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Behind the Bricks: The Life and Times of the Mohawk Institute

At the London Museum on September 25, Mary Simpson attended the launch of Behind the Bricks: The Life and Times of the Mohawk Institute. Edited by Richard W. “Rick” Hill Sr., Alison Norman, Thomas Peace and Jennifer Pettit, Behind the Bricks draws together Indigenous and settler historians, community voices, archival researchers, archaeologists and survivors to reconstruct the layered history behind the walls of the institute. Another launch event was held by the Ontario Historical Society a couple nights later.

The book begins by tracing the school’s founding and historical context, before delving into the its architecture and physical spaces, the curriculum and daily regimes imposed on children, religious and governmental oversight, student resistance, and the long process of commemoration and preservation. To close, Behind the Bricks allows survivor voices to speak directly, offering their unique perspectives of lived experience.

Oct 16: Members Meetup at The Archives  

The Archives 178 McKellar Street, Glencoe (Southwest Middlesex), Ontario

As a result of this Members' meeting, the Glencoe & District Historical Society established a Publishing Circle and allocate $2,000 in the 2026 budget as seed funding for engaging the community in publishing local stories and books. Aim: To form a Publishing Circle of three to four volunteers (e.g., Bill Simpson, Denise Corneil, and others to be invited) who will plan and coordinate heritage publishing projects for the Glencoe & District Historical Society.

Oct 22, 2025: Building a Cenotaph for the Fallen

The Archives 178 McKellar Street, Glencoe (Southwest Middlesex), Ontario

Oct 22, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.  Dutton Dunwich has never had a cenotaph.  Thirty-two  First World War and fourteen Second World War sons and husbands died.  One of the WWI fallen is Ellis Wellwood Sifton, a young fellow who fought at Vimy Ridge and was honoured with a Victoria Cross.  This did not sit right with Blair Ferguson and he mustered a group to right this wrong.  (In person only - no virtual access via zoom.

November 15–16, 2025: A Play – June Journey / Turas an Ògmhìos,

Tait's Corners Community Centre 21365 Taits Road, Glencoe, ON

The Glencoe & District Historical Society was honoured to sponsor and support June Journey / Turas an Ògmhìos, a beautifully crafted Gaelic play written by Trevor Aitkens and hosted at the historic Tait’s Corners Schoolhouse. Three sold-out performances on November 15–16, 2025, audiences filled the lovingly restored 1910 one-room school to experience a deeply moving, often humorous, always heartfelt return to the early school days of our region.

Nov 19 – Faith, Family and Migration: The Old Colony Mennonite Experience

Glencoe Presbyterian Church 177 Main Street, Glencoe (Southwest Middlesex), Ontario

Glencoe - A crowd of over 30 was seated in the sanctuary of Glencoe Presbyterian Church Wednesday evening for a presentation led by Maria Moore, who described the complex history of the Mennonite people. Herself a Dutch-Russian Mennonite with Mexican roots, she explained that there is a stigma between Mennonite groups, something that led to the title of her first book, "Not My Kind of Mennonite." Her great-grandparents came to Canada from Russia in 1875, the family later moving to Mexico after the First World War, part of the largest emigration from this country.
Not My Kind of Mennonite, title of her first book, is a personal dive into the history, culture, and religious and social pressures faced by one Old Colony Mennonite family.  Maria Moore was born in Mexico but she has spent her life in southwestern Ontario. She has had a fulfilling career as a registered nurse with a focus on mental health, addictions and advocacy.

Jan 24 – CANCELLED due to sickness: Mapping Heritage Farms in sw Ontario

The Archives 178 McKellar Street, Glencoe (Southwest Middlesex), Ontario

CANCELLED: Midday session with Evan Abma, local historian, Chair of the Sarnia Heritage Committee, and a leading voice in documenting Ontario’s disappearing rural heritage. Watch our events listing here for a rescheduling.

Over the past several years, Evan has undertaken an ambitious research project mapping historic farmhouses across Lambton County. Using a wide range of sources—including historical land registers, tax assessments, farm directories, topographic maps, census records, satellite imagery, concession maps, and digital tools such as Google MyMaps—he has documented approximately 1,700 historic farmhouses still standing, down from about 2,000 in 2009.

Feb 12 – Gathering Oral Histories

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

Family Day at the Archives

The Archives 178 McKellar Street, Glencoe (Southwest Middlesex), Ontario

Welcome everyone.   Come to The Archives!   Drop by for a visit.

The Highgate Mastodon

The Archives 178 McKellar Street, Glencoe (Southwest Middlesex), Ontario

Get on the call at 1:45 pm for a virtual tour starting 2 pm of the Highgate Mastodon exhibited at the  North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum

Take a journey back in time—10,000 years to be exact! Join Gallery Guide Tom Chase for a fascinating 45-minute presentation on the Highgate Mastodon, a remarkable glimpse into prehistoric life discovered right here in our community.

This event is inspired by the mastodon tooth we have in The Archives collection that was discovered in north Mosa Township back in the 1930s.  It is a great story!  

Feb 24, March 3 & 10, 2026: Ancestry Junk Journaling Workshop series

162 on Main 162 Main Street, Glencoe, Ontario

Join us for three afternoons with guest instructor Lori Watson of Gathering Thyme & Grace for a hands-on Junk Journaling Workshop. Register now – Small class of 4.

Tuesday, February 24, March 3 & 10, 2026 | 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Here is the link to sign up; $75 per person.
https://www.162onmain.ca/product/ancestry-junk-journal-workshop/Q5GNON3OAA66RB446GHCCIP4

Mar 1, 2026 – Memorial – Battle of the Longwoods

Battle Hill National Historic Site 2945 Longwoods Road, Southwest Middlesex, Ontario

Join us on March 1st, 2026 to commemorate the Battle of Longwoods which was originally fought on March 4th 1814.

Arrive at 1:45 p.m. and park carefully. Battle Hill National Historic Site, 2945 Longwoods Rd, Glencoe, ON N0L 1M0

We will remember those injured and killed at the Battle of the Longwoods in 1814.