Showing posts with label history. Show all posts
Showing posts with label history. Show all posts

Monday, June 29, 2015

Canadian Week in Review (CWR) - 29 June 2015



I have come across the following Canadian genealogy, history and heritage websites, social media, and newspaper articles this past week that were of interest to me, and I thought you might be interested in them, too.

This Week in Canadian History


In 1774, the "Quebec Act" was passed by the British Parliament, establishing French civil law and the British system of criminal law in Quebec. As well, Roman Catholics were to have religious freedom. It also enlarged the province's borders to include Newfoundland and territory south of the Great Lakes.

For more information, go to https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Quebec_Act



In 1955, the laying of a transatlantic telephone cable began at Clarenville, Newfoundland.

For more information, go to http://strowger-net.telefoniemuseum.nl/tel_hist_tat1.html




In 1534, French explorer Jacques Cartier discovered Prince Edward Island

For information, go to https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Jacques_Cartier





Social Media

(Video) Timber! Crowd gathers to watch old mill implode in Saskatoon
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/timber-crowd-gathers-to-watch-old-mill-implode-in-saskatoon-1.3121465
   It woke up the neighbourhood, if you were not already up to watch.
   This morning, at least 100 people gathered on Saskatoon's west side to watch the 105-year-old Parrish & Heimbecker mill's demolition.

Articles

Newfoundland

Website reveals Newfoundland's best-kept secrets
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/website-reveals-newfoundland-s-best-kept-secrets-1.3120632
   Local adventurers have a new source of inspiration for their expeditions. A new website called Hidden Newfoundland is dedicated to revealing unknown and forgotten locations across the island for people to explore.
   The website called Hidden Newfoundland is at http://www.hiddennewfoundland.ca/

Quebec

NCC to preserve iconic Gatineau Strutt House as public pavilion
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ncc-to-preserve-iconic-gatineau-strutt-house-as-public-pavilion
   Gatineau’s iconic Strutt House, lauded by National Capital Commission CEO Mark Kristmanson as “a unique 20th century architectural treasure in the national capital,” will be preserved, rehabilitated, and opened as a public pavilion in time for Canada’s 150th birthday celebration in 2017.

Ontario

Champlain's legacy endures: Sudbury historian
http://www.thesudburystar.com/2015/06/22/champlains-legacy-enduresn-history-his-influence-on-canada-is-still-presentonepla

   This series has examined the life of Samuel de Champlain, his accomplishments and the mysteries surrounding him. This final part looks at how we relate to him and what we can learn from his life.

Is it too late to save Canada’s national horse?
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/06/19/is-it-too-late-to-save-canadas-national-horse.html
   There’s a common saying in the horse world: “A dog may be man’s best friend, but the horse wrote history.”
   In the case of Canada’s national horse, this saying couldn’t be more true.
   Yet as “le Cheval Canadien” celebrates its 350th anniversary this year, it’s pacing on the verge of extinction.

Manitoba

Gridiron Greats Exhibit Opens At Manitoba Sports Hall Of Fame
http://www.cjob.com/2015/06/23/gridiron-greats-exhibit/
   Tuesday marked the start of a brand new display at the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, as “Gridiron Greats” opened through until November 22nd on the main floor of the Canada Games Sport For Life Centre at 145 Pacific Avenue.

Saskatchewan 

Possible changes to iconic traffic bridge concerns heritage advocate
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Possible+changes+iconic+traffic+bridge+concerns+heritage+advocate/11155185/story.htmlChanging
   The distinctive look and design of the Traffic Bridge replacement would represent a “tremendous loss” for Saskatoon, a heritage advocate says.

Alberta

Heritage quilts documented at guild anniversary
http://www.wetaskiwintimes.com/2015/06/23/heritage-quilts-documented-at-guild-anniversary
This initiative focuses on quilts made before 1970 to preserve a little bit of history of the trade and Canadians. The documentation ran alongside the Millet Arts and Crafts Guild’s 35th Anniversary, whose members also participated in the documentation process

British Columbia

Footprints found on a remote B.C. island could be 13,000 years old — the oldest in North America
http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/footprints-found-on-a-remote-b-c-island-could-be-13000-years-old-the-oldest-in-north-america
   Evidence of what could be the oldest footprints in North America has been discovered below the shoreline of a remote British Columbia island.

The Stories This Week

Are people using the DNA correctly? 

