Tuesday, June 28, 2011

The Acadian Museum Recovers

I first made the acquaintance of Warren A. Perrin of Layfayette, Louisana in the aftermath of Hurricane Rita when the museum he runs called the Acadian Museum of Erath, Louisana was damaged – almost beyond repair. The genealogical material had to be reconstructed, and with the help of Stanley LeBlanc, most of the records have been repaired.

They were dark days for Warren, and the people who work at the Museum. But through hard work, and support from the Acadian descendants in Louisiana, and Acadian people who live in Canada, the Museum has come back to be better than it was before.

If you go to www.acadianmuseum.com you will see three rooms dedicated to history and genealogy (the Erath Room, the Acadian Room, and the Prairie Bayou Cajun Room), The Photo Gallery, and a list of family names held at the museum.

Another way you can keep track of the museum is by subscribing (free) to his newsletter called La Parole which is sent out on a regular basis. There is lots to read, and keep up on in the newsletter.

His email is info@acadianmuseum.com

Monday, June 27, 2011

Upper Canada Village is 50 Years Old

This past Saturday, the historic Upper Canada Village in Morrisburg, Ontario celebrated its 50th Birthday!

Opened in 1961, it consists of building rescued from the flooded land when the St. Lawrence Seaway was built in the late 1950s. It has seen over 12-million visitors since it opened.

The village contains a sawmill, gristmill, cheese factory, farm and agricultural shops, furnished homes, churches, a general store, tavern and other historic buildings depicting a typical 19th century village along the water.

I visited the Village a number of years ago, and found it to be so interesting. I especially remember seeing the woollen mill, the cheesemaking building, and the church. I can say from a personal point of view, if you wish to see what Ontario was like in the 19th Century, and the kind of life your ancestors lived, a trip to Upper Canada Village should be the one place to visit this summer.

The former visitor center (Crysler Hall) was opened Saturday as the new exhibit area, and a new visitor centre is being built, and expects to be open in July.

The website is http://www.uppercanadavillage.com.