by Amy Zoethout | Jun 17, 2022 | Blog, Special Events
By Robyn Weishar, Programs and Marketing Assistant
The Huron County Museum and Historic Gaol is excited to participate in the annual Historic Places Days celebration alongside many other participating historic sites across Canada. Historic Places Days is a promotional event spearheaded by the National Trust for Canada, which focuses on protecting and featuring over 600 historic sites across Canada. It’s a great time to take advantage of your proximity to two great places of historical significance located right here in Huron County!
Join us Sunday, July 10, as we celebrate at both the Museum and Gaol with free admission to both sites and fun activities for all ages!
- Activities will be set up at the Gaol from 1-4:30 p.m. Activities will be held in the Gaol courtyard and will include bean bag toss, horseshoes, scavenger hunt, and obstacle course.
- Blyth food vendor Cherrey’s Dog House will be stationed at the Museum from 1:30-3:30 p.m. for those who want to purchase lunch, or BYOB (Bring Your Own (picnic) Blanket) and your own snacks/food for an afternoon picnic and Sunday wind-down on the Museum lawn.
- While you picnic, enjoy musical entertainment in front of the log cabin. From 1:15-4:30 p.m., enjoy music from local talents Kamden and Parker Gillespie, Matt Hussey and Thales Hunter.
This event is also a great opportunity to snap a photo at your favourite Huron County historical sites to enter the Historic Places Days Selfie Contest! The contest runs July 8-31. To enter, simply take a selfie at the Museum or Gaol, share it on social media tagging #HuronCountyMuseum or #HuronHistoricGaol and #HistoricPlacesDays for a chance to win $1,000 for yourself as well as $1,000 for the Museum! There are a number of other great prizes available to win, including Parks Canada passes and VIA Rail travel vouchers. Draws will take place throughout the month, so post often and share what these historic places me to you! For full contest details, visit: https://historicplacesdays.ca/contests/.
Not only are we looking forward to celebrating Historic Places Days with you, we are hoping to celebrate you; the people of the County who helped to grow and continue to support the preservations and re-telling of our histories. If it were not for you, we would not have historical places to celebrate.
by Amy Zoethout | Jun 15, 2022 | Blog
The Huron County Museum Gift Shop is growing its selection of products made by area artists and makers and we are pleased to feature the work of Huron County artist Kelly Stevenson. Kelly was inspired by photographs from our archival collection to create illustrations that are available as high-quality art prints and greeting cards. If you would like to pick up some of Kelly’s work, the Gift Shop is open during regular Museum hours and does not require admission to come in to shop and to support local! Learn more about Kelly and her work below!
Artist Kelly Stevenson was inspired by this Reuben Sallows photo from the Museum’s collection, at left, to create this illustration, at right.
Who are you and what do you make?
I’m an award-winning artist based out of Blyth, ON. My primary practice has mostly consisted of drawings done in ink and marker but during the pandemic I jumped head first into adding embroidery into my practice.
How did you start making art?
I was always a crafty kid but didn’t really start seeing being an artist as an option until later in high school when I was supported and encouraged to apply to art school. I ended up going to OCAD University, and have continued a regular artistic practice since then.
How would you describe your work?
My work typically utilizes simple black and white or greyscale imagery done primarily in either India ink, or pen and marker on paper. It’s graphic and controlled, taking inspiration from printmaking and children’s book illustrations, in order to be able to layout complex and often ambiguous narratives in a way that allows the viewer to enter the work and appear non-threatening.
What inspires you?
I take a lot of inspiration from my own life experiences, and my surroundings, using my work to try and make sense of the world and my place in it. Stylistically, I take a lot of inspiration from Henry Darger, children’s book illustration, John Scott, Nancy Spero, woodblock prints, Daniel Johnston, outsider art and graphic novels.
Artist Kelly Stevenson was inspired by this photo of a barn raising in Ashfield Twp. from the Museum’s collection, at left, to create this illustration, at right.
