Curated Past
By Curated Past
Curated PastApr 06, 2020
Canadian History Ehx: History of Norfolk County
A guest-produced episode from Craig Baird, producer of Canadian History Ehx. Craig provides an overview of the history of Norfolk County, the earliest settlers in the area and highlights some of the early history of our local communities.
Population 300: Simcoe's Black History
On today's podcast, tune in to learn more about the black history of Norfolk County, specifically the thriving black community that existed in Simcoe that included about 300 black citizens during the first half of the 19th century.
William Edgar Cantelon: Norfolk County’s Visionary
William Edgar Cantelon was an artist and a visionary. He dedicated his life to capturing Norfolk County’s past and present through his work. His art was his life. A bicycle was his preferred mode of transportation and he could often be seen riding his bicycle along the backroads of Norfolk committing to canvas the images he saw along the way.
On today’s podcast, tune in to hear how Cantelon’s lifelong interest in art, created a legacy that continues to educate, entertain and inform us.
The Summer Garden: A Dance Hall Vision
Not so long ago the rich baritone of Charlie Pride's voice, the rockabilly beats of Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks and the brassy tones of Louis Armstrong's trumpet echoed over Lake Erie. These famous musicians were but a few that travelled to the lakeside community of Port Dover to perform at the famous concert venue, the Summer Garden.
On today’s podcast, tune in to hear how Ben Ivey turned his vision of a dance hall over the lake into a reality. In the early days not only was there an admission fee, but a fee to dance! Yet people flocked from all over and happily paid the fees so that they could be a part of the historic Summer Garden.
The Story of the W.F. Kolbe Company in Port Dover
The W.F. Kolbe Company opened a branch of their fishing company in Port Dover in 1911 on Harbour Street. In 1946 they moved the plant to a large plot of land on Lynn Street, further down the Lynn River. At that time they were the largest freshwater fish processor on the Great Lakes.
The Infamous Langton Bank Robbery of 1950
More than 70 years ago, Herbert McAuliffe walked into Langton's Imperial Bank of Canada in a failed attempt at armed robbery. As he fled the bank, he unloaded his machine-gun on two local men giving chase, killing them instantly. Several months later, McAuliffe went to the gallows and dangled for 17 minutes before he was pronouced dead.
The Priest Who Wouldn't Look The Other Way
In the 1930s, transient farm labourers were not often a welcome sight in the town of Delhi, ON. Many lived in a forest encampment outside town. But Father Uyen saw them differently. Recognizing the important role these workers played for the town's economy and tobacco harvest, he set out to help the workers at a time when few others would.
The Dark Day for the Black Donnellys in Waterford
Long ago in Waterford, the infamous Black Donnellys had a fateful day when an argument in a tavern claimed one of their own. This story is about the day that Michael Donnelly came to Waterford... and never made it home
The Great Jam Story of 1940
Did you know that in 1940, almost everyone in Norfolk County, Ontario was making jam? Learn all about the amazing story of why this happened and how it brought a community together
Tobacco Kilns On Our Landscape
Tobacco kilns have such a strong relationship with the flat landscape of Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada. Today it is a relationship filled with melancholy as many of these kilns are starting to decay. One photographer has captured these symbols of the county's agriculture heritage