I hear that it has become quite a concern to some genealogists that people are expecting their DNA test to tell them exactly where their ancestors are from, without verifying it with their paper records – a family tree. In fact, some people who have DNA done, don't even have a family tree. This is amazing, since the information sent with the DNA kit, tells you to consult and make a family tree!

They don’t ask - are my ancestors really from “x” place in England, for example. And in fact, some of these people don’t and will never make their paper records which would show them where their peoplr are from. They don’t see a need for it, now that DNA can answer all questions exactly who their ancestors were.

And then, to make it worse for themselves, they tell other people whose tree they may have seen on FamilySearch or at Ancestry, that they are their 5th cousin – only to find that they are in effect barking up the wrong tree.

It harkens back to the day, when people hooked themselves on to other people's tree if they thought they had the correct tree without doing the research.

So it all goes back to the old axiom, you must do your paper or computer family tree first, so that you can be sure that your ancestors are correct. Then, you can have your DNA done, and then proceed from there.



Cyndi's List is 20 years old this year! Congratulations, Cyndi Ingles!

What would we do without Cyndi's List? How many time have I use it – too many times to count. If you are looking for places to research, it should be your first place to stop on the Internet.

For the Canadians site, go to http://www.cyndislist.com/canada/

For a while , I was using the Canadian version of Cyndi\s List, the Canadian Genealogy & History Links at http://www.islandnet.com/~cghl/index.php. It's has been almost 8 years since anything has been done to the list, but I still check it, especially the personal websites that are there.



And this week, we will celebrate the 148th birthday of Canada on July 1 and the National History Week from July 1st to July 7th. 

Canada’s historical organizations, including museums, historical societies, and festivals, will be hosting activities during this week to get their communities involved in learning about our past.

The page is at http://www.pch.gc.ca/eng/1403094611161


  

I am taking the week off to go to Cornwall and Hawkesbury in eastern Ontario to do client research. All of my research notes are in order, the appointments have been made, the vet has been called, and the dog will be at “camp” that week while we are away. My husband and I will be in 'genealogist heaven' for the time that we are there!






And that was the Canadian genealogy, history, and heritage news in Canada this past week!




Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

If you missed last week’s edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/06/canadian-week-in-review-cwr-22-june-2015.html

 It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!

Monday, May 25, 2015

Canadian Week in Review (CWR) - 25 May 2015

I have come across the following Canadian websites, social media websites, and newspaper articles this past week that were of interest to me, and I thought you might be interested in them, too.

This Week in Canadian History


In 1765, the first agricultural exhibition in Canada was established at Windsor, Nova Scotia.

For more information, go to http://hantscountyex.com/our-history/




In 1932, Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She landed in Northern Ireland about 15 hours after leaving Harbour Grace, Newfoundland.

For more information, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harbour_Grace






In 1939, King George VI unveiled the National War Memorial in Ottawa.

For more information, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1939_royal_tour_of_Canada





Social Media

(Audio) Police discover Ontario man used identity of B.C. boy who died in 1970s.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/police-discover-ontario-man-used-identity-of-b-c-boy-who-died-in-1970s-1.3083234
Police say a Caledonia, Ontario man who disappeared in 1992, took the name of a dead boy and lived under the assumed name until his death 10 years later.

Articles

Newfoundland

End of a legacy
http://www.gfwadvertiser.ca/News/Local/2015-05-18/article-4150342/End-of-a-legacy/1
Many locals have expressed displeasure bordering on disgust over the recent decision to close the Logger’s Life Museum in Grand Falls-Windsor.

Nova Scotia

From our archives: Terry Fox welcomed to Halifax 35 years ago
http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1287305-from-our-archives-terry-fox-welcomed-to-halifax-35-years-ago
Thirty-five years ago, on May 20, 1980, Terry Fox was welcomed at Province House in Halifax during the Nova Scotia portion of his now-iconic Marathon of Hope.

New Brunswick

St. Andrews creates heritage bylaws
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/st-andrews-creates-heritage-bylaws-1.3080385
The Town of St. Andrews is steeped in history, but there aren't a lot of rules in place to protect the town's heritage.

Quebec

Harper Government Officially Launches the Reconstruction of the Voltigeurs de Québec Armoury
http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/2558596#ixzz3agMWxzWU
The federal government has awarded a contract evaluated at $72.7 million to Pomerleau Inc. for the reconstruction and expansion of the Armoury. The building will be reconstructed according to the design unveiled by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2012. It is anticipated that the reconstruction will be completed by summer 2017.

