Delhi Tobacco Museum & Heritage Centre
200 Talbot Road N4B 2A2 Delhi, ON, Canada

Stay safe everyone!

A large crowd gathered in 1913 to watch Dorothy DeVonda ascend in a hot air balloon at the Norfolk County Fair and Horse Show.

Today would have been the opening of the 2020 rendition of the Norfolk County Fair and Horse Show. While we can't be there in person to enjoy all this annual c...elebration has to offer, Norfolk County Heritage and Culture will be posting all week from a historic perspective. We hope you enjoy these heritage snapshots. The history of the Norfolk County Fair and Horse Show dates back to 1840 when the Talbot District Agricultural Society was first established. In 1852, the name was changed to Norfolk County Agricultural Society. Traditionally, opening day at the fair is celebrated with Young Canada Day. Elementary and secondary school students are admitted free and enjoy a day at the fair with friends and family. Gathering at the grandstand, students participate in races, cheerleading and tug of war competitions. Their enthusiastic school spirit can be heard blocks away from the fairground. By including students in this annual agricultural celebration, the Norfolk County Agricultural Society has ensured the ongoing and sustainable success of this Norfolk County institution. It is a family tradition for many. Thank you to the many, many volunteers, members, sponsors, staff, community organizations and local businesses and attendees. You have contributed to a vital Norfolk County celebration that each October reminds us of our rural roots. Photo: Collection of Norfolk County Archives & Eva Brook Donly Museum: Young Canada Day Cheerleading Competition (date unknown) Delhi Tobacco Museum & Heritage Centre, Port Dover Harbour Museum, Waterford Heritage & Agricultural Museum

Ahoy Mateys! Discover buried treasure on this wild adventure. There is still time to register for our first ever live virtual camp program happening on Monday, July 13th from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. It is geared for children 6 to 10 years and it is going to be a blast. To register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/museum-mondays-summer-adventure... For more information email: [email protected]

History at Home: Written Communication Written communication was part of daily life throughout history. Deeds, store ledgers, letters and postcards are just a few of the important written documents found in our Norfolk County museums - we are going to share some of our favourites with you! In the photographs below, we would like to share with you a deed. A deed was granted to people to show that they received the right to a parcel of land, it was a way to prove ownership, kin...d of like a mortgage to a home today. This deed was granted in 1821 by King George IV (hence the seal at the bottom) and it was given to Frederick Sovereign (Sovereen). The land that was granted, along with tracts of land that were later acquired, would just five years later in 1826 found the Town of Fredericksburg. The name would change to Delhi in the 1850s due to some confusion with the Postmaster over another town in Ontario with the same name. The original land that the town was founded is the land that Quance Mill and the Delhi Tobacco Museum & Heritage Centre currently sit today. This is a really neat piece of history to have and we are grateful we can share that with you! Bonus Actvity: Do you have a special keepsake like this one that you would keep forever? What about your birth certificate or your baby book or your very first piece of artwork that your Mom held onto from when you were little? This would be a fun way to go down memory lane with your family! Wouldn’t it be fun to write a letter or create a postcard for a friend or family member? If you do, be sure to send us a picture and your name will be entered into a draw for a prize. Port Dover Harbour Museum Norfolk County Heritage & Culture Waterford Heritage & Agricultural Museum Norfolk County Archives & Eva Brook Donly Museum

History at Home: Communication

Welcome to our newest edition of History at Home! This session's theme is Pen to Paper. Written communication was part of daily life throughout history. Deed...s, store ledgers, letters and postcards are just a few of the important written documents found in our Norfolk County museums - we are going to share some of our favourites with you! Wouldn’t it be fun to write a letter or create a postcard for a friend or family member? If you do, be sure to send us a picture and your name will be entered into a draw for a prize. Delhi Tobacco Museum & Heritage Centre Waterford Heritage & Agricultural Museum Norfolk County Archives & Eva Brook Donly Museum Norfolk County Heritage & Culture See more

