Cheated: The LaurierLiberals and the Theft of First Nations Reserve Land (2023)  tells the surrender story from inside the Indian Affairs department. What happened, how, and most importantly why, is […]

Come join us to care for our ancestors' resting place.  Bring your own tools.  10 am 

In this engaging talk, Kendra Coulter will discuss her book The Tortoise’s Tale, a unique and moving story told in an autobiographical style from the perspective of a tortoise. Through this unconventional voice, the book invites readers to reflect on time, care, resilience, and human–animal relationships.

Kae Elgie brings to her research a wealth of experience from her pre-retirement career as Manager of Information Technology for the Region of Waterloo Library. Her passion for organizing information continues to guide her family history and genealogy work. Drawing from extensive research saved by her ancestors and combined with her in-depth research into census and land records, archaeological findings, and historical texts, Kae Elgie tells the remarkable story of 10,000 years of food gathering and agricultural production on the 200-acre farm in Chatham-Kent where she grew up.

Join acclaimed musical artist Denise Pelley, accompanied by Stephen Holowitz, for a powerful lecture-and-listen experience inside the historic AME Church at Fanshawe Pioneer Village.

This fifth edition of the Fanshawe Village series highlights the lives and contributions of two remarkable Black Canadians:

Salome Bey – pioneering singer, songwriter, and “Canada’s First Lady of Blues”

Lawrence Hill – celebrated author of The Book of Negroes

🔎 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.

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.

Step into a miniature world where imagination meets historical curiosity. Steve Robson will guide visitors through the creative process of using LEGO-style bricks to reconstruct scenes from small towns — whether rooted in historical accuracy, modern-day reflections, or imaginative blends of different eras.

This hands-on approach to local history brings buildings and streetscapes to life, offering a playful yet thoughtful lens on how communities grow and change over time. Attendees will discover how anyone can begin exploring small-town design — choosing a place, picking an era (or mixing a few!), and recreating it one brick at a time.