Ontario

Towering Arnprior white pine is Ontario's tallest tree
http://www.ottawasun.com/2015/05/21/arnprior-home-to-ontarios-largest-tree
The Arnprior forest is home to Ontario's tallest tree.

Goodyear Launches the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program in Southern Ontario
http://www.exchangemagazine.com/morningpost/2015/week20/Tuesday/15051903.htm
FedDev Ontario Minister Gary Goodyear announced on Friday the launch of the new Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program in southern Ontario.

Toronto's Maple Leaf Forever tree on tour with Blue Rodeo, Tragically Hip
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/toronto-s-maple-leaf-forever-tree-on-tour-with-blue-rodeo-tragically-hip-1.3078035
Part of the tree that is said to have inspired the song The Maple Leaf Forever, unofficially considered Canada's first national anthem, is now on a pair of rock and roll tours.

TORONTO ROOTS: Tracing Casa Loma’s builder using the census, from ‘toddler to castle dweller’
http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/5635148-toronto-roots-tracing-casa-loma-s-builder-using-the-census-from-toddler-to-castle-dweller-/
Census records are snapshots of entire households and communities on a particular day in history, and are key resources for family historians.

Manitoba

Explore the University of Manitoba Archives
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/souwester/correspondent/Explore-the-University-of-Manitoba-Archives-304296701.html
Thirty thousand rare books. The 1930s to 1980 "morgue files" of The Winnipeg Tribune. Back issues of The Brown and Gold, the university’s yearbook, and The Manitoban, its official student newspaper. The Hamilton Family fonds. Digital archives.
   These are some of the offerings in the University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections on the third floor of the Dafoe Library at the Fort Garry Campus.

Saskatchewan

Ground breaks for Saskatchewan aviation museum
http://globalnews.ca/news/2006365/ground-breaks-on-sask-aviation-museum-and-learning-centre/
Construction is planned for this summer, with the museum expected to be open next spring.

Alberta

Calgary businesswoman Lois Mitchell named lieutenant-governor of Alberta
http://calgaryherald.com/news/politics/alberta-gets-new-lieutenant-governor
Alberta’s next lieutenant-governor is a well-known figure in the Calgary business community and local philanthropic circles.

British Columbia

Asay making history at Pan Am Games
http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/sports/asay-making-history-at-pan-am-games-1.1938580
Women's baseball will be part of the Pan Am Games in Toronto for the first time, and Prince George will have another reason to cheer on Team Canada.

Stories of the Week

This week, there are a number of stories trending across the county -

There was a recent presentation series on the Sanctuary Project (whose full name is Sanctuary: The Spiritual Heritage Documentation Project). The main focus has been documenting sacral culture on the Canadian prairies for the past six years. This project is part of the series, Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies (CIUS).

The team travels the Canadian Prairies visiting parishioners and collecting interviews, recording information about ritual practice such as the celebration of weddings and baptisms, and important holidays such as Christmas, Easter, and feast days of a church’s patron saint.

So if you want to get in touch with them, their email is hcoleman@ualberta.ca


Their website is at https://www.ualberta.ca/CIUS/religion-culture/c-sanctuary.htm

The year 2015 is marking the 200th anniversary of the arrival of black refugees to the city of St John, New Brunswick.

They lived there, and when they died, they were placed in the Black Settlement Burial Ground, which was located in the area where there was also a school and a church for the black community.

To look at the video, go to http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/black-settlement-burial-ground-upgrades-will-start-in-june-1.3082829

To read more about the New Brunswick Black History Society http://www.nbblackhistorysociety.org/historical-sites.html


Lastly, this week news come to us that Picton, Ontario is undertaking The MACDONALD PROJECT in which a bronze statute of Sir John Macdonald, the first prime minister of Canada , will be unveiled on Canada Day July 1st, 2015.

He was a young lawyer in Picton (1833-1835) before he went back to Kingston, and later as the prime minster in Ottawa.

To see what the town of Picton has planned for the July 1st weekend, go to http://www.macdonaldproject.com/


And that was the Canadian genealogy, history, and heritage news in Canada this past week!


SPECIAL OFFER!!!!!!!!!

Need help in finding your elusive Canadian ancestors?

