Written By David Gomez
NORTH MIDDLESEX - On Friday, June 12, heritage enthusiasts had an opportunity to step back in time as several sites across North Middlesex participated in Heritage Day activities, opening their doors to visitors interested in exploring the stories, people and traditions that helped shape the township.
Among the participating locations were the Presbyterian Heritage Centre—located at the Carlisle United Church—and the Donald Hughes Annex Museum in Ailsa Craig, each offering a distinctly different window into the past.
In the village of Carlisle, visitors had the opportunity to explore the church and the collections of the Presbyterian Heritage Centre, which houses artifacts and archival material connected to Presbyterian congregations from across Ontario. Curator Ian Mason was on hand throughout the day, welcoming visitors and sharing the stories behind the centre’s growing collection. Rows of commemorative plates depicting Presbyterian churches from communities large and small from the entire country lined the walls, while historic photographs and documents traced more than a century of religious and community life.
A highlight of the day was a special organ performance by Ryan Baxter, a doctoral candidate at Western University and Music Director and Organist at Rowntree Memorial United Church in London. Ryan filled the sanctuary with music from the centre’s historic pipe organ, creating a memorable experience for visitors and adding a musical element to the day’s exploration of local heritage.
The Presbyterian Heritage Centre contains an extensive collection that reflects the role of Presbyterian churches played in the development of many Ontario communities. The Middlesex Banner will take a closer look at the centre and its collections in our next edition.
In Ailsa Craig, the Donald Hughes Annex Museum offered a broader look at local history. Operated by the North Middlesex Historical Society and housed in the former Ailsa Craig Baptist Church, the museum serves as a gallery and collection space dedicated to preserving the area’s heritage. Its exhibits feature more than 10,000 artifacts and regularly changing displays.
Displays on view included medicine bottles from doctors and druggists in Ailsa Craig, Parkhill and London, military uniforms and wartime artifacts, memorabilia connected to the community’s well-known Turtle Races, household items from earlier decades and a striking mechanical player piano. Together, the exhibits painted a picture of everyday life in rural Middlesex County across generations.
Whether through church archives, music, military artifacts or community traditions, Heritage Day provided visitors with an opportunity to reconnect with the people and institutions that helped build North Middlesex.
