunities in Norfolk County, moving to Round Plains in 1923. Jake worked alongside his father growing asparagus and strawberries before transitioning to tobacco. Upon his parents’ retirement, Jake took over the family farm with his wife Olga and five children.  During the early 1960s, Jake began experimenting with greenhouse watering applications in an effort to save Olga the...

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Tom Haskett (2024)

Agricultural Hall of Fame Tom Haskett (2024)Born in Simcoe on September 22, 1941, Tom’s drive to become a farmer was well established as a youngster despite being warned of its many hardships. After graduating from Simcoe High School, Tom apprenticed as a millwright, working in Delhi and later at Borg Warner Auto Parts in Simcoe. In 1966, he married Joan Collin, a nurse at Norfolk General Hospital, and the two saved enough money to purchase Tom’s grandparents’ farm near Vittoria. The couple raised their family, continued on with their own careers, and invested everything into the 50-acre...

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Kernal Peanuts (2023)

Agricultural Hall of FameKernal Peanuts (2023)Kernal Peanuts Ltd. Was set up when the former tobacco growers saw an opportunity to start fresh given the decline in the tobacco industry. The sandy soil that made the area so prosperous for tobacco was also a key element for peanuts but given its never-before-grown status, the first crops were largely experimental leading to incredible amounts of time, capital and determination by Racz.Ernie Pacz handles all the HR, packaging, marketing, accounting and retail while Ernie looks after the machinery, planting and direct farm-related duties....

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John Strickler Martin (2023)

Agricultural Hall of FameJohn Strickler Martin (2023)The Honourable John Strickler Martin had always had a keen interest in raising chickens, even as a young boy. Though born in Haldimand County in 1875, Martin and his family soon moved to Port Dover near Silver Lake where he attended school and eventually began teaching at the Port Dover High School. His Silver Lake home provided the perfect environment for breeding chickens, working late and rising early to attend to them. Despite this, Martin found it challenging in balancing teaching career with his pursuit of chicken breedingMartin...

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Irene Anderson (2023)

Agricultural Hall of Fame Irene Anderson (2023)Irene (nee Nemeth) Anderson was born in Toronto in 1932 and became interested in art at an early age. Following the family’s purchase of a tobacco farm near Langton, Irene’s artistic skills were nurtured by a childhood connected to the rural, agricultural environment. By all accounts, she loved the daily routine and nearly all aspects of tobacco farming; especially planting season which would become a familiar theme in many of her sketches decades later.Irene attended Simcoe High School, acquired her grade 10 diploma followed by courses at...

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NCA – Crime & Punishment: Maintaining Order in Norfolk County

NCA – Crime & Punishment: Maintaining Order in Norfolk CountyCrime & Punishment: Maintaining Order in Norfolk County Runs until August 29, 2025 The exhibit explores 125 years of Norfolk County’s legal system, focusing on the County Courthouse and Jail, highlighting famous true crime stories and exploring the history of local law enforcement. Visitors will delve into a variety of artifacts and archival materials that reveal the complex history of crime and punishment and the lasting impact of historical justice practices.

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NCA – 5th Annual Genealogy Symposium

NCA – 5th Annual Norfolk County Genealogy SymposiumSeptember 13, 202512:00 pm – 4:30 pm A conference style event that includes vendors, a used book sale of local history and genealogy books, and engaging sessions on family history research from various guest speakers across Ontario. The symposium offers a variety of topics geared to both beginners and avid genealogists! $25 per person. Pre-registration required.Get your Tickets Now

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NCA – Carillon 100: A Century of Remembering

NCA – Carillon 100: A Century of RememberingRuns until May 29, 2026 The “Carillon 100: A Century of Remembering” exhibit explores the history of Norfolk County’s War Memorial. 100 years ago, the iconic Carillon Tower was dedicated to the 216 men and 1 woman from Norfolk who lost their lives during the Great War of 1914-1918. Over 500 Great War Veterans, bands, dignitaries and school children marched in the largest parade ever seen in Norfolk County. Now 100 years later, Carillon Tower continues to serve as a lasting memorial to the brave Norfolk residents who fought for freedom. 

