Tallest Lighthouse in Atlantic Canada Protected

Point Amour Lighthouse (Newfoundland and Labrador) has been designated as a heritage lighthouse under the Canadian Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act. (CNW Group/Parks Canada)

The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Canada's Environment Minister and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, has designated an iconic landmark of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Point Amour lighthouse, as a heritage lighthouse under the Canadian Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act (HLPA).

The HLPA, which was adopted in 2008, allows for the protection of federally-owned lighthouses on Canada's coastal and inland waters that have significant heritage value. Administered by Parks Canada, the HLPA helps ensure Canada's maritime history is protected for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations.

Canadians have nominated hundreds of lighthouses to be considered for designation under the Act

Quick Facts

Point Amour Lighthouse is the tallest in Atlantic Canada, and the second tallest in the country.

Located at L'Anse Amour, on the Strait of Belle Isle, this lighthouse was built in 1857 to increase the safety of transatlantic shipping.

The lighthouse is associated with the most famous marine disaster in the history of the Strait of Belle Isle, the wreck of HMS Raleigh, a British warship, in 1922.

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has agreed to acquire this lighthouse and protect its heritage character.

There are two sitye you may like to check, and they are

HeritageLighthouses of Canada
http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/progs/lhn-nhs/pp-hl/index.aspx

Designated Lighthouses http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/progs/lhn-nhs/pp-hl/page01.aspx

Reminder: Canadian Week in Review posted tomorrow Sept 9th

Check out Canadian Week in Review every Monday for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada. It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in the country! 

Canadian Week in Review

Reminder: Check out Canadian Week in Review every Monday for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada. The next post will be Monday 15 July, 2013

Newfoundland and Labrador's Historic Sites Open this Weekend

The Commissariat - At the corner of King's Bridge Road and Military Road, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Credit: Newfoundland and Labrador Historic Sites

Historic Site are opening this weekend in Newfoundland and Labrador.  Are you planning to visit any, or some or them this summer?

“Our Provincial Historic Sites offer an interactive history lesson on the many influences that have shaped who we are today as a people, including the lives of the Beothuks and the history of lighthouses,” Terry French, minister of tourism, culture and recreation, said in a news release. “You can experience Christmas in the Library at Mockbeggar; Voices on the Wind at the Beothuk Interpretation Centre; Jam and Jammin at Point Amour; or Cultural Company at Heart’s Content, to name a few. I invite visitors from home and abroad to explore our unique culture and heritage.”

Provincial Historic Sites include: the Commissariat House and the Newman Wine Vaults in St. John’s, as well as the Colonial Building (which is currently closed for renovations); the Cape Bonavista Lighthouse and Mockbeggar Plantation in Bonavista; Hiscock House Visitor Centre, and the Mercantile Premises in Trinity; the Heart’s Content Cable Station; the Beothuk Interpretation Centre in Boyd’s Cove; the Cupids Cove Plantation; and, Point Amour Lighthouse in Labrador.

For more information on these and other programs, visit www.seethesites.ca .
The provincial government has also announced that visitor information centres around the province opened today.

The centres provide information to the travelling public such as directions, advice and local knowledge, and also assist with booking reservations.

Provincial visitor information centres are located in Port aux Basques, on the Deer Lake Highway, Notre Dame, Clarenville, Whitbourne, and Argentia. The Argentia location is currently undergoing renovations and an update on its opening will be provided at a later date.

International Museums Day

Do you plan to celebrate Museum Day tomorrow?

The ICOM sent this press release -

"The worldwide community of museums will celebrate International Museum Day 18 May, 2013.

This year, the theme of the International Museum Day will be Museums (memory + creativity) = social change. Our rich heritage, which museums both display and protect, is associated with inventiveness and vitality, both of which have characterized the museum sector in recent years and are museums’ greatest strengths.

ICOM General Director, Julien Anfruns adds: “Reconciling their traditional mission of preservation with cultivation of the creativity necessary for renewal and visitor growth is the evolution that museums are striving for, with the firm conviction that their presence and their actions can change society in a constructive manner.”

