Doors Open 2022
August 20th | 10am to 4pm
The day is almost upon us … Doors Open St. Catharines.
You are invited to join us as we once again open the doors
of the oldest house in St. Catharines to the public.
What’s a Doors Open?
The goal of Doors Open is for buildings that are normally closed to the public, or that charge a fee to enter, to allow people to visit for free for the day. In this way, people can explore local heritage and architecture, gaining a greater appreciation for the hidden gems that their towns and cities hold.
The last time we opened our doors to the public in such a monumental way was back during Doors Open St. Catharines in 2017, when we had over 800 people visit the site! It was our first experience with sharing this special place publicly and conversations we had that day played a big part in developing our plan for the future of this historic site.
What to Expect
Feeling excited, hopeful, nervous … we’ll admit, we’re a bit rusty since COVID put many of our plans on hold. Doors Open 2017 was such a great success, and we are hoping to match that energy again this year! We’ve been running full-steam ahead for the past few weeks and are eagerly anticipating the day where we can welcome you here and showcase what we have been up to at The Brown Homestead. It’s a free event, and we encourage you to bring the whole family.
Here’s what you can expect to see when you come on August 20th:
Heritage Crafts
This one is for adults and children alike! Learn about historic stencil designs like the ones on display in the dining room of the John Brown House, and then try your hand at painting stencils using traditional techniques.
Performances by the Shaw Festival
We are thrilled to welcome the world-renowned Shaw Festival, who will be offering two special performances of their 30-minute original production titled A Short History of Niagara. Showtimes are 11am and 2pm.
“A presentation in sophisticated artistry, A Short History of Niagara tells the history of the beautiful Niagara Region through clever puppetry, woven together through vignettes that will captivate young and old alike. Don’t miss out on this unique and charming thirty minutes of pure storytelling.”
Tasty Local Food and Beverages
You won’t go hungry while you stroll our grounds and take in the sights. Food and drinks from our wonderful local partners will be available throughout the day.
The Norton Cabin
Built by Mohawk chief Teyoninhokarawen (aka Major John Norton) around the year 1817, this cabin was originally built in Caledonia, and was brought to The Brown Homestead in 1997 to save it from demolition.
Learn about the life and legacy of John Norton, what it takes to preserve such an important piece of built heritage, and hear our plans for its future.
Oral History Collection
Come be a part of history!
Oral histories are a great way to preserve people’s memories of the past, as well as their current thoughts and experiences.One of our core values is History’s Continuum, meaning that while the past is what makes this place special, we are also focused on continuing the legacy of The Brown Homestead by making memories in the present day. Help us preserve our legacy for the future by visiting our oral history tent and answering the question: “What was your favourite part of today?”
Everyone who participates will be entered in a random draw to win two tickets to a Shaw Festival performance!
The Victory Garden
This spring and summer we have maintained a heritage-based community garden that encourages sustainable gardening, education, and outdoor recreation through the planting and maintenance of a replica WWI-era Victory Garden. Each week, our harvest is donated to a local food bank. This program includes a bi-weekly speaker series that offers free talks on topics ranging from WWII gardens to heirloom seeds, bees, and canning.
Take a stroll through the garden, speak with the program’s participants and hear about what they’ve been learning since April.
Restoration Design Exhibit
This is one of our most popular projects this summer. Join our heritage restoration experts in the Ballroom of the John Brown House, and learn about the proper methods of conserving historic wallpaper. So far, we’ve uncovered 13 different layers!
Local History Research
Our heritage focus goes beyond the homestead itself, encapsulating some of the broader history of the Niagara Region. Learn about some of the research we’ve been doing in these areas, such as:
The War of 1812 - The Brown family participated in the War of 1812 in a variety of ways. We have been looking through old records and war loss claims to determine the extent of each family member’s participation, and to gain a better understanding of what life was like for those living at The Brown Homestead during that tumultuous time.
Land Registry Curriculum - Have you ever wondered about the history of the house you live in, or the property you live on? Who lived there before you 50 years ago … or 150 years ago? We are developing a curriculum to teach people how to complete title searches using the OnLand database.
Mapping The Brown Homestead - The Brown Homestead has changed in a lot of ways since the 18th century. At one point, John Brown owned 1206 acres of land in Niagara! Today, we are left with a beautiful 7.5 acres of property here on Pelham Road. Explore this interactive web map exhibit to learn more about each generation that lived here, from a geographical perspective.
Artifact Displays
In case you haven’t noticed yet … we DIG history. The previous owner of the homestead was an archaeologist and heritage consultant, who uncovered a variety of artifacts on the property over the three decades he lived here. We’ll have some of these special finds on display during Doors Open.
Digital Doors Open
Ok, so that all sounds great, right? But let us guess … you’re at the cottage that weekend? It’s your great-aunt’s birthday? You’ve got tickets to attend one of the final events for the 2022 Canada Summer Games in Niagara? Or maybe you’re just uncomfortable being around large crowds. That’s ok, we get it! To make sure nobody misses out on the experience, we are offering digital programming throughout the day. Visit our Facebook page, where you will be able to watch specially curated videos that explain some of the projects we’ve been working on this year. From heritage masonry to ballroom restoration design, there will be lots of free digital content to consume on Saturday, August 20th. Best of all - the videos will remain on our website for you to watch at any time.
Community Connection
At The Brown Homestead, we operate under eight core values. Our value for the month of August is #CommunityConnection, meaning we work at being relevant to the people in our community, and making a positive impact. We believe in using heritage sites to create deeper community connections. We practice and advocate personal integrity, mutual respect and valuing difference.
Our programming and organizational culture encourage collaboration, conflict resolution, listening, leadership and mentoring. Doors Open St. Catharines is the perfect opportunity for us to live out this value, and to show how we care about the Niagara community through not just our words, but also with our actions.
While the activities of the day are free, please remember that we are a non-profit heritage site, reliant on the financial support of visitors and generous sponsors. If you like what you see, please consider donating to our cause at our Welcome tent, and help keep The Brown Homestead alive as a heritage-minded community space for years to come.