Pieces of the Past

There are some discrepancies in the retelling of the Town of Listowel’s history. Although much credit is given to John Binning, he actually purchased land from a Mr. Henry. Henry is a bit of a mystery, his first name is not even known now over a century later.

The Dolly Varden shoe gained popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The design was…

In Jan. 2025 wildfires, driven by hurricane-force winds, invaded Los Angeles, destroying over 17,000 structures. Over a century ago, towns in Bruce County suffered similar, if much smaller, destruction.

This is the 12th installment of a series initiated by the Wingham and Area Historical Society featuring articles on  memories from, or about, Wingham seniors.

In January, 1923, a blacksmith from Listowel paid a hefty price for dabbling in moonshine sales during prohibition in Ontario, with the story being published on the front page of the Listowel Banner newspaper.

The solar eclipse on April 8, 2024 was witnessed by millions, with modern technology allowing people from all over the world to view it through live streams, social media, and enhanced images from space-based telescopes.

Stratford-Perth Archives staff are avid home cooks and fond of including vintage recipes in our…

Did you know? Canada’s National Maple Syrup Day is in December.

1934 - Within the pages of the Wingham Advance Times dated Dec. 20, 1934, was an entire photo page featuring the royal wedding of Prince George of England to Princess Marina of Greece, which took place in London on November 29, 1934.

With the crisp winter air likely nipping at the cheeks of the townsfolk a century ago, Stratford held two Christmas markets in December of 1924.

From December 13, 1989:

Beginning in 1914, the first year of World War I, both federal and provincial governments committed food supplies to support the Canadian war effort.

1930s had difficulty affording all that they wanted to provide for their children. The Mitchell…