The International Council of Museums (ICOM) established International Museum Day in 1977 to increase public awareness of the role of museums in the development of society. Momentum has been rising unabated ever since. In 2012, International Museum Day garnered record‐breaking participation with almost 32,000 museums hosting events in more than 129 countries.

ICOM is partnering with the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme – which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2012 – for International Museum Day 2013. ICOM and Memory of the World, which is dedicated to world documentary heritage, share a common vision of safeguarding heritage for the benefit of society and are joined in their reflection on the potential of digitization for this purpose".

Visit the International Museum Day official website at
http://imd.icom.museum

Heritage Toronto announce the launch of its 2013 Tours program!

They say that many Torontonians know how great their walking tours are – they have been putting them on for 19 years! Heritage Toronto Tours in 2013 will be a bit different. It’s not just walking tours that they will be offering – they are excited to be expanding their usual walking tour program to include bus, bike, family and boutique tours too!

This year’s Tours program will run from the end of April until October and have 58 in total, including 26 new tours.

You will be able to reserve a spot for our new paid and pre-registered tours via our website www.heritagetoronto.org

Join them on a tour – they would love to show you some hidden gems, tell you about some fascinating stories and share with you Toronto’s amazing heritage!”

For info, go to http://heritagetoronto.org/sample-page/contact-us

The tours are listed on the followimg page at http://heritagetoronto.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/HT_TourBrochureelectronics.pdf

There are many postings to the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HeritageToronto

There are countless YouTube Videos on www.youtube.com/user/heritagetoronto on various heritage walks in Toronto

Name Changed to The Canadian Week in Review

On April 23, 2012, I started a new post called the New/Updated CANADIAN Websites, Blogs, Facebook, and Newspaper Articles.

But the title of the post was too long and cumbersome. So for the first anniversary of the post, I have decided to change the title to a more easily remembered one. The new title will be The Canadian Week in Review.

It will still cover great Canadian genealogy, heritage, and history news from across the country, and it will still appear each Monday morning.

Elizabeth

FTM's Top 40 Genealogy Blogs in 2013

Thank you Family Tree Magazine for picking this blog as one of the Top 40 in this year’s list.

They say that –

“This daily blog about Canadian genealogy, heritage and history is crafted by Elizabeth Lapointe, a member of the Ontario Genealogical Society and editor of its newsletter. Though not technically an official blog of the society, this newsy and tip-filled site reads like a lively one”.

And we must not forget the other Canadian blogs that were mentioned –

• The Armchair Genealogist

• Olive Tree Genealogy

My congratulations to all of the bloggers who made and didn’t make the list.

REMINDER: New/Updated CANADIAN Websites, Blogs, Facebook, and Newspaper Articles Blog

Don’t forget to check my blog every Monday morning for my New/Updated CANADIAN Genealogical, History and Heritage Websites, Blogs, Facebook, and Newspaper Articles.

There will be newspaper articles that will cover such stories as Library and Archives Canada deal with Ancestry.ca leaves personal information vulnerable, and government cancels public viewing of designs for War of 1812 monument plus Blogs, Facebook, and Websites – and even a Video about a piece of Canadian history sent home from Kirriemuir (Scotland).

There is something of interest for everyone!

Elizabeth

British Columbia Celebrates Heritage Week

Heritage Week starts Monday, Feb. 18 and runs until Feb. 24, and this year they are celebrating Good Neighbours: Heritage Homes and Neighbourhoods. It is the perfect opportunity to explore your local heritage and learn more about the role historic neighbours play in your community.

Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Steve Thomson says that it is a good time to “Take the opportunity this Heritage Week to get out and learn more about our province's rich past and the contributions historic neighbours make to your community."

The character and warmth of historic homes and heritage neighbourhoods enhance a community's attractiveness and liveability with their vintage house styles, gardens, landscapes and boulevards and create a positive sense of well-being throughout a community.

Many heritage organizations are hosting events during Heritage Week.

