May 23 & 24: Stories & Tales From the Front
This was a great event. We are going to hear much more from this beautiful hidden treasure on Lake Erie.
Learn, explore, & connect.
This was a great event. We are going to hear much more from this beautiful hidden treasure on Lake Erie.
The Glencoe & District Historical Society contributed $1,500 toward the preservation of this church. Lorne Munroe understood that heritage is not something that belongs only to the past. He made the motion and a few of us wondered why we needed to support a London project. But we passed the motion. Seeing that church in active use, full of community members engaged with story and song, made that investment feel like so much more than money.
Friday, June 12, 2026 was a gift — one of those days when you set out to explore and come home knowing you've made connections that will last. The Heritage Day in North Middlesex brought together some of the most vibrant archivists, artists, and community builders in this region. As a member of the Glencoe and District Historical Society, I was proud to take part. I also wore my Google Guide hat all day, uploading photos to each of these cultural spaces on Google Maps so that future visitors can find them more easily.
🔎 Why do some places vanish while others endure? Join us to explore how geography, transportation, industry, and timing shaped the fate of Middlesex County’s lost communities—and what their stories still tell us today. In this illustrated and engaging talk, local historian Jennifer Grainger explores the rise and fall of these vanished villages. Drawing on maps, photographs, land records, and archaeological clues, she traces where these communities were located, how historians and genealogists research them today, and what—if anything—remains on the landscape.
If you have an interest in historic farmhouses, rural architecture, mapping, research, or local history, this session is for you. Come learn, ask questions, and imagine what a shared, community-driven heritage map for our district could look like. Your knowledge and curiosity are part of preserving the stories written into our landscape.
Join us for our Annual St. Mary’s Service at one of Middlesex County’s most treasured historic landmarks, lovingly preserved since the 1840s.
Built of local walnut—generously donated by Captain Christopher Beer, who even postponed building his own home to support the church—St. Mary’s stands as a testament to dedication, sacrifice, and community vision. Although regular services ended in 1920, the tradition of gathering here has continued for over a century.
Lego Village Presentation
July 9, 2026 — Glencoe Public Library
Noon - Steve starts setting up. Come help of watch.
6:00 – 6:30 PM Presentation
6:30 PM LEGO Workshop — Feeling inspired? Pick up some bricks and build!
Presented by Steve Robson |
Model created by Steve Robson
Join us on Saturday, July 18th, from 10 AM to 2 PM at two locations:
the Archives at 178 McKellar St, Glencoe,
the Parkette at 241A Main Street, where we'll have a prime spot right on Main Street with the car show.
We'll be selling local history books and promoting our upcoming events. Stop by, say hello, buy a membership and browse our selection.
This special ceremony will designate Willey Cemetery as a United Empire Loyalist Burial Ground and honour Corporal John Phillips, UEL, of the 2nd Battalion, New Jersey Volunteers, a veteran of the American Revolutionary War, and his son, Sergeant Peter Phillips, UE, of the 1st Regiment, Oxford Militia, a veteran of the War of 1812.
During the ceremony, commemorative plaques recognizing their military service and enduring legacy will be unveiled. Representatives of the United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada, the Royal Canadian Legion, and historical re-enactors will participate in the service, including a wreath-laying ceremony and volley salute.
Following the ceremony, fellowship will be held at Glencoe Legion Branch 219.
If you plan to attend, we would appreciate an RSVP by Friday, July 17, to research@glencoehistoricalsociety.ca. Your response will assist us in planning the ceremony and recognizing attending guests.
Have you ever been to a powwow? A Powwow is a living celebration of Indigenous culture — a gathering of song, dance, community, tradition, and connection that welcomes people of all backgrounds. Expect spirited drumming, colourful regalia, dancing competitions, and vendors showcasing traditional crafts and foods.
G&DHS will be in the agricultural museum waiting for you to drop by for a visit. Harold Carruthers and Norm McGill will be there for sure: selling books, promoting our programs, and encouraging everyone to pass the family stories to the next generation!
September 25, 26, 2026. Fair weekend. Go to Glencoe Fair site: https://glencoefair.ca/ The Society always has a booth at the Glencoe Fair staffed by historians Harold Carruthers, Norm McGill and many others coming and going. The Crystal Palace on the fairgrounds in Glencoe. It was home to about 50 Japanese Canadians in the summer […]