As a nod of the hat to the Ontario Genealogical Conference being held in Barrie, Ontario from May 29 to May 31, may we take this opportunity to offer a month-long discount on our research and consultation services of 15% (ends 11 June at midnight).

Just go to Elizabeth Lapointe Research Services at www.elrs.biz, or send an email with the subject "special" to genealogyresearch@aol.com to see how I can help you find that elusive Canadian ancestor!

Research Tip! If you have ancestors from many places across Canada, a good place to start researching is Dave Obee's site at http://www.cangenealogy.com/ called  CanGenealogy.

 Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

If you missed this week’s edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/05/canadian-week-in-review-18-may-2014.html

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012

 The next issue will be 01 June 2015.

Monday, May 4, 2015

Canadian Week in Review - 04 May 2015


 

I have come across the following Canadian websites, social media websites, and newspaper articles this past week that were of interest to me, and I thought you might be interested in them, too.

This Week in Canadian History



In 1831, Emily Howard Stowe, the first woman licensed to practice medicine in Canada, was born in Norwich, Upper Canada (Ontario). She earned her medical degree in New York, and set up a Toronto practice in 1867.

To read more about her, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily_Stowe




In 1912, Canada's first $5 note was issued.

To read more about the subject, go to http://canadacurrency.com/dominion-of-canada/five-dollar-bank-notes-dominion-of-canada/value-of-may-1st-1912-5-bill-from-the-dominion-of-canada-2/






In 1916, Actor Glenn Ford was born near Portneuf (Quebec City), Quebec. He died in 2006.

To read more about him, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Ford





Social Media

(Photos) Historic buildings could be saved by new infrastructure program
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/historic-buildings-could-be-saved-by-new-infrastructure-program-1.3055077
A national heritage group is praising a new federal infrastructure program that puts a focus on heritage buildings.

(Photos) Canadian Canoe Museum hoping for anniversary funding to help with move to Lift Lock
http://www.mykawartha.com/news-story/5577013-canadian-canoe-museum-hoping-for-anniversary-funding-to-help-with-move-to-lift-lock/
The Canadian Canoe Museum is hoping to snag some of the cash the federal government is putting aside to help ring in the country’s 150th anniversary.

(Photos) Photos trace French Canadian immigration to central Maine
http://www.centralmaine.com/2015/04/24/photos-trace-french-canadian-immigration-to-central-maine/
Miller Library at Colby College (Maine) debuted an exhibition Friday documenting waves of French-speaking Canadians who came to the area in the 19th century.

Articles

Newfoundland & Labrador

Biking the Viking Trail in Newfoundland
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/1339636-biking-the-viking-trail-in-newfoundland/
The 600 km trip up Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula is a fantastic bike ride. The route primarily follows the rocky, barren coast through a series of sparsely populated but picturesque fishing villages with names like Sally’s Cove, Cow Head, and Brig Bay.

Nova Scotia

Friends of Sable Island Society conference aims to protect island
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/friends-of-sable-island-society-conference-aims-to-protect-island-1.3056829
The Friends of Sable Island Society ran a 2-day one-of-a-kind conference this past weekend about the science and history of the island at the University of King's College, Halifax.
   The website of the Friends of Sable Island Society is at http://sableislandfriends.ca/
   The Facebookpage is at https://www.facebook.com/groups/SableTrust/

Ontario

Students showcase Canadian history
http://www.nugget.ca/2015/05/01/students-showcase-canadian-history
Their display was one of about a 100 showcased by Grades 4 to 10 students at the annual North Bay Regional Heritage Fair, which took place Friday at Nipissing University's athletic centre.

THE JOY OF GENEALOGY: Cemeteries a great place to dig up valuable information
http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/5592155-the-joy-of-genealogy-cemetaries-a-great-place-to-dig-up-valuable-information/
A trip to the cemetery can reveal a wealth of information if you know where to look and what you’re searching for.

Saskatchewan 

Care and keeping of saskatoon berries
http://www.newsoptimist.ca/opinion/columnists/care-and-keeping-of-saskatoon-berries-1.1870946
Since it has a short history of cultivation, we are still learning how to domesticate it.

Stories of the Week

Asian Heritage Month

May is the Asian Heritage Month, a celebration of the contributions of Canadians of Asian heritage to the growth and prosperity of Canada.

In December 2001, the Senate adopted a motion proposed by Senator Vivienne Poy to officially designate May as Asian Heritage Month in Canada.

