On each side of Fort Henry lies a bay: Deadman’s Bay to the east and Navy Bay to the west. These two bays have stories to tell, about 100 years apart. One is a story of tragedy, the other of ingenuity. Both are about hard work and determination. With the spring weather now here, you... Continue Reading →
Molly Brant – an exceptional woman
The ability to have influence in two distinct cultures is a rare gift. It is a skill prized by diplomats today, but would it have been appreciated 250 years ago if the person engaged in negotiation and diplomacy was an Indigenous woman? I happily discovered that, in the case of Molly Brant, the answer is... Continue Reading →
John Counter, the Man, not the Boulevard
The John Counter Boulevard project is in its final phase. As I followed the project over the past few years, I saw truck after truck deliver a massive amount of rock to serve as the foundation for the bridge over the railway tracks. Recently, my interest turned to the name, John Counter. Who was this... Continue Reading →
The Founding of the Hotel Dieu Hospital 175 Years Ago
In 1841, Kingston’s Bishop Remigius Gaulin wrote to Bishop Ignace Bourget of Montreal asking him to allow the Sisters of the Hotel Dieu of Montreal, the Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph (RHSJs), to found a hospital in Kingston to care for the increasing number of poor Irish Catholics who settled in the city following the... Continue Reading →
The Penitentiary and the Prince
Had there been Twitter in the summer of 1860, tweets in Kingston would have been about the upcoming visit of Queen Victoria’s son, the 18-year-old Prince of Wales, who later became King Edward VII. Kingston was one of several planned stops on the Prince’s tour of Canada and the United States. He and his entourage... Continue Reading →
Following the Timber
“Following the timber” isn’t a phrase you hear nowadays. But in the 19th century, this was a way of life for many people who worked in the logging industry. As lumber companies aggressively cut timber, whole forestry regions were depleted, triggering the company to move westward in search of new forests. Those dependent on the... Continue Reading →
Social Distancing at the Cataraqui Cemetery
At a time when we are constantly reminded of the rising death toll of COVID-19, it may seem strange to do a cemetery walk. Spring may be beckoning us outdoors, but do we really want to explore a cemetery? “Yes” is the answer. On a mild, spring day, I enjoyed a walk in the gorgeous... Continue Reading →
Beyond Classrooms at the Frontenac County Schools Museum
What if teachers could move their classes to a museum, an art gallery or a community site for a week to stimulate inquiry-based learning? What if teachers could plan a unique program with the help of professionals who have experience with these kinds of programs and could draw on community members who are able to... Continue Reading →
Mark your calendars for WinterLight on November 30th and All Aboard for the Holidays on December 7th and 8th
It was about this time last year that I took a drive out Highway 2 to the MacLachlan Woodworking Museum to participate in WinterLight. Now in its 8th year, WinterLight is a popular outing for both adults and children and it was easy to see why. This event has a great mix of activities in... Continue Reading →
Ontario Street: Brewers, Bakers and Boilermakers, 1830-1970
I liked it. I liked the alliteration. It drew me to the PumpHouse to see what their special exhibit was all about. Did they ever make beer at the PumpHouse? What about bread? I had visited the PumpHouse when I was a university student at Queen’s many years ago, but I don’t recall anything about... Continue Reading →