Exhibits - Norfolk County Heritage and Culture

WHAM – A Disappearing Landscape: The Townsend Barns Project

Written by Kathy Snively 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.

Reforesting Norfolk: The Story of St. Williams Forestry Station with sepia photo of staff seeding and raking

NCA – Reforesting Norfolk: The Story of St. Williams Forestry Station

Written by Kathy Snively on 6 March 2024. Posted in Current Exhibits. No Comments on NCA – Reforesting Norfolk: The Story of St. Williams Forestry Station

NCA – Reforesting Norfolk: The Story of St. Williams Forestry StationBy the early 20th century Norfolk County was headed for an ecological crisis. The St. Williams Forestry Station changed how we think about sustainability and garnered popular recognition for the importance of reforestation across Ontario. Learn all about Norfolk’s renowned Forestry Farm in our new exhibit: Reforesting Norfolk. .The exhibit launches on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Norfolk County Archives, 109 Norfolk Street South, Simcoe, Ontario.

DTMHC – Tobacco Kilns of Norfolk County

Written by Port Dover Harbour Museum on 8 February 2024. Posted in Current Exhibits, Exhibits. No Comments on DTMHC – Tobacco Kilns of Norfolk County

DTMHC – Tobacco Kilns of Norfolk CountyExhibit runs May 11- October 12, 2024 Scattered across Norfolk County are tobacco kilns, remnants of a once vibrant industry. Larry Monczka’s stunning photographs capture the beauty of these gently decaying buildings while documenting the architectural artifacts that were synonymous with the history of the region.

DTMHC – Feeding the Gangs: Culinary Arts on the Farm

Written by Port Dover Harbour Museum on 8 February 2024. Posted in Current Exhibits, Exhibits. No Comments on DTMHC – Feeding the Gangs: Culinary Arts on the Farm

DTMHC – Feeding the Gangs: Culinary Arts on the FarmRuns March 23 – December 31, 2024 The young men on the farm worked up a great appetite harvesting tobacco. Sometimes feeding 20 young men daily takes planning, skill, and strength. Hear their stories through Shirley Glendinning and the Canadian Tobacco Grower magazine and learn about their essential contribution to the industry. The exhibition will also display a different monthly recipe highlighting their culinary expertise.

WHAM – Swords and Plowshares

Written by WHAM Staff on 2 February 2024. Posted in Current Exhibits, Exhibits. No Comments on WHAM – Swords and Plowshares

WHAM – Swords and PlowsharesRuns November 2, 2024 – February 20, 2025 Critical to Canada’s war efforts was the battle on the “Industrial Front” fought by the factories of the nation, and no manufacturer modeled this better than the Cockshutt Plow Company. With a workforce comprised largely of women, their products served in the farmer’s field, the battlefield, and took flight in combat. This fascinating legacy carried on into the Cold War Era.

PDHM – From Her Hands

Written by Port Dover Harbour Museum on 25 January 2024. Posted in Current Exhibits, Exhibits. No Comments on PDHM – From Her Hands

PDHM – From Her Hands: Norfolk’s Women Potters in the 1960s & ’70sOn Until January 1, 2025This exhibit explores women potters in Norfolk County during the 1960s and 70s, with emphasis on the work of Donna Matthews, Donna Ryerse, Jean Woolley, George and Didi Eerenberg and Ruth Peets. Co-curated by local folk artist Jeremy Hayes.

WHAM – The Innovation of Cockshutt

Written by Kathy Snively on 18 January 2024. Posted in Current Exhibits. No Comments on WHAM – The Innovation of Cockshutt

WHAM – The Innovation of CockshuttRuns October 1, 2023 – February 29, 2024Founded as the Brantford plow Works by James G. Cockshutt in 1877, the Cockshutt Plow Company was responsible for nearly a century of agricultural innovation with the launch of tractors, combines and farm implements. In partnership with Laurier University, Brantford and the Canadian Industrial Heritage Centre, this will be a featured exhibition in the Agricultural Gallery.

WHAM – Textile Tenacity: Charitable Quilting in Ontario

Written by Kathy Snively on 18 January 2024. Posted in Current Exhibits. No Comments on WHAM – Textile Tenacity: Charitable Quilting in Ontario

WHAM – Textile Tenacity: Charitable Quilting In OntarioRuns October 4, 2024 – February 29, 2025 Quilting if often thought of as a nostalgic hobby with a homey purpose. The truth is far more complicated. Quilts have been used for fundraising purposes for over a century. The funds that community quilting projects have raised have helped to build churches, equip hospitals and win wars. This exhibition explores this other purposeful side of quilting and the tenacity women show by raising money through crafts when their community is in need. WHAM is holding an Opening Gala on Sunday,...

WHAM – Industries That Shaped Our Communities

Written by Kathy Snively on 18 January 2024. Posted in Current Exhibits. No Comments on WHAM – Industries That Shaped Our Communities

WHAM – Industries that Shaped Our CommunitiesRuns through 2024 In collaboration with the Canadian Industrial Heritage Centre and Museums in Brant County, a rotating series of pop-up exhibits highlighting various industrial histories of local and regional interest will be showcased at WHAM during the year.

PDHM – Tell A Story: Lake Erie’s Shoreline and Surrounding Heritage in Norfolk County

Written by Port Dover Harbour Museum on 8 January 2024. Posted in Current Exhibits. No Comments on PDHM – Tell A Story: Lake Erie’s Shoreline and Surrounding Heritage in Norfolk County

PDHM Tell A Story: Lake Erie’s Shoreline and Surrounding Heritage in Norfolk CountyRuns January 13 – April 13, 2024 Encompassing harbors, ports and farmland as photographed by members of shutterbugs, Shutterbugs is an online photography club, started in 2018 by Jo Thomason and Susan Olmstead as a means to connect with photographers. It’s based in Port Dover, Ontario. The group’s goal is to help make members better photographers by encouraging camera use and sharing artistic and technical knowledge through monthly challenges, events/outings and social gathering. This...

NCA – For Home and Country: The Women’s Institutes of Norfolk County

Written by headperson on 29 August 2023. Posted in Current Exhibits, Exhibits. No Comments on NCA – For Home and Country: The Women’s Institutes of Norfolk County

NCA For Home and Country: The Women’s Institutes of Norfolk CountyNorfolk County’s Women’s Institutes recorded local history and fostered community development. The exhibit highlights their contributions as an active community organization through their fair entries, community history compilations, and events! Join us at the Archives to learn about the work of our local Women’s Institutes and their impact on Norfolk County.

PDHM – The Beach House

Written by Port Dover Harbour Museum on 29 August 2023. Posted in Current Exhibits. No Comments on PDHM – The Beach House

PDHM The Beach HouseThe Port Dover beach has always been a popular destination. Learn about the Beach House – a busy business right on the beach where you could change into or rent a bathing suit.

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)...