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PDHM – Summer Camp

PDHM – Summer CampPDHM’s 2025 Summer Camp is FULLY BOOKED!  Camp runs from Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm with the exception of holidays. Register for a single day or for a whole week! This camp is geared at children ages 5-10. Children must be 5 years old on their day of camp. Proof of age required at drop off. Cost: $36.00 per day, per child. Registration: Summer camp registration opens on Wednesday, May 7th. Registration can be done either in person at the museum or online via Norfolk County’s ENCORE system. Click here to be taken to ENCORE. Cancellation Policy: If...

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DTMHC – What’s the Alternative?

DTMHC – What’s the Alternative?MAY – DEC The sandy soil that is ideal for flue-cured tobacco also lends itself well to a plethora of other crops. The decline in tobacco production and the shift to alternative crops in recent years has made Norfolk County one of the most diverse agricultural areas in Canada. This new exhibit explores the transition from tobacco to crops like lavender, ginseng, and many others that make Norfolk “Ontario’s Garden.”

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WHAM – Textile Tenacity

WHAM – Textile of TenacityJUL 9 – SEP 27 Red and white is a classic colour scheme for quilt making that was very popular for over a century. This exhibition explores the infinite variations of pattern and design possible using just these two colours as well as the reasons behind why these colours were often paired.  Many of these quilts were made for fundraising purposes but others were made for domestic use and of course today, in Canada, red and white has a particular patriotic meaning. Come and celebrate over 50 red and white quilts, gathered from across southwestern Ontario, on...

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PDHM – Dover Ducks

PDHM – Dover DucksJUL 16 – JAN 1 DOVER DUCKS: The Carvings of Thircul Church Unhappy with the hunting ducks available on the market, Port Dover’s Thircul Church taught himself how to make his own decoys. Now approaching 50 years of carving, Thircul has crafted nearly 1500 ducks and birds.  – see a handful of the working decoys, decorative ducks, shorebirds and a few wonderful one off that’s he’s carved.

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DTMHC – Tobacco Kilns: Mixed Media Art with Jen Lados

DTMHC – Tobacco Kilns: Mixed Media Art with Jen LadosMAY 31:00 pm – 3:00 pm Jen is a local artist whose multi-layered canvases are often infused with humorous elements and playful images allowing the viewer to join in her sophisticated and abstract yet childlike exploration of life and the world in which we live. A canvas and materials will be provided. $40 per person. Pre-registration required.

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DTMHC – Delhi’s Team Takes the Lead: Norfolk’s Golden Era of Bike Racing

DTMHC – Delhi’s Team Takes the Lead: Norfolk’s Golden Era of Bike RacingSEP – DEC Bikes blaze around the track at an astonishing 70 km per hour and a 55-degree angle as they navigate the corners of the Delhi velodrome. Local cyclists had one of the most modern indoor circuits in the province and it was built by one of its own. Albert Coulier went on to build tracks around the world and raced in his fair share. This new exhibit explores Norfolk’s champions, builders, and innovators in a sport not for the faint of heart.

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WHAM – Happy Accidents: A Bob Ross Painting Workshop

WHAM – Happy Accidents: A Bob Ross Painting WorkshopMAY 10 & OCT 4  1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Join certified Bob Ross instructor, Bobbi Cosby, for a guided course on how to paint a Bob Ross original design. $55 per person. Instruction and all supplies provided. Online Pre-Registration is required. Registration begins March 6 (May 10 Workshop) and August 20 (October 4 Workshop) via ENCORE.Participants will be painting “Milky Way”, shown below:

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DTMHC – The Art of Pumpkin Carving

DTMHC – The Art of Pumpkin CarvingOCT 29 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Feeling a little inadequate when it comes to your pumpkin-carving skills? Well, this could be the Halloween you turn heads with that jack-o-lantern on your front porch! Learn the techniques that will make your orange orb the envy of the neighbourhood. One pumpkin will be provided, but participants are welcome to bring their own pre-hollowed pumpkin if they prefer. Let’s get spooky! $25 per person. Pre-registration required.

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WHAM – Leaving Their Mark: Folk Artists of Norfolk

WHAM – Leaving Their Mark: Folk Artists of NorfolkNOV  29, 2025 – MAR 15, 2026 Folk art has come to represent the storied identity of the everyday person – from the people, to the people. The naivety, in various forms and functions, is captivating, as are the makers. Leaving Their Mark showcases two centuries of diverse and notable folk art through a comprehensive assembly of uniquely Norfolk pieces.