Find an event in your community http://www.heritagebc.ca/events/heritage-week/community-events

Some quick facts about B.C.’s heritage are -

Local governments have been responsible for conserving their own heritage buildings since 1994, when legislation was amended to give them the tools to recognize and protect their historic sites, and the ability to encourage conservation.

B.C.'s historic buildings, structures and cultural landscapes attract over 200,000 visitors annually from around the globe, creating jobs for British Columbians and supporting sustainable communities.

B.C.'s Register of Historic Places has over 3,500 listings of recognized historic sites - and ere may be hundreds more that have yet to be registered.

Newspaper Stories Every Monday

Don’t forget to check my blog every Monday for my New/Updated Websites, Blogs, and Newspaper Articles.

I love to go across this grand county of ours and pick out the interesting things that have happened in the genealogy, history, and heritage world the previous week and bring them to you.

I also check on the latest Canadian blogs, and websites to see what is new in them.

So don’t miss the New/Updated Websites, Blogs, and Newspaper Articles blog on Monday February 4th.

It has been a regular blog since April 23, 2012.

Elizabeth

They Have Sold Canada Post Building in Vancouver

The CBC reports that Canada Post has sold its building in Vancouver to a developer, and there one person who is not pleased with this news, and it  is Donald Luxton, president of the local heritage group.

He is afraid the building will be lost forever because it is not officially designated as a heritage building.

Next year, Canada Post will start moving into a new facility being built at Vancouver International Airport

Read about the concern the Luxton has about the building in the CBC story at www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2013/01/26/bc-heritage-concerns-canada-post.html

© Elizabeth Lapointe All Rights Reserved

Press Release: GenealogyCanada Will Celebrate 5th Blogiversary

Hello, Everyone,

As the press release says, GenealogyCanada will be celebrating its fifth blogiversary January the 2nd.


Feel free to pass the press release along to your genealogical friends.

If you have any questions about genealogycanada, please email me at genealogycanada@aol.com.

Elizabeth

(Ottawa Dec 27, 2012) On January 2, 2013, Elizabeth Lapointe will be celebrating the 5th Blogiversary of GenealogyCanada.blogspot.com, her daily genealogy, heritage, and history blog.

Lapointe says, “I have had five great years telling people about Canada’s latest genealogy, heritage, and history news and stories. Because of the blog, I have made friends from all over, and look forward to reaching new audiences in the next five years.”

GenealogyCanada.blogspot.com is expected to reach its 1,000th blog in the next few weeks. Come join the others who drop by for their genealogy fix – simply visit the blog, subscribe to the “Blog Update” email notification service, or follow along on Twitter.

Among the blog posts of which Lapointe is extremely proud are the posts that make up the yearly Veterans’ Week series in November, and the posts that greet her readers every Monday morning of new and improved Canadian websites, blogs, and news articles on Canadian genealogy, heritage, and history.

“Both of these posts are very important to me because they bring to my readers news of what is happening in Canada—or somehow related to Canada or Canadians worldwide—whether it’s in remembrance of her veterans each November, or on a weekly basis.”

To mark the 5th Blogiversary on January 2nd, there will be a special contest give-away of 5 copies of her cross-border resource booklet—Migration: Canada and the United States—to those readers who correctly answer a question about the blog. So please take a moment to visit us that day, and be sure to also tell your friends and fellow genealogists.

A random draw of all the correct entries will take place the next day, on January 3rd.

To find out what’s been posted or to see what you’ve missed, scroll down to the “Blog Archive” list and pick a date, or simply use the dedicated Google search box near the top to find your favourite subject.

If you have any questions about the blog, please direct them to Elizabeth Lapointe at genealogycanada@aol.com.

========================
About GenealogyCanada

GenealogyCanada.blogspot.com is a Canadian blog covering Canadian genealogy, heritage, and history news and events. There have been over 900 posts since January 2008.

The GenealogyCanada.com website contains over 30 newsletters dating from 2004 to 2007, again covering the same news as the blog. Also included is the Website of the Month, showcasing the best in Canadian genealogy.

