Elgin County Archives

This is a photograph showing Main Street (modern-day Plank Road) in Eden in 1918. Included in the Eden Women's Institute Tweedsmuir History, Volume One. A more recent view can be seen here: bit.ly/4peF9Jb

It's time for another #MysteryMonday, where we post photographs from our collection that are unidentified, or have limited information, and ask for your help! This is a photo of an unidentified home in St. Thomas, ca. 1958 . Please let us know if you can identify this house!

#FeatureFriday #NewAccession alert! In 2023, we acquired these two photographs of the White School (Yarmouth School Section #2) and the Union School (School Section #9), and have recently processed them! Please click here to see the full caption: bit.ly/3JPeWRm

A September 4th kind of thing? Keith Kelly measuring levels of rainfall, September 4, 1975. Recording rainfall & checking min/max temperatures on thermometers in a box provided by the federal Department of Transportation and Communication. Read more: bit.ly/3V3gh9r

Back to school... back to routine for many. Welcome September! Education starts early in schools—Here is shown Kindergarten or Grade 1 pupils at work in Art class at Homedale School, 1951. see full post at: bit.ly/4n6jVv4

In 1948, employees from the Wonder Bakery in #sttont show off what made their fruit cakes a local favourite: glazed cherries from France, glazed pineapple from the West Indies, pecans from Texas, raisins from Australia & local creamery butter. More here: bit.ly/47kcvzL

An aerial view of the Ontario Police College (OPC) in Aylmer, ca 1975. This property was the former RCAF Station Aylmer, built in 1940-1941 to support the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan during the #SWW. It ceased operations in 1961, and it was modified for use as the OPC.

This photo from the Stollery Studio fonds shows students from Shedden (Southwold S.S. No. 9) during a tour of the Southwold-Dunwich Telephone Company. It was published in the St. Thomas Times-Journal on June 24, 1953. For full caption, please click here: bit.ly/3JSRa6E

This week's #MysteryMonday feature is from the Ron Payne Collection. This house was identified as "Joe Bennett's House" on the reverse of the photo, but we would love to know the location. It is likely in the vicinity of West Lorne. Can you help us identify the location?

#FlashbackFriday This is a photograph showing apple packers working in the J.M. Chute apple orchard, Lakeview, in 1912. Published in Aylmer Express Industrial and Farming Number, 1913, p. 23. From the Elgin County Vertical File Collection. Full caption: bit.ly/41hcusB

#ThrowbackThursday This is a photograph showing the east side of Iona in 1917. The buildings in the photograph are identified by numbers. Click here to see the full caption and identifications: bit.ly/47LC8tk. Included in the Iona Women's Institute Tweedsmuir History.

For many years, greenhouse cultivation has been used in Elgin County. For this week's #ElginFarms feature, we are showcasing greenhouses in different parts of Elgin County, that were used to grow different types of plants! Full caption: bit.ly/41SPGQ2

This is an illustration of the Mathias Hovey Residence in Fingal. The image is located in the H.R. Page & Company's Historical Atlas of Elgin County, 1877. From the Elgin County Atlas Collection. Full caption: bit.ly/4mNKMvL

Today's #MysteryMonday image is of two unidentified women cutting a cake, possibly during a retirement party, likely in Aldborough Township (present-day Municipality of West Elgin), in 1986. From the Harley Lashbrook Collection. Can anyone identify either of these two ladies?

A view of 3 Drake Street, in St. Thomas, in 1978. This was the long-time home of Colonel Dr. Harold Buck and Helen Buck, who owned the property from about 1925-1986. To read more about the Bucks, click here: bit.ly/45ilobI

At St. Luke's Cemetery, Vienna, likely after Elizabeth Brasher's 1885 death. Inscribed: "Elizabeth Clark, wife of Samuel Brasher, died March 23, 1885; 73 years, 5 months & 13 days. A native of South Newton, Wiltshire, England. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. BRASHER".

@UALRCAHC Poor Sid! This is "walking to school uphill both ways", mower-style!😂

Whew! Cutting the grass was hard work 100 years ago, but young Sid Newcomb of Little Rock is handling that classic push lawn mower pretty well. How many of y'all still use this tried-and-true machine to mow your yard?

This week's #ElginFarms highlights the county’s role in International Plowing Matches, bringing farmers, competitors & visitors to our fields in 1940, 1960, 1985 & 2010. Enjoy this look back at matches that put Elgin in the agricultural spotlight! More: bit.ly/47rJUsc

This photograph shows the Glanworth Cheese Factory, before it was purchased by the Bersgma brothers in 1954. For full caption published in the TJ, click here: bit.ly/4my2i7g

Are you attending the 176th Aylmer Fair this weekend? Park carefully! The Aylmer Fairgrounds during the fairs of 1860s. Residents from Elgin County & beyond have been enjoying the many sights and sounds of Aylmer's biggest event of the year. aylmerfair.ca