Month: February 2026

Feb 12: Capturing Oral Histories Virtual Workshop

Feb 12: Capturing Oral Histories Virtual Workshop

Mary Simpson

Members of the Glencoe & District Historical Society recently joined a live online presentation by Sarah Walker on the art and practice of gathering oral histories. The session was both practical and inspiring, reminding us that capturing memories is not simply about recording sound—it is about creating space for storytelling, trust, and preservation.

We learned that an oral history interview is closer to being a thoughtful radio host or podcast interviewer than a researcher reading questions from a page. Preparation matters greatly, but so does allowing conversation to unfold naturally.

Why Oral Histories Matter

Oral histories capture:

  • Personal experiences not found in written records
  • Community traditions such as foodways, farming practices, celebrations, and daily life
  • Emotional tone, humour, and memory that enrich archives
  • Stories that might otherwise be lost within a generation

Mary Simpson’s Reflections on a Live Presentation by Sarah Walker, Head of Reference Services, North Dakota State Archives.  Reference: State Archives Facebook page

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Journey of the Highgate Mastodon

Journey of the Highgate Mastodon

Glencoe & District Historical Society

Written by Merry Helm. Reposted from the Dakota Datebook Archive. July 23, 2004. Details of the Highgate Mastodon museum tour Feb 18, 2026.

In the spring of 1890, William Regcraft found some bones while digging a ditch on his uncle’s farm, one mile from Highgate, Ontario. A hardware merchant named William Hillhouse bought the bones, and he and his uncle, John Jelly, also bought the right to continue excavating. What they found was almost an entire skeleton of an Ice-Age mastodon, relative of the modern elephant.

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