PRESS RELEASE

Blogger Showcases Canada’s Veterans' Week 2012 (November 5th-11th)

(Ottawa, 29 October 2012) GenealogyCanada.blogspot.com — a daily blog that has covered Canadian genealogy, heritage, and history news since 2006 — will again publish a series of posts during this year’s Veterans’ Week by focussing on all aspects of the Canadian military, highlighting events occurring from coast to coast to coast.

“Veterans Week, which takes place this year from November 5th to the 11th, is a very important resource for readers of this blog. It allows us to remember those who fought in Canada’s wars, starting with the Boer War (1899-1902) to the War in Afghanistan (2002–2011), and to say ‘Thank you’ to those who gave so much for Canada”, says Elizabeth Lapointe, of GenealogyCanada.blogspot.com.

For posts from last year’s Veterans’ Week, please visit http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2011/11/blogger-showcases-canadas-veterans-week.html

Recently, Elizabeth became the newest addition to Thomas MacEntee’s GeneaBloggers website and newsletter www.GeneaBloggers.com. Her column on Canadian genealogy news and resources for those seeking their Canadian roots has just been launched, and with the column, Elizabeth will continue to offer her breadth of knowledge on Canadian genealogy, and on cross-border migration between Canada and the U.S.

“I am very happy to write a column for GeneaBloggers, and to work with Thomas MacEntee, a world-renowned genealogy blogger. The second column will be ‘Canadians in the American Civil War,’ she says.

About GenealogyCanada

The blog, www.GenealogyCanada.blogspot.com, has been covering Canadian genealogy, heritage, and history since the first of over 800 posts was first published in January, 2008.

At the www.GenealogyCanada.com website, there are over 30 monthly newsletters covering news on Canadian genealogy, heritage, and history, including the famous “Website of the Month”.

Elizabeth Lapointe is the editor of Families, the journal of the Ontario Genealogical Society.

Perth & District, Ontario

A 64-page booklet about the town of Perth, located 60 minutes southwest of Ottawa, has been put together by the Perth & District Chamber of Commerce. Among the topics listed within the booklet is “Museum and Libraries”.

The eight are –

Matheson House – Perth Museum

Visit the 19th-century home at the museum, and beside the home, see exhibits on the Last Fatal Duel, and the Mammoth Cheese.

Outdoors is a Scottish garden containing flowering plants and shrubs true to the era (that I would like to see), and an outdoor bake oven and kitchen herb garden.

The website is at www.town.perth.on.ca/siteengine/activepage.asp?pageid=97

Hall of Remembrance Museum

This museum is on the second floor of the Royal Canadian Legion, and has artifacts of the Boer War, World War One and Two, Korea, and  Afghanistan.

The website is at www.lanarkcountymuseums.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=27&Itemid=20

Lanark and District Museum

There are genealogical books in their library, as well as exhibits of early pioneers life in Lanark County. They have the archives of William Caldwell, one of the earliest lumber barons of the area.

Go to their website at www.museevirtuel-virtualmuseum.ca/GetMuseumProfile.do?lang=en&chinCode=guadsp

Middleville and District Museum

Housed in a 1861 two-storey stone house, the exhibits includes a horse-drawn hearse!

There are original genealogy and family history records onsite, and a 1830s log cabin.

The website is www.middlevillemuseum.blogspot.com

Dalhousie Historic Library and Museum

This is the oldest rural library in Ontario, and it includes books donated by Lord Dalhousie in 1828, plus genealogical records.

There isn’t a website.

Archives Lanark

This archives is operated by the Lanark County Genealogical Society, and it contains deeds from 1868 to 1958, land records, newspaper clippings, and photos.

Their website is www.globalgenealogy.com/archiveslanark

Perth and District Union Public Library

This library serves the Town of Perth and Drummond/North Elmsley and Tay Valley Townships. They have genealogy books, and book clubs.

The website is at www.perthunionlibrary.ca

Lanark Highlands Public Library

This library has been in operation since 1824, and they have many books on the social and historical aspect of the Lanark Highlands.

The website is www.lanarklibrary.ca

© Elizabeth Lapointe All Rights Reserved.

Colchester Historical Museum Honours Local People

During their annua Heritage Night Celebration on Thursday, February 23rd, the museum honoured the following people or groups -

• Truro's Carol Campbell and James Smith received an award in the written history category for their writings about the Planters.
• Lisa Davies of Onslow will take home an award in the genealogy category for three extensive family genealogy projects.
• Tatamagouche's Dale Swan is being honoured with the Iindividual Heitage Award for volunteering with the Anna Swan Museum, North Shore Archives, and Creamery Square.
• The Planter 250 Committee will be given the Promotion of Heritage Award for its organization and implementation of events celebrating planters.
• The Town of Truro Award will go to the owners of 23 Inglis Place (Temptations) for its façade upgrades. The owners are Vineberg and Fulton.

The museum itself has—in its archives—vital statistics, newspaper articles, census reports, school registers, photos, and family genealogies. The museums has exhibits on lighthouses, "Colchester Today", "Unearthing Colchester", and past exhibits include "New Beginners: Planters in Cobequid 1761-1780"; “A Favourable Opportunity: The Planters Choose Cobequid"; and "Victoria Park: A Cultural Landscape"
.
The museum/s website is http://colchesterhistoreum.ca/. They have a newsletter, and are on Facebook and Twitter.

Congratulations to all - well done!

Parks Canada Heritage Gourmet App

A press release from Parks Canada this week invites you to develop an app for an orginal story "that links history, cuisine and technology together".

Parks Canada Heritage Gourmet goes on to say "smartphone app will allow your audience or readers to find, through a selection of more than 60 recipes, one that will please everyone who sits at their table".

Go to http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/media/gourmand-gourmet/app-intro.aspx

Ottawa Branch, OGS - September Meeting

The next meeting of the Ottawa Branch, OGS will be held on Tuesday, September 15th at 7:30 p.m. in Room 156 of the Library and Archives Canada building at 395 Wellington Street.

Coreen Atkins-Sheldrick will speak on her new book, "In Our Defence: The Veterans & Military Heritage of Historic Osgoode Township", about the military history of Osgoode Township, Carleton County.

She is going to talk about the stories she learned while working on this book.

I see where she has another book called, "The Yorke Families of Historic Osgoode Township, Carleton County", written in 2003.

For more information, please visit <www.ogsottawa.on.ca>.

OGS announces Trillium Grant

The Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS) is pleased to announce a Trillium Grant as a starter fund for a project with the OGS to help Ontario to help Ontario heritage organizations digitize parts of their collections.

The funds — granted over two years — will enable OGS to hire a technician, obtain equipment, and travel to the heritage organizations to scan the material.

The project will:

• provide a digitized version of one-of-a-kind records, increasing security
• allow small organizations access to digitizing they otherwise could not afford
• increase the exposure of small organizations
• increase access to records significant to Ontario's heritage
• allow an income stream to heritage organizations if they wish so that it can provide a Canadian not-for-profit portal as an alternative to foreign commercial portals

The OGS is working with Ristech Company Inc., a Burlington, Ontario company that specializes in scanning equipment.

OGS President, Don Hinchley, said, "I believe this grant will give many more genealogists throughout Ontario and the world access to materials without the necessity of travelling to the museum or local archive."

This project will help protect the culture and heritage of Ontario, some of which is in delicate condition and could be lost if it is not copied.

New Federal Heritage Minister

The new Department of Heritage minister is James Moore from the BC riding of Port Moody-Westwood-Port Coquitlam.

He first entered Parliament in 2004 and was named Secretary of State for Officials Languages, Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics before he was announced yesterday as the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages.

The Heritage website is going to be closed tomorrow - presumbly to put Moore in as the minister, and to change some of the script on the website to reflect the new minister.

Josee Verner has been moved from the Heritage Department to Intergovemmental Affairs and is responsible for La Francophonie.

Greg Thompson is still the Minister of Veterans Affairs.