History at Home: Discover Family History This week we will continue the talk of family history and learning more about your family through documents, photographs and family conversations. Last week, Port Dover Harbour Museum asked for you to sit down with family members and learn about their history and at the Norfolk County Archives, they asked you to assemble a family tree. This week, we at the Delhi Tobacco Museum & Heritage Centre, are going to focus on traditions within ...your family that represent your family's culture and ethnicity. If you don't know, this is a great opportunity to have conversations with your family members. Hey, you might find out some really neat things you did not know before! In the photographs that we are have provided, we are going to look at a traditional dress of Czechoslovakia, an artifact in our collection. This dress is a traditional piece worn on the wedding day of the couple you see in the photograph. This specific dress was from the former Czechoslovakia (now two separate countries, the Czech Republic and Slovakia). The different countries of the world all have a way of representing their culture, language, their physical location in the world and what makes them unique. In our collection at the Museum, we are very fortunate to have many different dresses and costumes that represent different countries in Europe. What makes these dresses unique to each other are the different colours, the shapes and lengths of the skirts, the large puffy sleeves, the embroidery, the different layers, and the accessories that adorn the costume. These costumes were worn on special occasions and meant a great deal to the women and men who wore them. Bonus Activity: Do you have an outfit that you wear only on special occasions as a way to get dressed up? OR do you have a special piece of jewelry that you wear only once in a while? It’s fun to get dressed up and though we don’t have many special places to go at the moment, why not for fun, dress up in your special outfits with your family and have a dinner party or have a fashion show to your favourite music! Please submit a paragraph telling us about your experiences with getting to know more about the traditions in your family. Norfolk County Heritage & Culture Port Dover Harbour Museum Norfolk County Archives & Eva Brook Donly Museum Waterford Heritage & Agricultural Museum

Puzzles puzzles and more puzzles! Enjoy the latest!

History at Home! This week we visit Port Dover Harbour Museum to learn about Family History!

History at Home: Cooking with Curators Since the apple blossoms are in full bloom, we’ve decided to do an apple themed lesson in measurement. Be sure to complet...e and return the pictured worksheet by May 27th to be entered for a museum prize. As many of you will know, WHAM is housed in what was once the largest canning factory in the Dominion of Canada. During peak season, 1,500 packers were employed at the factory with over one million cans a year shipped across the British Empire. One of the most famous artifacts in WHAM’s collection is the pictured tin can from the 1890’s of Norfolk County Standard Apples. The tin was found by Kirriemuir Heritage Trust in Scotland, UK and generously shipped back and donated to WHAM. It made international headlines and is the oldest artifact the museum has from the early days of the canning factory in Waterford it’s a fantastic story! For our apple recipe, we’re featuring a how to history clip and recipe (link below) produced by English Heritage. Their social media channels are filled with amazing content you should check them out! English Heritage https://www.youtube.com/watch Please enjoy and let us know how you did! Norfolk County Archives & Eva Brook Donly Museum Port Dover Harbour Museum Delhi Tobacco Museum & Heritage Centre Norfolk County Heritage & Culture

History at Home: Cooking with Curators We are going to share some food related activities while using measurements. Be sure to complete and return the worksheet below to be entered for a museum prize. Please send in your entry by May 27th. Also, please feel free to share your favourite recipe with us. We will be looking at creating French Crepes this week, a delicious and versatile food that can be eaten for any meal or snack during the day. Crepes can be prepared ahead an...d placed in the freezer for future use, so make a big batch! This recipe is easy to follow and contains ingredients you probably already have and as they are so versatile, be sure to get creative! French crepes are a component of learning in our longest running children's program at the Museum, "A Child's Journey to Norfolk". In the program we guide children through different countries around the world and we share a part of the traditions of that country. We talk about where our own families originate from and learn from our peers. Its a wonderful program and we wanted to give you a small part of that this week. Please enjoy and let us know how you did! Norfolk County Heritage & Culture Port Dover Harbour Museum Norfolk County Archives & Eva Brook Donly Museum Waterford Heritage & Agricultural Museum

History at Home: Cooking with Curators, Part II

HISTORY AT HOME: Cooking with Curators! with Angela from the Port Dover Harbour Museum! Enjoy and have some fun with us!