Meet Black Smith - Eh Day at Myrtleville

Meet Black Smith, the blacksmith at Myrtleville House Museum. Smith has been working in the forge for the last couple of years, making tools and trinkets for the community. Blacksmithing is the craft of using extreme heat and heavy hand tools to make iron into things from nails and hooks to knives, cutlery, and other useful tools. 

Here is Smith in his natural habitat: by the blistering heat of a coke oven forge.

Smith enjoys the meditative nature of his job: the swing of the hammer, the sizzle of the red iron as it quenches in water, the crackle of the kindling. Smith is the crafty type, and you'll often see him in contemplation about the important things in life and his own life's ambitions.

For Smith, both of those things are pancakes.

Smith has a bit of a problem with pancakes, actually...

Smith concocts clever (and not so clever) schemes to steal Lumber Jack's pancakes so he can get a second helping. Once he created a scale macaroni model of a moose being crushed by a tree and put it in the window for Lumber Jack to see - when Jack leapt up to the rescue, Smith filched his flapjacks. Once Smith just yelled "Hey, look over there!" and got hold of Jack's shortstack AND thick-cut maple bacon. On that day, Jack declared Smith a public menace and his official nemesis.

Like that'll stop Smith.

See Lumber Jack and Black Smith at Eh Day on May 17th, 10am-2pm at Myrtleville House Museum, and make sure to eat your pancakes before Smith gets them!

Meet Lumber Jack - Eh Day at Myrtleville

Meet Lumber Jack, the hard-working lumberjack from Myrtleville House Museum. Jack uses hand tools such as axes, hatchets, and different types of saws to fell trees in the wilderness. Lumberjacking (or "Logging") was a very dangerous job since workers used sharp hand tools, worked in hinterland conditions, and were regularly surrounded by falling trees weighing hundreds of pounds. Like regular humans, lumberjacks are quite crushable.

Here is Jack, having just stomped a 115ft Black Walnut tree to a stump. 

During working days Jack can be found wandering through the wilderness. In addition to his duties as a lumberjack, he takes part in many traditional hinterland activities, such as scavenging for fruits, berries, nuts, and mushrooms, tapping sugar maples, whittling tools and items to use around the house, and hunting for the Southwest Ontario Sasquatch.

Walking through the many lovely forests, trails, and riverbanks in our community affords Jack some wonderful solitude to sit among the rushes and shrubs, surrounded by the many small woodland animals, birds, and insects, and contemplate the important things in life. 

Mostly pancakes and bacon.

Awwww, bacon.

Join us on May 17th to meet Lumber Jack and take part in our Lumberjack Photo Booth! Watch our blog for an introduction to Lumber Jack's nemesis, The Black Smith.

Eh Day!

So here's the story: We were starting to plan an event. 

We wanted something that fuelled people's imaginations, like zombies or pirates, but something that was closer to our hearts (and our service areas of Brantford, Brant County, Six Nations, and New Credit.) 

One of us thought about Wade Hemsworth, Brantford-born Canadian folk musician and writer of the esteemed and catchy (see: earworm) Log Driver's Waltz. One thing led to another, and after some exuberant brainstorming and a round of high-fives, we had a laundry list of requirements for our celebration: Lumberjacks, pancakes, beards, plaid, bacon, folk music & dancing, and community spirit & togetherness.

The Brant Historical Society, in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Grand Erie, is proud to present Eh Day: A celebration of Canadiana and pride in our local history and heritage! Stay tuned to the blog, our Facebook, and Twitter for more information including a schedule of events, Canadian Craft ideas, Beard Compatition Registration info, and an introduction to Lumber Jack & Black Smith, our Eh Day mascots.

Welcome to the Brant Historical Society Blog

In an ongoing effort to share knoweldge and information, the Brant Historical Society has decided to start a blog that will explore not only our community's history and heritage, but also the behind the scene's work that goes into managing a community museum - how exhibits are designed, programs created, and the ways we work to make our organization more relevant and meaningful to the community we serve.

The Brant Historical Society collects, preserves and shares the history and heritage of Brantford, Brant County, Six Nations, and New Credit and operates the Brant Museum and Archives and Myrtleville House Museum.  You can find out more by visiting our website at www.brantmuseums.ca.

I have always described museums as icebergs.  What you see when you visit or take part in a program is just a small portion of what actually goes on in the museum.  The collections we care for, the research that goes into an exhibit or education program, the types of programs that are delivered, are all very important in creating a wholistic experience while ensuring that our community's stories are collected, preserved, and shared.

This blog will explore our collections, programs, history, and community role and we welcome your comments, questions and feedback in our efforts to make the Brant Historical Society and the museums we operate more relevant because your history matters.

We look forward to sharing and learning with you.

Joan Kangian
Executive Director

Brant Museum & Archives

Myrtleville House Museum