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PDHM – Christmas Crafternoon

PDHM – Christmas CrafternoonDEC 612:30 pm – 3:00 pm New this year, the Port Dover Harbour Museum is hosting a Christmas “Crafternoon” for all those creative kids that love the holiday season as much as we do! We’ll be spending the afternoon making 3 cool Christmas crafts for the kids to take home. Drop off program. Ages 5-10. $20 per child. Pre-registration required.

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DTMHC – Light up the Season: Delhi BIA Christmas Party

DTMHC – Light up the Season: Delhi BIA Christmas PartyNOV 294:00 pm – 7:00 pm       The Delhi BIA presents “Light up the Season.” Come see the Delhi Tobacco Museum & Heritage Centre in all its Christmas grandeur. Sip a cup of hot cocoa and try your hand at our seasonal scavenger hunt, then take a picture with olde St. Nick and tell him all of your holiday wishes! Admission by donation.

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PDHM – Christmasfest

PDHM – ChristmasfestDate TBA (Possibly NOV 15)10:00 am – 4:00 pm We can barely HO-HO-HOLD in all of our excitement for Port Dover’s annual ChristmasFest celebration! Stop by the museum before or after the Santa Claus parade to share in a little Christmas cheer with us. We’ve got a festive scavenger hunt on our main floor and a Christmas craft upstairs for ages 3-10. This event is ADMISSION BY DONATION (cash or a contribution to the Port Dover and Area Lifeline Foodbank).

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WHAM – Holiday Starlight Shopping

WHAM – Holiday Starlight ShoppingNOV 14 & 215:00 pm – 8:00 pm Kick-off your holiday shopping by visiting Bowlby Bros. & Co., the museum’s famous gift shop. Featuring home and garden products, unique seasonal ornaments and fabulous stocking stuffers. The museum will be open extended hours to join other vendors in Waterford for a night of holiday splendor organized through the Chamber of Commerce. Want to be a vendor? The Waterford Chamber of Commerce’s Starlight Shopping are two evenings geared at bringing the community together to kick off the holiday shopping season and encourage...

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DTMHC – Robyn Michaud: Jingle Dancing & Indigenous Culture

DTMHC – Robyn Michaud: Jingle Dancing & Indigenous CultureSEP 27 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm The Delhi Tobacco Museum & Heritage Centre welcomes Professor Robyn Michaud to the museum as she talks about the rich heritage of Indigenous people in Canada. Robyn, who grew up in Tillsonburg, is a member of the Anishnaabe, Bear Clan from Sagamok Anishnawbek. Robyn teaches at Conestoga College and the University of Western Ontario, where she is working towards her Doctorate in Education. Robyn will be talking about diversity within Indigenous culture and the power of dance as an expression...

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WHAM – Agricultural Hall of Fame

WHAM – Agricultural Hall of FameSEPT 14 2:00 pm The Agricultural Hall of Fame at WHAM honours and celebrates Norfolk County’s outstanding contributions to agriculture and promotes the importance of these achievements. Join us as we formally recognize the 2025 recipients and unveil the new exhibit highlighting their accomplishments. To see a full list of past inductees, click here: Inductees

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WHAM – A Disappearing Landscape: The Townsend Barns Project

A Disappearing Landscape: The Townsend Barns ProjectCombining the Historical Society’s 20 plus years of research and hundreds of photographs with an online interactive portal, the project highlights the rural landscape through historic barns and agricultural outbuildings. Click the  image below to access.

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WHAM – Car Boot Sales

WHAM – Car Boot SalesSaturday, July 128:00 am – 12:00 pm Calling all treasurer hunters! Start your Saturday morning thrifting at WHAM with this old-fashion English style flea market. Vendors selling antiques, collectables and “good junque” will be setup on the museum grounds. Admission is free. Cancelled if raining.Be a vendor! Load up your car and sell your junque from the trunk at the Waterford Heritage & Agricultural Museum’s CAR BOOT SALES. This old-fashioned, English styled flea market will be running on the East parking lot of the museum the 2nd Saturday of July – 8am...

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