This year, Asian Heritage Month honours Asian-Canadian athletes, both past and present, for their contributions to sport on the national and international scenes.

To learn more about the contributions of Asian-Canadians throughout Canada’s history, visit http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/multiculturalism/asian/people.asp

This poster is available in PDF format from http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/pub/Vietnamese-Journey-Poster.pdf

This year is also the 40th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, and the 40th anniversary of the Journey of Vietnamese Canadians.

On April 30, 1975, the fall of the city of Saigon marked the end of the Vietnam War and the start of a refugee crisis. Millions of Vietnamese fled their homes seeking refuge and freedom, with many trying to escape across the South China Sea in small leaky boats. Canada played an important role in helping these refugees.

Read about Canada’s part in this at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/multiculturalism/asian/vietnamese_refugees.asp

Jane's Walk

And with the advent of warm weather again in Canada, Jane's Walk are starting up again, and it was the Global Festival was held on May 1st to the 3ed.

Jane Jacobs (1916-2006) was a Canadian urbanist and activist whose writings championed a fresh, community-based approach to city building while learning about the history of the area.

 Jane’s Tours bring citizens together, and they learn about their neighbourhoods by listening to lectures given by people from their area.

You can go to http://janeswalk.org/ and read about her and the effect she had had over the world.

The Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/janeswalk?_rdr

And that was the Canadian genealogy, history, and heritage news in Canada this past week!



Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

If you missed last week’s edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/04/canadian-week-in-review-27-april-2015.html

 It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012




 Need help in finding your Canadian Ancestors?

Susan I. of Toronto, Ontario says -

"With her wonderful suggestions, including provincial and local archival holdings, books, and local church records, I was delighted to uncover a marriage certificate naming my paternal great, great grandparents and their original county in Ireland.

Elizabeth also mentored me regarding further educational opportunities. I was delighted with her services."

If you do, go to Elizabeth Lapointe Research Services and see how I can help you find that elusive Canadian ancestor!

The website is at www.E:LRS.biz

 The next Canadian Week in Review will be posted 11 May 2015.

Friday, April 17, 2015

A “New” old historical society of Toronto




The goal of the New Toronto Historical Society is to preserve and promote the history of the Town of New Toronto.

The village of New Toronto is located on the north shore of Lake Ontario, bounded by Mimico on the east and Long Branch on the west It was incorporated as a village in 1913, became part of the City of Etobicoke in 1967, and then part of the city of Toronto.

But it has a history of its own, as is clear when you read what is online.

If you go down the left hand side a click the Discover page and it opens a page of over 40 links to different subjects like from the Cumberland House, to schools in the area to New Toronto Fish & Chips.

There will be a meeting on Tuesday, April 28 at 7 pm at the LAMP CHC (New Toronto Town Hall0, 185 Fifth Street when the society will welcome Archives Ontario’s Stewart Boden.

He will feature historical film clips from the Archives’ collection, all produced by the Ontario government. The all-Ontario subjects of the films include health promotion, tourism, education and OPS staff training.

The website of the New Toronto Historical Society is http://www.newtorontohistorical.com/

To read more history of New Toronto, you can go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Toronto



Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

If you missed this week’s edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/04/canadian-week-in-review-13-april-2015_13.html

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012.

 

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

What is Canada's largest non-governmental archives?




The Glenbow Archives in Calgary, Alberta is Canada's largest non-governmental archival repository. It has extensive holdings of unpublished documents and photographs related to the history of Western Canada.

The website says that it “houses a wide-ranging collection of unpublished archival records (such as diaries, letters, minute books, photographs, scrapbooks, speeches, membership lists, films, and sound recordings) for over 3,000 individuals, families, clubs, businesses, schools, and organizations in Calgary, southern Alberta and Western Canada.

The records, date from the 1860s to the 1990s, and the areas of specialty include First Nations (especially Blackfoot), Mounted Police, pioneer life, ranching and agriculture, the petroleum industry, politics (especially the farmers' movement), labour and unions, women, the arts (especially theatre), and businesses”.

To visit the Glenbow Museum, go to http://www.glenbow.org/collections/archives/highlights.cfm

The Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/glenbowmuseum

Monday, March 30, 2015

Canadian Week in Review - 30 March 2015

I have come across the following Canadian websites, social media websites, and newspaper articles this past week that were of interest to me, and I thought you might be interested in them, too.

