Conservation/Preservation:
Archives/Library
- The archival collection encompasses a range of materials relating to all aspects of Dufferin’s history. The collection includes more than 3000 archival documents, more than 500 local history books, and approximately 3000 photographs, as well as a wide range of reference books pertaining to Canadian antiques and artifacts, Canadian history, local authors, education, area churches, and community organizations.
- The archives also offers an extensive collection of municipal government information, such as by-laws, council minutes, and financial records, the earliest of which dates from 1851; information on such social organizations as the Loyal Orange Lodge, Masonic Lodge, and Women’s Institutes .
- Local History: A collection of over 500 works, including information on Dufferin and area towns, villages, churches, schools as well as many personal anecdotes of life in this region of Ontario.
- Museum Reference: The collection is accessible to researchers who are interested in finding and verifying information on Canadian, American and British antiques, Canadian glassware, antique furniture, costume jewellery and textiles.
- Canadian History: A selection of over 200 works, including texts of general interest in Canadian social, economic, and political history.
- Home & Health Advice: Includes some 200 works pertaining to Canadian agriculture, genealogy, cooking, maps, bibles, music and school textbooks.
- Family History: Two self-serve filing cabinets offer a number of family histories and research files.
- Cemetery Master Index and Transcriptions: Consult this master list available in the Archives.
- Microfilm: Census Records of Dufferin County records 1852 to 1901 are available
- Civil Registration Index from 1869 onward, various newspapers dating from 1861 including Orangeville Sun, Banner, Grand Valley Star & Vidette, Shelburne Economist, Free Press.
- Dufferin County Land Records to 1966, Municipal Records and many County Directories and Atlases are available.
Artefacts
- The first floor’s Large Artefact Storage Room is accessible to visitors. This area, which stores such items as wagons, sleighs, and furniture, allows visitors to view artefacts which are not currently on display in the DCMA’s exhibit galleries.
- The collections include archival documents and artefacts such as Canadian glass and ceramics (notably, Corn Flower cut glassware), furniture, wagons, machinery, agricultural implements, clothing, quilts, archival documents, and photographs.
- The museum’s hillside site features heritage gardens with a rich variety of plants, trees, and flowers, all of which were native to this region around 1900. The property also showcases samples of crop varieties traditionally harvested in DufferinCounty, as well as an apple orchard and an herb garden.
Public Programming:
Exhibitions
- Three heritage buildings are situated inside the DCMA’s main gallery; the Rich Hill Orange Lodge Building 1861, a pioneer log home 1850, and Crombie’s Station, a Toronto, Grey and Bruce train flagging station, 1882.
- Rich Hill Orange Lodge, constructed of tamarack logs in 1861, was originally located in AmaranthTownship.
- The McCutcheon Replica House at the DCMA is a one and one-half storey log home, constructed with logs dating from 1851. The interior of the house is appointed and furnished with artefacts from the DCMA Collection to reflect the period of the County of Dufferin’s incorporation in 1881.
- Also located on this site is the Historic Corbetton Methodist Church Building.
- The Reading Room also showcases changing displays in beautiful antique cases, formerly of Morrow’s Jewellery Store in Orangeville, ca. 1880.
Tours
Group visits must be booked in advance and admission is $20.00/person.
Public Programming:
Exhibitions
- The Melville White Church reflects the religious beliefs of the original Scottish Presbyterian pioneers in the Caledon area. The Church was named after Andrew Melville who was an early follower of John Wesley, the founder of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland in the 17th century.
- The Melville Church is one of the last remaining Ontario timber frame churches predating the Victorian era. Its history began in 1820 and continued until the dissolution of the congregation in 1964.
Other
Once restored, the society will rent the Melville White Church for weddings, recitals, heritage displays, readings, exhibits and other community functions.
Conservation/Preservation:
Archives
Composed of a permanent collection of archival photographs, art, artefacts and testimonies associated with the history of the Holocaust and Jewish religion.
Library
The Ekstein Library contains nearly nine thousand volumes of books and an array of films, pedagogical materials, and oral and written testimonies. Testimonies can be viewed as a DVD or read as transcripts, totalling sixty-five recordings.
Public Programming:
Exhibitions
Permanent displays include holocaust stories and photographs, such as Young Voices from the Holocaust and We Who Survived. There are also temporary exhibits which are related to the Holocaust.
Educational Programming
Educational programming is available for students by field trips or student symposium. Educational Bar & Bat Mitzvahs can also be organized that will link current B’nai Mitzvah students to child victims of the Holocaust for mentoring. In addition, there are also an educational programs for teachers on approaches to teaching the Holocaust.