What do you like most about being an artist?
The part of being an artist I appreciate the most is the ability to communicate ideas where sometimes words aren’t enough, having a way of expression and the ability to use the work to connect with people. When someone else sees themselves or something they connect with in your work, it’s really rewarding and makes the vulnerability and amount of work to create really worth it.
If someone likes your work and wants to see more, where can they go (besides the Museum GIft Shop, of course!)?
by Amy Zoethout | Jun 1, 2022 | Archives, Exhibits
By Robyn Weishar
The Museum’s temporary exhibit, Forgotten: People & Portraits of the County, explores unidentified images of the people and places of Huron County taken by local photographers. On until Sept. 4, 2022, the photographs featured in the exhibit have been compiled from various donations to the Museum’s archival collection and provide the public with the opportunity to help us identify these forgotten faces.
For those who have photographs of their own that they wish to label and/or donate to our archival collection, the following content will provide suggestions on the best ways to identify and label old photographs so that neither you nor your loved ones get forgotten.
It is suggested that any photographs being donated to the Huron County Archives be given a number, which can be labeled on the back of the picture in soft lead pencil. A corresponding sheet of paper should accompany the donation, which would include the number of each photograph and any other pertinent information not already recorded on the back.
Please consider the examples shown below that display information recorded about each photograph. This is the type of information that should be recorded on a corresponding sheet of paper to help future generations know the faces and places captured in time.
For many women of the past, their identity became linked with that of their husband, making it all the more difficult to pinpoint just who these women were outside of their marriages and homes. If any names are known (i.e., first name, maiden name, surname, nicknames etc.), we ask this information to be documented in order to conserve the memory of everyone and everything captured on film.
These suggestions are intended to highlight an ideal circumstance and are strictly recommendations. We hope you come visit us in person or online to check out the Forgotten exhibit and potentially recognize someone from the past.
We hope this information is of value to you and that you take it into consideration so that one day your face is not among those who have been forgotten.
by Amy Zoethout | May 30, 2022 | Huron Historic Gaol
By Kyra Lewis, Behind the Bars programming coordinator
Want to spend your summer behind bars? The Huron Historic Gaol is currently seeking volunteer actors for the long-awaited return of Behind the Bars starting July 12.
Behind the Bars is an immersive tour experience that gives visitors the opportunity to learn more about life at the Huron Historic Gaol. Volunteers will step back in time to portray real life inmates and staff from the Gaol’s past, sharing highlights of their characters’ stories with visitors. Volunteers help us create a captivating and educational experience for visitors, giving them a firsthand look into the experiences of those who lived and worked at this National Historic Site.
Evening tours begin on Tuesday, July 12 and continue every Tuesday and Thursday until Aug. 30. Scheduling can be flexible based on volunteer availability. Call 519-524-6971 or email klewis@huroncounty.ca for more details!
Inspiration:
- Visit our YouTube channel to watch videos if our incredible volunteers over the years
- Check out these titles from the Huron County Library that describe Gaol history and share stories of famous prisoners in more detail
by Amy Zoethout | May 17, 2022 | Uncategorized
by Robyn Weishar
Celebrate International Museum Day by enjoying free admission to the Huron County Museum and Historic Gaol on Wednesday, May 18. Expand your knowledge on local histories and historical sites by embracing Huron County and its respected institutions.
Started in 1977 by the International Council of Museums, International Museum Day is an annual celebration of museums as places for cultural enrichment or exchange as well as fostering a deeper appreciation and understanding of the past.
Aside from the usual favourites, this is a great opportunity to check out the temporary exhibits on now:
Can’t come to us? We can come to you! Browse our virtual collections from the comfort of home. In addition to our virtual services, we are also celebrating International Museum Day by inviting area students to enjoy a free interactive virtual school field trip that explores Huron County’s early settlement. Make sure to sign up or visit us in person to commemorate International Museum Day with the Huron County Museum staff.
Resources:
