Parkwood Estate National Historic Site
270 Simcoe Street N L1G 4T5 Oshawa, ON, Canada

The gift shop at the Estate is open from 1pm to 7pm Thursday and Friday evening this week

Parkwood Closure Notification: Parkwood National Historic Site is now closed to the public, including tours and gift shop, until December 10 due to film production activities This closure does not apply to those with tickets to our sold out events on November 29, December 5 & 6 ... The Parkwood Giftshop will be open for your browsing and shopping pleasure on November 29, December 5 & 6 from 11:30 to 4:30

Do you remember that weeks ago we prepped our candied peel, based on Marie’s recipe, attached. War in the Kitchen member Dolores, used her peel in her 1940s recipe for shortbread. Here are the results.

Calling all bakers! Calling all heritage enthusiasts! War in the Kitchen, our historic foodways group is challenging you to make and share photos of your 1940s ration mock mince pie filling. Photograph it made in its pot/ jar, photograph it in pastry, don’t mind, just make and take a pic. We may be filming, but we can still have fun! ... This recipe is from the Marie Holmes’ Toronto Star column, Cooking Chat November 28, 1940 Be sure to hashtag your entry with #parkwoodwoodenspoon Photo entries to the Parkwood FB page, here, until 8pm November 30 Entries to win the coveted Parkwood Wooden Spoon of bragging rights

Sharing photos of a McLaughlin Christmas gift pre-Parkwood. This means this gift was found under the tree in the McLaughlin home on King Street East, Oshawa. Books were a popular gift giving item of the family and here we have a book gifted to Mildred in 1910. Keen eyes on tour this festive season will notice this book on a chair in the Parkwood library on exhibit for interpretation.

Post Part 2 of 2 Here are the dark secrets, the second small cake recipe which Marie Holmes’ recommends for shipping overseas in November of 1940 For fun, and authenticity, we used a customs declaration label found in an Oshawa archive, altering it, as Canada Post 2020 requested. ... Thanks to the Toronto Star Archives

Good November 17 morning from us to you!

Some Parkwood beauty on this cold snowy day Stay safe everyone! We look forward to welcoming you all back for our highly anticipated Parkwood Christmas Tours, returning this December! Using historic and contemporary décor, the main floor of the mansion will be transformed into a Christmas wonderland! Be sure to book your tour times in advance ... Dec 5th - 31st #parkwoodestate #parkwood #nationalhistoricsite #thingstodoinoshawa #museum #tour #museumtours #McLaughlin #sightseeing #durhamregion #explore #hightea #weddingvenue #oshawamuseums #afternoontea #history #oshawaevents #christmastraditions #holidaydecorating #holidayseason #exploreontario #exploretoronto #holidaydecor #winterwonderland

5 hours left to get your bids in to our online fundraising auction ! We close at 11:59pm TONIGHT!

War in the Kitchen worked on our Food to the Frontlines 1940s project last month, with our packages arriving at their destinations last week. We used Marie Holmes’ November 7 Cooking Chat recommendations for the items to be sent overseas, many women are sending boxes overseas these days and they like to include a little bit of home cooking in their packages. Here are recipes for two types of small cakes that pack and keep well is what Marie says before posting her recipes f...or shortbread and dark secrets. Part I of 2 posts : Shortbread Thanks to the Toronto Star archives

Our 2020 tobacco harvest is in and is drying in the basement. As many who follow us know, WWII Victory Gardens grew tobacco and our oral histories of Parkwood domestic staff tells us about the tobacco cultivated by gardeners on the property. We saved the seeds from this years plants and are now embarking on the next stage of our project; Shirley, Aztec Rustica, Bursa, Zimmer and other varieties of our tobacco are drying under our watchful eyes. We will keep you updated ... One of the curatorial goals of this project is tobacco pot pourri for a variety of the Estate rooms to make your interpretive experience more authentic when you visit.

It’s Stir Up Sunday. Who else is busy making their Christmas puddings and mincemeat? Here is our WWII historic foodways program, War in the Kitchen, making our Christmas 1940 pudding. If you are busy cooking in your kitchens, share with us your stir up Sunday family traditions

War in the Kitchen has been busy with preparations for our overseas boxes being sent out next week. Cookie One: On November 7, 1940, Marie Holmes published her recipe for shortbread that will travel well for her readers who were busy making up Christmas boxes for their loved ones serving overseas. Marie published two recipes, (Cookie Two, next week), with many women are sending boxes overseas these days and they like to include a little bit of home cooking... Special thanks to the Toronto Star Archives for their support of our project and to CBC Radio 1 who is doing a special segment on the Overseas Boxes broadcasting in December on the Sunday Magazine Parkwood friends are receiving a special visual preview of our WWII boxes as we create them based on the Marie Holmes 1940 column, Cooking Chat, in the coming week

Our busy volunteers in action!

Did you know that each Christmas season, the McLaughlins would have Oshawa area spruce trees cut and shipped to friends and loved ones in Bermuda when they spent Christmas at their winter home Cedar Lodge? Bonus points- what consecutive years, and why did the McLaughlins NOT travel to Bermuda?

The McLaughlins, like many Toronto-based society folk, used the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, to see and be seen. Submitting florals from the greenhouses for judging, showcasing their hunters and jumpers in the equestrian events, Eileen and Billie (Eleanor) demonstrating their horsewomanship skills and talents, and attending the elite social events associated with the festivities. Not only did they participate, but they often won numerous ribbons and trophies each Novembe...r. Here you can see Eileen, Mrs. Eric Phillips, on Sharavogue. As well as an article from the Toronto Daily Star, November 22, 1930 talking about her first placed win! Be sure to follow along this week as we share more pictures and stories! #royalwinterfair #RWF #parkwoodestate #parkwood #nationalhistoricsite #thingstodoinoshawa #museum #tour #Exploredurham #museumtours #McLaughlin #sightseeing #durhamregion #explore #downtownoshawa #weddingvenue #oshawamuseums #afternoontea #history #oshawaevents #venue

Hello fans and friends! We are aware of the damages to the fences due to the high winds Thank you for keeping an eye on the Parkwood property for us. You are truly valued! Neighbours are wonderful