Events
The Holocaust Education Centre is involved in numerous public events such as, Raoul Wallenberg Day, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Yom Hashoah V’Hagvurah, Holocaust Education Week. They also co-present other programs related to the Holocaust.
Conservation / Preservation:
Archives / Library
Online Archives: the archives is pleased to offer on-line 87 years of the Canadian War Cry in PDF format.
Artefacts
Some artefacts on display include a 1914 original Canadian Staff Band festival uniform, an original cornet owned by a member of the original Canadian Staff Band, the “bass drum” from the old Feversham Corps, etc…
Public Programming:
Exhibitions
- November 1st 1884 Copy of War Cry on Display in Museum.
- Exhibits in the museum display the early days of The Salvation Army, its origins in England and beginnings in Canada and in Bermuda.
- The history of The Army as it spread across Canada from coast to coast and into Bermuda.
- Artefacts from the loss of the Empress of Ireland in 1914.
- The story of Salvation Army music and ministry.
- The late General Clarence D. Wiseman, the first Canadian to be elected General.
- A Youth and Children’s display.
- The commencement of and ongoing work of The Salvation Army in Bermuda.
- Grace Hospital History.
Tours
Guided group tours can be arranged by telephoning the office of the Director at 416-285-4344.
Conservation / Preservation:
Archives / Library
- Episcopacy of the Archdiocese of Toronto – Administrative records of the Bishops, Archbishops and Auxiliary Bishops of Toronto documenting their ecclesiastical challenges and daily activities. This includes papers of Bishop Alexander Macdonell, who was the first bishop of the Diocese of Kingston, which from 1826-1840 included the territory of the current Archdiocese of Toronto. The papers are described at the file or item level up to the end of Archbishop Pocock’s episcopate. Finding aids, including item level descriptions, are available for research use up to 1961, which marks the end of Archbishop James C. Cardinal McGuigan’s active episcopate.
- Administrative Records of the Archdiocese of Toronto – Documents pertaining to the day-to-day business of the offices and agencies of the Archdiocese, including some subject based collections such as the World Wars, Catholic Cemeteries, Education, etc. The most commonly accessed collections are the Parish Historical Records, and Architectural Drawings.
- Other Collections – Ancillary records regarding Archdiocesan committees and commissions, as well as Catholic institutions and organizations working within the Archdiocese.
- Special Collections – Collections determined by material format. In the past, these items were often removed from other areas of the archives to facilitate preservation and access. Special collections (including photographs, rare books, artwork, textiles, and artifacts) enrich the administrative records of the other three parts of our holdings.
Artefacts
Examples of Special Collections include: Artifacts, Altar Stones, Diocesan Seals, Medallions, Papal Bulls, Relics and Textiles.
Public Programming:
Digital
Weekly posts to blog, The Archivist’s Pencil. http://archives-archtoronto.blogspot.ca/
Other
This archives provides reference service for phone and email inquiries as well as in-house research assistance. Researchers are welcome to book an appointment after consulting with the reference archivist and determining a course of research that is consistent with ARCAT’s policies.
Conservation / Preservation:
Archives / Library
The archives’ holdings date primarily from the early 1800s to the present, and consist of approximately 3,500 cubic feet of textual records, 15,000 photographs, several thousand hours of audio-visual recordings, hundreds of architectural plans, and more than a million pages of documents on microfilm, including,
- Records of General Assembly and the National Office departments of the Church.
- Records of Synods.
- Records of Presbyteries.
- Records of congregations from across the country.
- Records of individual ministers, moderators, missionaries, college professors, and church officials.
- Records of the various Presbyterian theological colleges.
- Records of the Women’s Missionary Society and its predecessors.
- Presbyterian periodicals / journals.
- Several resources that may be helpful to family historians and genealogists, including local church records, microfilmed registers from across the country, reference books, biographical files, and private papers.
Public Programming:
Digital
Numerous online exhibits are available on the archives’ website: www.presbyterianarchives.ca
Conservation/Preservation:
Artefacts
A variety of objects that depict the life and mission of the Presbyterian church such as
- Communion ware and tokens
- Clerical robes
- Books, Scrolls and Diplomas
- Mission artefacts
- China plates and wall hangings
- Photographs
Library
Access is provided to a small collection of religious books such as bibles and hymnals that date back to the seventeenth century.
Archives
Audio-visual recordings pertaining to the history of the Presbyterian Church. Other media resources are also available, such as slide shows, illustrated talks, films and recordings.
Public Programming:
Online Programming
The Website showcases the museum’s exhibitions and artefacts.
Exhibitions
A nineteenth century church constructed of board and batten has been re-created using the furnishings from various churches. Beside the chapel there is also a re-creation of a Minister’s Study, which contains hundreds of pre-twentieth century books.
