July 20 – ALEXANDER FAMILY HOMESTEAD TOUR

July 20, 2025  @ 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.   21303 Melbourne Road, Melbourne, ON

The Davenport family organized an amazing afternoon at their heritage farm –  a guided tour of the circa-1870 farm and homestead of the Alexander family, early settlers to the Melbourne area by way of Scotland. Now into its sixth generation of the family, the farm is still operational, with many original structures and implements in active use.

The Alexanders’ deep agricultural roots sprouted in rural Forfarshire, Scotland, before blossoming on a Yorkshire estate owned by a British lord and later blooming across the ocean in Southwest Middlesex. The Alexander story is a true migrant tale, showcasing the upheaval, ambition, dedication and success of newcomers to Canada.

We learned about the people behind the barns, buildings and bridles. Experts from Ontario Barn Preservation were on-hand to delve deeper into the design of our circa 1880 barn. Mrs. Davenport organized a bountiful outdoor buffet.

Homework – Document Your Barn

Before you enter information in the Your Old Barn Study (YOBS) questionnaire on your computer, go to your barn first to collect the information you need to answer the questions. Here is a Checklist. Print and take the Checklist to the barn as a guide to collecting and recording the barn information.  Click here.