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Of UELs, 1812 Vets, and Willeys
Who were the United Empire Loyalists and why do they matter? Well, they were the foundational English-speaking settlers who fled the fledgling United States to remain loyal to Britain. Their presence shaped Canada’s demographics and formed our politics and culture for generations. Contrary to American myths, those loyal to Britain were rarely wealthy or privileged.…
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In Memoriam: Ken Willis, Historian of Wardsville
The Glencoe & District Historical Society mourns the loss of Ken Willis, our friend, longtime historian and museum keeper for Wardsville, Newbury, and the Township of Mosa. For decades, Ken devoted himself to preserving the stories of his community. As Historian and Manager of the Wardsville Historical Museum, he gathered, catalogued, and cared for an…
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Stubbles from the Farm – by W. A. Edwards
Bill used people from the “Big Bend” area as characters for his Stubbles stories, most under names he made up. His wife became Mandy Hopper, Hugh Archer became Abe Ashton and his wife was Levinia. The list is long. The week’s happenings usually ended up on the “Farm News” page of the London Free Press, Saturday mornings. Many an argument…
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Mapping Our Disappearing Heritage — A Session with Evan Abma
June 20, 2026 at The Archives, Glencoe: The Glencoe & District Historical Society welcomed twenty attendees for a wonderful Saturday morning session featuring guest presenter Evan Abma. The workshop was organized by Denise Corneil, Secretary of the G&DHS, who is a passionate advocate for documenting our region’s historical structures before they’re lost. Evan, Chair of…
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Stories and Song in the African Methodist Episcopal Church
Not long ago, the AME Church stood on Thames Street in London, largely forgotten. Built around 1848, it had served London’s Black community as a place of worship, gathering, and resistance—a sanctuary for people who had escaped slavery and found freedom in Canada West. The plaque that marks its history tells of John Brown’s rumored…
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Lego Village Presentation
The Lego Village Project involves creating a mobile, movie-like set for photographing 1/64 scale model cars. The base of the project draws on various building designs from different towns and cities to create a fictional town. The end result is a compressed town showcasing a place with many elements of a working, living village.
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The Ghostliest “Ghost Town” in Middlesex
By Jenny Grainger, Jenny’s London & Southwestern Ontario Napier: One of the first public buildings constructed in Napier was St. Mary’s Anglican Church. The land for the church, on a hill north of the village, was donated by Charles Preston. The exact construction date varies with the source, but the church was completed around 1843. The…
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Volunteer Opportunity: Video Curator
As Video Curator, you will help us celebrate and preserve our local history through video. You’ll play a key role in building a digital legacy that future generations can learn from—while empowering others to share their own stories.
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Vanished Villages in Western Middlesex
On June 18, 2026, the Glencoe Public Library was filled to capacity as 45 community members gathered to hear local historian Jennifer Grainger explore the rise and fall of Middlesex County’s vanished villages. The event was presented in partnership between the Glencoe & District Historical Society and the Glencoe Public Library. Drawing on maps, photographs,…
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Ekfrid Mills
Ekfrid Mills, Aug 1910. Travelling East on Longwoods Rd, 1/4 mile East of Strathburn. Glencoe & District Historical Society Archives. Built in 1834 by Paten Atwood, the first flour mill in the Strathburn area was located just east of the Mosa-Ekfrid town line on the north side of Longwoods Road. The original flour mill was destroyed…
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Welcome to Museum Stories
This collection is currently being developed. The Glencoe & District Historical Society is gathering photographs, stories, artifacts, and memories that help tell the story of our region through the objects preserved in our collection’s. Check back soon, or contact us if you have a story to share.
