Ontario Historical Society Podcast Series – In Hindsight: Half a Century of Research Discoveries in Canadian History!

Guest post information provided by the Ontario Historical Society.

Announcing a New OHS Podcast:
Dr. Donald B. Smith’s
“In Hindsight: Half a Century of Research Discoveries in Canadian History”
A new year brings a much anticipated new venture, and a landmark for The Ontario Historical Society (OHS). The OHS is excited to announce the launch of our partnership with one of Canada’s most renowned historians, Dr. Donald B. Smith, to bring you our first in-house produced 20-episode podcast series, In Hindsight: Half a Century of Research Discoveries in Canadian History
A long-time OHS member, Dr. Donald B. Smith is a Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Calgary who has focused his career on the history of Indigenous Canada, Quebec, and the history of Calgary and Southern Alberta. Dr. Smith’s first academic article, “Grey Owl,” was published in the OHS’s Ontario History journal in 1971. In Hindsight is a weekly series (following the model of old-fashioned radio) through June 2023 on different personalities in 19th and 20th century Canadian history. Please enjoy the introduction (4 mins), presented by Chief Dave Mowat of Alderville First Nation, Second Vice President of the OHS. The tone will be relaxed, with an abundance of anecdotes. Canadians of the past were prisoners of their cultural values just as their latter-day judges are of today’s beliefs. In each episode Dr. Smith will try to understand, and to help the listener understand, the individual in the context of their own times.

In addition to the informal talks, substantial written summaries of each episode will be provided, exclusively on the OHS website, including a short bibliography and/or the “back story” as to how the “discovery” was made, a terrific resource for students and those interested in learning more.
In Hindsight recordings and episode summaries may be found on the OHS website at: https://ontariohistoricalsociety.ca/podcasts/in-hindsight/
You may subscribe to the podcast at: Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcheriHeartRadio, etc. Closed captioned videos of each episode are available on:YouTube
Please help us by sharing these links with family, friends, colleagues, and anyone interested in learning about these important stories in Canadian history, from a master storyteller.
Email: inhindsight@ontariohistoricalsociety.ca

Ingersoll Library: Black History Month Event!

Hello Everyone,

Please see this guest post from the Ingersoll Library:

Curious about the new Underground Railroad Sculpture in Ingersoll?
Join us at Ingersoll Library Saturday, February 18, 2023 from 1-3PM

Meet local artist Duane Kumala-Thomas and discover the vision behind an Ingersoll art installation recognizing significant dates in town history.

Join local historian, Heather Rennalls and explorer her knowledge of Ingersoll’s Black history.

Ingersoll Town Councillor, Khadijah Haliru, will speak about her story from Nigeria to Brampton to Ingersoll.

Special Guests including: Town Councillor, Mike Bowman, Oxford Caribbean Canadian Association and more.


“Using the familiar theme of the underground railroad as a focal point, the sculpture aims to represent Ingersoll’s involvement in accepting, aiding and growing amongst a new and increasing black population in the 1800’s and beyond. The visual of train tracks breaking through the soil and springing up into the Ingersoll air will present viewers with the emphatic feeling of a journey to this place, where travellers came up for air, settled and planted new roots”.

Duane Kumala-Thomas

Feel free to spread the word about this special event via social media or by printing and displaying the attached posts: Ingersoll Library Event Duane Kumala-Thomas

The Ingersoll Library can be reached at:
The Town Centre, 130 Oxford Street Ingersoll ON N5C 2V5
Email: ingersolllibrary@ocl.net
Phone: 519-485-2505

Annandale NHS and TDHS Events for February 2023!

Hello Everyone,

Please see this guest post from the Annandale NHS and the Tillsonburg and District Historical Society:

Upcoming Events at Annandale NHS & Museum include:

February 12th from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Exhibit opening of “What’s Your Sign?” Light refreshments will be provided. Cost is by donation.

February 14th from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. – “Be My Valentine Tea” Come for tea, sweet treats and make a special Valentine gift to keep or to give to your Valentine! Cost is $20 plus taxes. 

February 20th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Family Day at the Museum   Drop in on Family Day to play some games, make a craft, take a guided tour or participate in the for scavenger hunt. Cost is by donation.

The latest edition of The Society Pages, is now available for download.

For further information contact the Annandale NHS and Museum.

AGM Tonight: Wednesday, February 1, 2023 @ 6:30pm, at the Woodstock Museum, NHS!

Picture provided by the Ontario Barn Preservation

Hello Everyone,

Please join us for the Society’s Annual General Meeting!

The meeting will be held in-person at the Woodstock Museum, NHS. Doors open at 6:30pm.

This is a free meeting and is open to the public, no membership is required to attend Society meetings.


Here is the nomination list for the 2023 Executive:

President: Kathie Richards
Past President: Jim Groulx
Vice President:  Elaine Becker
Secretary: Jim Groulx 
Treasurer: Laura Centore
Communications: Laura Centore
Membership: Judy Klages
Directors: Brenda Boswell, Eleanor Gardhouse, Brian Garner, Don Wilson
Museum Liaison: Karen Houston

Only paying members may vote for the new Executive, so join today and cast your vote!

Membership fees can be paid at tonight’s meeting.
Annual memberships run from January to December. 
A single membership is $25 and a family membership is $30. 
Membership can be paid by cash or cheque to the Oxford Historical Society, or by eTransfer to purchases@oxhs.ca
To become a member complete the Membership Form. Either email the completed form to info@oxhs.ca or mail it to:
Oxford Historical Society
PO Box 20091
Woodstock ON N4S 8X8

Our speaker for tonight will be Krista Hulshof Duynisveld, presenting
Ontario Barn PreservationPreserving Ontario’s Rural History One Barn at a Time!

Ontario Barn Preservation

The Vision of the Ontario Barn Preservation‘Is dedicated to preserving our heritage barns. We are a not-for-profit organization. Heritage barns are not only beautiful pieces of architecture and craftsmanship, they contribute to our rural landscape and as they disappear Ontario’s landscape is permanently changed. Ontario Barn Preservation provides resources, advice, connections, events, and services to preserve our barns.’

Architect Krista Hulshof Duynisveld will outline the work of the Ontario Barn Preservation and the importance of barn preservation and the important stories of Ontario’s pioneering past.

Please stay tuned to our website and posts for the latest information, especially at this time of year as winter storms can unexpectedly move in.

For more upcoming events click on our OxHS Event page!

If the meeting cannot be held in-person on February 1, the meeting will be held via Zoom. We will send out any updated notices about meeting changes by 5pm, on the day of the meeting.