Exhibits - Norfolk County Heritage and Culture

Black and White Photo advertising an archival exhibit of the Norfolk Old Boys and Girls Reunion: 100 Years

NCA – Through Folklore & Fog: Myths and Legends of Norfolk

Written by Norfolk Heritage & Culture on 3 June 2026. Posted in Current Exhibits, Exhibits. No Comments on NCA – Through Folklore & Fog: Myths and Legends of Norfolk

NCA – Through Folklore & Fog: Myths and Legends of Norfolk CountyExhibit runs from June 9 – December 11, 2026 Step into the shadows of Norfolk County and uncover its most enduring myths and legends that have shaped local folklore. From tales of buried treasure to whispers of witches and wandering spirits, this exhibit explores how such stories take root—and what they reveal about the people and places behind them. Unearth rare artifacts, photographs, and archival material that reveal how truth and myth intertwine.

NCA – Game On! A History of Local Sports & Recreation

Written by Norfolk Heritage & Culture on 25 March 2026. Posted in Current Exhibits, Exhibits. No Comments on NCA – Game On! A History of Local Sports & Recreation

NCA – Game On! A History of Local Sports & RecreationRuns until August 28, 2026 Game On! A History of Local Sports & Recreation celebrates the rich history of local sports and recreation, from the rise of baseball and hockey in the area to the captivating wrestling matches at town hall, and more! Through photographs, archival materials, and artifacts, visitors will explore how sports and recreation have helped shaped community identity, fostered local pride, and inspired lifelong participation.

PDHM – From Her Hands: Norfolk’s Women Potters of the 1960s and ’70s

Written by Norfolk Heritage & Culture on 18 February 2026. Posted in Exhibits, Virtual Exhibits. No Comments on PDHM – From Her Hands: Norfolk’s Women Potters of the 1960s and ’70s

PDHM – From Her Hands: Norfolk’s Women Potters of the 1960s and ’70sClick on the arrow below (bottom right corner of book) to flip through the From Her Hands: Norfolk’s Women Potters of the 1960s and ’70s exhibit catalogue. You can also navigate using the scroll bar below the book.

PDHM – Dover Ducks: Carvings of Thircul Church

Written by Norfolk Heritage & Culture on 13 February 2026. Posted in Exhibits. No Comments on PDHM – Dover Ducks: Carvings of Thircul Church

Dover Ducks: Carvings of Thircul ChurchClick on the arrow below (bottom right corner of book) to flip through the Dover Ducks: Carvings by Thircul Church exhibit catalogue. You can also navigate using the scroll bar below the book.

PDHM – Where the Past Rests: Port Dover Cemetery

Written by Norfolk Heritage & Culture on 7 January 2026. Posted in Current Exhibits, Exhibits. No Comments on PDHM – Where the Past Rests: Port Dover Cemetery

PDHM – Where the Past Rests: Port Dover CemeteryRuns until May 30, 2026 The Port Dover Cemetery stands as a quiet guard to the lives and legacies of past generations. Nestled just outside of town, this historic burial ground has served the community for a century and a half, offering a dignified resting place and a rich tapestry of local history. Still independently operated and volunteer-run, the Port Dover Cemetery remains a testament to community stewardship and historical preservation. Its continued care ensures that the stories of Port Dover’s past will endure for generations...

PDHM – Meet Me on Main: A Walk Through Time

Written by Norfolk Heritage & Culture on 12 December 2025. Posted in Current Exhibits, Exhibits. No Comments on PDHM – Meet Me on Main: A Walk Through Time

PDHM – Meet Me on Main: A Walk Through TimeJUN 17, 2026 – JAN 17, 2027 Explore the history of Port Dover’s beautiful Main Street. Learn the stories of the buildings still standing, and of those we’ve lost to time.

DTMHC – The Art of Irma Makariunaite

Written by Norfolk Heritage & Culture on 11 December 2025. Posted in Current Exhibits, Exhibits. No Comments on DTMHC – The Art of Irma Makariunaite

DTMHC – The Art of Irma MakariunaiteOn Display Until August 2026 Mixed media artist Irma Makariunaite seeks inspiration from the materials that she uses in her artwork. She embeds fragments of hand-written letters that were sent to her from her grandparents upon her immigration to Canada. She also integrates her own childhood drawings – lovingly preserved by her grandmother – in between the layers of acrylic. Fragments of other documents and ephemera are also included in the process of creating rich textures, colour, and meaning within her artwork. It is through these...

DTMHC – What’s the Alternative?

Written by Norfolk Heritage & Culture on 5 January 2025. Posted in Current Exhibits, Exhibits. No Comments on DTMHC – What’s the Alternative?