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Glencoe Masons Lodge Goes Dark After 152 Years
If one were to trace the history of any one Lodge, it might be compared with that of trying to determine the very origin of humanity. I am talking about the meeting places of the members of the organization called Free Masonry. The history of our local chapter, Lorne Lodge No. 282 Glencoe, can be…
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Introducing the Presbyterian Church Heritage Centre in Carlisle of North Middlesex
By Ian Mason, published in the Middlesex Banner, May 2026. Plan to do the North Middlesex Day Trip June 12, 2026 – link here Nestled in the cemetery in the hamlet of Carlisle, 6 kms east of Ailsa Craig, is the Presbyterian Church Heritage Centre (PCHC). It contains the national collection of artefacts from…
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The Treasured Family Archive Arrives
May 12, 2026 – The Treasure Arrives Glencoe Archives – Amy, great great granddaughter of Mrs. John “Alberta” McFarlane of R.R. #4, Appin, arrived Tuesday with her great grandmother, Caroline Gough, and grandmother, Betty Ann Gough, to deliver the Bertie Fonds. Here is Amy, a fourth year Western student headed into Library and Archive Science,…
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Our Local Mastodons
Not wanting this treasure to somehow be discarded in error when I am no longer here, I consulted with my sons, and they agreed with me that the Glencoe & District Historical Society would be the best “keeper” of this tooth. – Glennda Dupuis
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Ina’s Penny Bank: A Small Object, A Larger Story
The bank belonged to Jemima “Ina” Simpson Nelms, who passed away in the summer of 2025 at just over 100 years old. As a child growing up in rural Southwestern Ontario, Ina attended St. John’s Anglican Church in Glencoe. She received the penny tin through her Sunday School program known as “The Little Helpers.” She…
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April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026 in review
We currently have 69 members paid up. A tracking system exists for recording volunteer hours, and this year we documented approximately 2,350 hours. This reflects only a portion of the total contribution, as much volunteer time goes unrecorded.
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My Treaty Responsibilities –
by Mary Simpson, Old River Farm, Mosa Township, Treaty 21. Attending Mark French’s presentation at the Glencoe and District Historical Society (18 March 2026) felt like waking up to a responsibility I had never fully acknowledged. Mark, an Elder from Deshkan Ziibiing (Chippewas of the Thames First Nation) and husband of our G&DHS treasurer Diana…
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Mar 18, 2026 – Treaty 21 and the Longwoods Treaty:
A 200-Year-Old Agreement in Southwestern Ontario Date & Time: Wednesday, March 18, 2026 – 7:00 p.m.Location: The Archives, GlencoeGuest Speaker: Mark FrenchHosted by: Glencoe & District Historical Society On March 9, 1819, representatives of the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation and the British Crown signed what became known as Treaty 21—the first of three…
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The Royal Proclamation
It’s been called the Indigenous Magna Carta and the Indigenous Bill of Rights. But what exactly does that mean? In this episode Falen and Leah dive into the history of the Royal Proclamation, a document that is often spoken about when discussing the history of Canada and Indigenous land rights.
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Archibald William (A.W.) Campbell, b. May 14, 1863 in Wardsville
By Marie Williams, for the G&DHS Facebook Page, January 9, 2026: Among the many artifacts at the Glencoe and District Historical Society Archives are some personal items of Archibald William (A.W.) Campbell, who was born on May 14, 1863 in Wardsville. His father had immigrated to western Upper Canada from Caithness, Scotland and his mother…
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Feb 12: Capturing Oral Histories Virtual Workshop
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.
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From Polar Bears to No Bears: a 15,000 Year History
Larry Cornelis:
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Journey of the Highgate Mastodon
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,…
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And then there are the Elders
Allen Deleary of Bkejwanong (Walpole Island First Nation) speaking recently at a special Indigenous Lifeways Workshop locally. Allen shared teachings and insights from Anishinaabe traditions, exploring how Indigenous lifeways continue to guide relationships with the land, water, and one another. The evening included a community discussion, offering space for reflection, dialogue, and shared understanding: Allen…
research@glencoehistoricalsociety.ca
519-287-3897
Glencoe & District
Historical Society
research@glencoehistoricalsociety.ca
519-287-3897