This Week in Canadian History

In 1821, a medical school was incorporated in Montreal. It later became part of McGill University.
To read more, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McGill_University

In 1865, Prince Edward Island voted against Confederation.
To read more, go to http://www.revparl.ca/english/issue.asp?param=125&art=765

In 1885, troops were mobilized across Canada because of the Northwest Rebellion
To read more, go to http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/north-west-rebellion/

Social Media

TO Blog
What hapening with Toronto's waterfront silos?
http://www.blogto.com/city/2015/03/whats_happening_with_torontos_waterfront_silos/
   The Canada Malting and Victory Mills silos are like two great concrete bookends on the downtown waterfront. Located at the bottoms of Bathurst and Parliament streets, the former soya and grain storage facilities are relics of a time when the port of Toronto was a place of heavy industry, not entertainment.

(Photos) See what gems are hidden outside the walls of Her Majesty's Penitentiary
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/see-what-gems-are-hidden-outside-the-walls-of-her-majesty-s-penitentiary-1.2984978
   There's a museum of crime and punishment, containing documents from the 1800s and pieces of history from sordid jailhouse antics, just outside of Newfoundland and Labrador's largest —and Canada's oldest —jail.
   In fact, very few know it exists, and it's not open to the public.

(Photos) HANTS HISTORY, Nova Scotia
http://www.hantsjournal.ca/Opinion/Columnists/2015-03-26/article-4084294/HANTS-HISTORY-(March-26,-2015-edition)/1
   A look at what was making the news 25 and 50 years ago in the Hants Journal.

Articles

Nova Scotia

Whiley sawmill roof collapse 'end of an era'
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/whiley-sawmill-roof-collapse-end-of-an-era-1.3006294
   Due to the snow and ice storms that Nova Scotia has had this winter, an original mill built by freed slaves in the 1800s just outside of Halifax in Upper Hammonds Plains, has had its roof collapse.
   It was the first mill built in Upper Hammonds Plains, and was still a thriving business until just a few years ago.

New Brunswick

Rare artifact at Sisson mine site dates back 8,500 years
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/rare-artifact-at-sisson-mine-site-dates-back-8-500-years-1.3006681
   Archaeologists have recovered hundreds of artifacts at the site of the proposed Sisson mine north of Fredericton, including a rare find that could be up to 8,500 years old.
   However, two other artifacts recovered from the site have been lost, and Aboriginal leaders are concerned the "precious items" recovered aren't being handled with enough care.

Ontario

One step closer to a new heritage centre for Niagara
http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news-story/5527240-one-step-closer-to-a-new-heritage-centre-for-niagara/
   The Lincoln and Welland Regiment is one step closer to finding a new home for its collection of artifacts.

Devitt family played major role in Waterloo history
http://www.therecord.com/living-story/5514123-devitt-family-played-major-role-in-waterloo-history/
   One doesn't read very far into the history of Waterloo before coming across the name Devitt.
   Barnabus Devitt, orphaned and just one generation removed from Ireland, was adopted by Abraham and Magdalena Erb. He grew up in their 1812 home which is still standing and now designated as the city's oldest house.

VIMY RIDGE: Soldiers’ last messages go on tour
http://www.lfpress.com/2015/03/20/soldiers-last-messages-go-on-tour
   A London team’s capture of the messages and images carved by soldiers in a Vimy Ridge cave will be shared across Canada, thanks to $250,000 grant from the federal government.
    The Souterrain Impressions Exhibit will be launched at Museum London in April and tour the country until June 2018, the Department of Canadian Heritage has announced.

Reflecting on 2015 Black History Month celebration in Guelph
http://www.guelphmercury.com/opinion-story/5515067-reflecting-on-2015-black-history-month-celebration-in-guelph/
   Since 2013, during the month of February, the Guelph Black Heritage Society has organized several activities to celebrate Black History Month.
   Most of these activities took place at Heritage Hall, 83 Essex Street, the former British Methodist Episcopal (BME) church built by ex-slaves in 1880.

Saskatchewan

Saskatoon Morning looks at wartime home history in the city
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/saskatoon-morning-looks-at-wartime-home-history-in-the-city-1.3000390
   Small homes built after the Second World War are still a major feature of Saskatoon neighbourhoods – and across the country.