DTMHC – What’s the Alternative?MAY 2025- MAR 2026 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.”

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

Written by Norfolk Heritage & Culture on 2 January 2025. Posted in Current Exhibits, Exhibits. No Comments on 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 RacingOCT 2025 – MAY 2026 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.

WHAM – Forged: Norfolk’s Industrial Might

Written by WHAM Staff on 2 January 2025. Posted in Current Exhibits, Exhibits.

Forged: Norfolk’s Industrial MightSEP 10 to JAN 31, 2027 As a powerhouse during the formative years of Upper Canada, Norfolk County produced some of the nation’s first industrial goods. This exhibition invites you to explore the furnaces, factories, and fields that powered the region, uncovering the largely forgotten story of Norfolk County’s industrial might. Admission by donation.

WHAM – A Disappearing Landscape: The Townsend Barns Project

Written by Norfolk Heritage & Culture on 16 July 2024. Posted in Virtual Exhibits. No Comments on 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.

WHAM – Norfolk County Cabinet Makers

Written by headperson on 19 July 2023. Posted in Virtual Exhibits. No Comments on WHAM – Norfolk County Cabinet Makers

Virtual Exhibit WHAM – Norfolk County Cabinet MakersThe following represents documented individual makers and factories in business between 1840 and 1965. While not complete, it is the most comprehensive list currently available. The date indicates the year the maker/factory was recorded as being in operation and not the year established. If you have information about a maker from Norfolk County not listed, please email the Waterford Heritage & Agricultural Museum with details. (Sources: WHAM files, Norfolk County Archive files, and “The Cabinet Makers of Norfolk County” published by...

Archibald Reid Walnut Sideboard in the late-Empire style c.1850

WHAM – Archibald Reid, Vittoria

Written by headperson on 19 July 2023. Posted in Virtual Exhibits. No Comments on WHAM – Archibald Reid, Vittoria

Virtual Exhibit WHAM – Archibald Reid, VittoriaArchibald Reid is credited with making some of the most beautiful and finely crafted furniture in Norfolk County. He learned his trade in Scotland, immigrating to Canada and setting up a cabinet making shop and undertaking business in the village of Vittoria around 1847. Photograph of Archibald Reid Archibald Reid Walnut Sideboard in the late-Empire style c.1850 (collection of Norfolk County Heritage and Culture) Advertisement from the O.L. Fuller Business Directory Rod-Back Windsor side...

Judd Showroom from an advertising postcard (collection of WHAM)

WHAM – James William Judd, Waterford

Written by headperson on 19 July 2023. Posted in Virtual Exhibits. No Comments on WHAM – James William Judd, Waterford

Virtual Exhibit WHAM – James William Judd, WaterfordOne of Norfolk County’s more contemporary and perhaps most recognizable furniture manufacturers was James William Judd who, in 1968, officially launched Judd Gunstocks Limited in Waterford, Townsend Township. Judd Gunstock started on “the road to success” by producing what were described as the finest hand-crafted gunstocks in the country. The company distributed to major firearm manufactures throughout Canada and the United States. Judd Showroom from an advertising postcard (collection of WHAM) Judd DisplayIn...

Detail of Barber’s classic “sun” motif carving

WHAM – John L. Barber, Waterford

Written by headperson on 19 July 2023. Posted in Virtual Exhibits. No Comments on WHAM – John L. Barber, Waterford

Virtual Exhibit WHAM – John L. Barber, WaterfordJohn L. Barber was the youngest of five sons and three daughters, children of John Sr. and Elizabeth Barber. He was born in Townsend and spent most of his life in the area. At an early age he went to Simcoe and learned the trade of cabinet making. Around 1829, he married Abigail Shaw and settled in Waterford. The J.L. Barber firm, also known as the Waterford Furniture Factory, was established soon after and operated for nearly 40 years. The factory produced a wide arrange of finished pieces as well as providing undertaking services....

McCall Furniture (collection of the Port Rowan/South Walshingham Heritage Association)

WHAM – McCall Factory, St. Williams

Written by headperson on 19 July 2023. Posted in Virtual Exhibits. No Comments on WHAM – McCall Factory, St. Williams

Virtual Exhibit WHAM – McCall Factory, St. WilliamsThe McCall Furniture Factory in St. Williams, was one of the largest producers of furniture in Norfolk County. Daniel McCall founded what would become a family firm in the 1860’s and worked in partnership with both William McBurney and later John Mason. For a time, the business was known as McCall, McBurney & Company and also McCall’s Planing Mill. McCall Factory c.1910 (near the corner of Townline St. & Queen St. East McCall Furniture (collection of the Port Rowan/South Walshingham Heritage Association)...