The Homestead Journal
Reflecting on Heritage in Ontario
The amendments made to the Ontario Heritage Act under Bill 23 has only exacerbated the issues facing our province’s heritage sector. In Niagara, it’s no different: our heritage is at risk. Lately, the TBH team has been reflecting on the state of heritage in Niagara. How do we best protect, preserve, and promote our collective heritage in a meaningful way while still addressing the broader needs of our communities? How can we ensure the past holds a relevant place in a community’s present and future? What tools are required to do this work effectively? Read on for our reflections and suggestions.
Enough to Sink the Barrel
Niagara was one of Canada’s main whisky producing regions at the turn of the 19th century. Learn more about the different ingredients used to make whisky, the manufacturing process, quantities produced, transportation of the product and the markets it reached, starring some recognizable local names.
Christmas in the Kitchen: Fruitcake Edition
Join our Administrative Coordinator Pamela Dungao as she pens a delightful journey full of nostalgia, head-scratching historical research, and triumphant cakey-goodness at The Brown Homestead this holiday season.
Meet Our Neighbours, Part II: Electricity and Regeneration at Power Glen
Located at the base of the Niagara Escarpment on Twelve Mile Creek, the existence of this little community was inextricably tied to its surrounding landscape. Harnessing the power of the water that fell from the ridge of the escarpment and weaved its way along the creek was inevitable. Yet, what came after the mills that first initiated this tiny village was both revolutionary and unprecedented: hydroelectric power generation.
Meet Our Neighbours, Part I: An Early Hub of Industry at Reynoldsville
This is the first of a two-part series exploring the history of a community that has neighboured The Brown Homestead since the 1780s. Though the Power Glen community has cycled through different names over the centuries along with the industries that sustained it, there is continuity in the resourcefulness of people who lived in Power Glen (as it’s known today) and how they harnessed the power of the hills and waterways in this particular corner of Niagara.
Digging Into My New Job
Our new Community Engagement Coordinator Sara Nixon reflects on her first few weeks on the job, which coincided with an archaeological dig at the site.
“While it’s safe to say that this was likely a once-in-a-career onboarding process, taking part in the dig during my first two weeks here offered an entirely novel learning experience in getting to know The Brown Homestead and how I will approach my work here.”
Indigenous Canada
This year our staff took the Indigenous Canada course designed by the University of Alberta. In the lead-up to Indigenous Peoples Day next week, our staff wanted to share some of their thoughts as they walked away from these modules with a better understanding of the different histories and perspectives of Indigenous peoples throughout Canada.
Fornello Sustainable Preservation: Connecting to Culture
The Fornello Sustainable Preservation Workshop is a great example of heritage preservation in action. Read along as our Director of Programming, Theresa Felicetti, explores her roots in Southern Italy and connects the experience to her current work at The Brown Homestead.
Come Grow With Us
As part of our Victory Garden program this year, we have created a series of videos explaining the process of growing seedlings at home. Once the seedlings are planted in May, come out to the Victory Garden to learn more about how to help your vegetables flourish!
The Niagara Escarpment Biosphere
The Brown Homestead and community around us would not exist without the Niagara Escarpment Biosphere. For our stories to continue into the future, its preservation must be prioritized.
The Big Reveal
Well, we’ve gone and done it… we’ve updated the interior of the oldest house in St. Catharines…
Creating a Vibrant Culture
Our volunteers and staff are ambassadors of this organization, relaying our mission to the public and embodying our values through their daily activities. Thus, it is important that we dedicate time towards ensuring a positive work environment for everyone who is involved in this special place.
Mapping The Brown Homestead
Our latest exhibit uses GIS technology to present our historical research about The Brown Homestead.
Taking Action on Reconciliation
Today marks the second annual observance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada. For us at The Brown Homestead, it is a day of both reflection and action.
Stepping Into the Past
“This summer I had the opportunity to work at The Brown Homestead as their Archival Intern. These are some of my experiences while working here.“
Doors Open 2022
You are invited to join us as we once again open the doors of the oldest house in St. Catharines to the public.
“No Job Less Enviable”: Surgeons and the Battle of Lundy’s Lane
When the sun rose over Lundy’s Lane on the 26th of July, 1814, the light washed over a battlefield that had experienced an immense amount of bloodshed.
“The Most Determined Spirit of Hostility”: The Brown Family in the War of 1812
John and Magdalena Brown found refuge in Niagara following the American Revolution, but their children would soon be embroiled in yet another conflict, the War of 1812.
The Good Ol’ Canadian Hockey Game
For many Canadians, hockey is a part of our identity. The Brown Homestead has seen its share of both victory and heartbreak when it comes to the good ol’ hockey game …
Rooted in History
“We do not need to look to the far distant past before we find ancestors who were tied to the soil …”