Norfolk Historical Society
The Norfolk Historical Society are the guardians of the museum and archives. Norfolk County owns the building and are responsible for the maintenance. We are otherwise independently operated and a Board of Directors oversee and guide the governance and operation of the museum and archives. Monthly meetings are held on the first Thursday of the month from September to June. Summer meetings for July and August are called if necessary.
The 2009 Board consists of the following members:
President: Karen Culver
Past President: Virginia Burnie
Vice President: Jo-Anne Barber
Treasurer: Marilyn Haslinger
Secretary: Chris Thomas
Other Directors: Mike Bonaccorso, Larry Bauslaugh, Deb Gair, Diane Clark, Sheila Pidduck
A SHORT HISTORY OF THE NORFOLK HISTORICAL SOCIETY
1900 TO 1950
In February 1897, Hal B. Donly, editor of the Simcoe Reformer urged the formation of a historical society in Norfolk County. The actual charter meeting was held in Judge Robb's chambers on February 9, 1900 with Judge Robb being named President.
In October of that year, the society decided to properly mark the place near Port Dover where two French missionaries, Father Dollier de Casson and Father de Gallinee had spent the winter of 1669-1670. In 1915 the Society purchased a site on Black Creek to erect a monument to the two priests. In the early years a good deal of time was required to complete various transactions and according to longtime Society secretary Bruce M. Pearce "it was an uphill fight."
In 1920 half a dozen historic sites were marked by the society and in cooperation with the Dominion Historic Sites and Monuments Board, permanent cairns were erected on them. In 1922 the Ontario Historical Society held its annual meeting in Simcoe and that same year the cross on Brant Hill in Port Dover was unveiled and a memorial was placed at Turkey Point to mark the location of old Fort Norfolk.
PERMANENT MUSEUM
The first steps towards establishing a permanent museum began in 1927 when the basement of the library was obtained, but this did not prove to be a suitable location. In 1928 Mrs. Eva Brook Donly suggested that she would leave her home to the Society to be used as a museum. In 1929, the society acquired the old "Chadwick Academy" near Vittoria; this structure was considered the oldest school in Ontario. Several historical society meetings were held here until it was disposed of by the group.
When the town of Simcoe celebrated its centennial, a cairn commemorated the event in Lynn Park. That same year, a descendant of Abigail Becker, heroine of Long Point, donated a portrait, the family bible, and gold medal given to her ancestor.
The next few years were busy with various plaques and historic markers being erected including the General Brock cairn at Powell Park in Port Dover, the Van Norman tablet in Normandale and one to Egerton Ryerson.
In 1941, following the death of Eva Brook Donly, her residence became the permanent home of the society and a commission was established by the town to administer the funds she left for its maintenance. The museum was formally opened the following year when the Ontario Historical Society once again held its annual meeting in Simcoe.
Historical Society at Fort Monroe 1900