Royal Heights Park will become a celebration of veterans
http://www.sasklifestyles.com/news/local-news/royal-heights-park-will-become-a-celebration-of-veterans-1.1805865\
   Royal Heights Park in Estevan is going to be getting a new name, and some new additions, thanks to the Royal Canadian Legion's Estevan branch. It will be renamed the Royal Heights Veteran's Memorial Park

Grain elevator pictures seek passage to India
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/grain-elevator-pictures-seek-passage-to-india-1.2988012
   Jayaram Varada has taken a series of photographs of Saskatchewan grain elevators and hopes to exhibit his work in Kerala, India. He had moved to Saskatchewan in 2009.
   "Iconic Grain Elevators and Life in Western Canada" will be it’s title, and it will portray 60 of his photographs from Saskatchewan.

British Columbia

Mass support in pioneer times began with a signature
http://www.vicnews.com/opinion/296802811.html
   On Nov. 22, 1858, more than 400 residents of Yale, B.C., signed a petition asking their new governor, James Douglas, to provide an armed escort for their shipments of “treasure” (gold) that were being sent down the river.

Coquitlam students honour D-Day war efforts by cleaning up Juno Beach
http://www.tricitynews.com/news/297300661.html
   A group of Dr. Charles Best secondary students learned a history lesson about Canada's participation in World War II and did some service work of their own during a spring break tour of France.

 News Stories of the Week


We have just come through Museum Week in Canada, a part of a world-wide museum week, and now comes the news that Brant County Museum, among other museums in Ontario*, were meeting this week to learn how to reorganizing their history collection – called the Re-Org Program.

Simon Lambert, preservation development adviser with the Canadian Conservation Institute—which provides advice to about 2,000 small- and medium-sized Canadian museums—led the three-day learning process.

He said that most museums have 90-95% of their collections in storage. He said a survey of 1,500 museums in 136 countries revealed that 60% of them had major storage issues.

The Brant County Museum and Archives is reorganizing about 30,000 pieces of archival material, including books, photographs, slides, letters written by First World War soldiers, pamphlets, manuals, and advertisements were being sorted, boxed and placed into the new compact shelving.

To visit Brant County Museum and archives, go to http://brantmuseum.ca/



Meanwhile, a Comox man is keeping HMCS Alberni's maritime history alive. The Alberni was a Canadian Corvette that sank after a German U-boat attack in 1944, and after Lewis Bartholomew of Courtenay saw a photo of it, he created a mobile display of the ship, along with corresponding information about its occupants.

And the Alberni Project Society was formed. Its goal is to collect, interpret, display, and preserve the history of Canada’s role in the Second World War, and to convey the personal stories and events of a global war.

You can visit the website at www.alberniproject.org, or you can visit the museum in Comox from Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.




And finally, Historica Canada recently announced that Rebecca Xie of Brandon has been named one of the grand prize winners in the 2014 Citizenship Challenge.

Over 60,000 young Canadians participated in the national contest!

Rebecca won an all-expenses paid trip to Ottawa. She was joined by fellow winner, Samantha Quinto of Scarborough, and they travelled to Ottawa where they explored Canada’s history and culture with personal tours of Parliament Hill, the Canadian Museum of History, and the Canadian War Museum

The Citizenship Challenge asks Canadians to put their national knowledge to the test, by studying for, and writing, a mock citizenship exam. Xie received 100 per cent on the mock citizenship exam.

You can see more about the Citizenship Challenge at http://www.citizenshipchallenge.ca/

That was the Canadian genealogy, history, and heritage news in Canada this past week!

* The six museums were - The Museum in Tower Hill in Parry Sound; the NEC in Timmins; Norfolk Arts Cetre in Simcoe; Clarington Museums in Bowmanville; Lambton Heritage Museum in Grand Bend; and the Collingwood Museum.

And that was the Canadian genealogy, history and heritage news in Canada this past week!


Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.


If you missed last week’s edition, it is ahttp://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/03/canadian-week-in-review-23-march-2015_23.html

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012.


Need help in finding your Canadian ancestors?

Susan I. of Toronto, Ontario says –
"With her wonderful suggestions, including provincial and local archival holdings, books, and local church records, I was delighted to uncover a marriage certificate naming my paternal great, great grandparents and their original county in Ireland.

Elizabeth also mentored me regarding further educational opportunities. I was delighted with her services."
If you do, go to Elizabeth Lapointe Research Services and see how I can help you find that elusive Canadian ancestor. 

The next Canadian Week in Review will be posted 06 April, 2015.