Meet ghosts from North Oakville’s past at Trafalgar 200 Family Heritage Day Meet some of the oldest and most colourful characters from north Oakville’s past, take a lesson in a one-room schoolhouse, watch a blacksmith at work and make pioneer crafts – those are just some of the things you can enjoy at the Trafalgar Township Historical Society’s (TTHS) Family Heritqge Day Celebration on Saturday, September 16. The celebration takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at four locations around Palermo (Dundas St. and Bronte Rd.) will include strolling actors in period costume and antique autos, performances by various local groups, a farmers’ market and a chance to try writing with a quill pen. The day has been designed to be fun and interactive and to help bring Oakville’s history alive for a new generation says TTHS president Gord Kaitting. The activities that commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the establishment of Trafalgar Township will be held in the parking lot of Anson’s restaurant (southwest corner of Bronte and Dundas), at Palermo United Church (northwest corner), at the one room schoolhouse a few lots east of the church and at the pioneer cemetery across the street from the schoolhouse. Visitors are invited to park at the St. Joseph’s Portuguese Centre on the east side of Bronte Road just south of Dundas where you will be met by a TTHS member who will give you a program for all the scheduled activities. “This is an excellent event for families with children, residents with ties to Trafalgar Township and newcomers to Oakville who would like to know more about the historic roots of their community,” says Kaitting. Historical Society members have been busy refurbishing Palermo’s one-room schoolhouse for the event. Many donations including a teacher’s desk, children’s desks, old schoolbooks and other items have been received. Kaitting notes that Benjamin Moore generously donated all the paint for the schoolhouse. “We invite the entire community to come out and celebrate Trafalgar Township ’s 200th birthday,” says Kaitting. For detailed information about Family Day go to:www.trafalgartownshiphistory.ca Anyone with an interest in history is welcome to join TTHS. Newcomers to the area are especially welcome. For more information call Jane Watt at 905-281-1701 or by email at jwatt@ica.net Any corporations or local businesses that would be interested in helping the TTHS restore the one-room schoolhouse are welcome contact TTHS vice-president Liz Benneian at 905-257-0250 or email her at lizcdn@yahoo.com . Additional Information: The political boundaries of Trafalgar Township ceased to exist with the amalgamation of the Township, the Village of Bronte and Oakville in 1962. However, the geographic boundaries remain with Trafalgar Township extending to the Lake on both the east (Winston Churchill) and west (Burloak Drive) and then stretching over the farmland to the north all the way to Steeles Avenue. The Trafalgar Township Historical Society was founded in January of this year growing out of the work done by the Trafalgar 200 Committee, a group of local citizens formed to plan events to mark the 200th anniversary of Trafalgar Township in 2006. Composed of local history buffs, writers, family historians, local history librarians, members of historical societies and genealogical societies, museum volunteers and other interested citizens, the TTHS has four goals: 1. Documentation: by working with the Oakville Public Library, the committee would like to give the community a chance to have their historical photos scanned and their oral histories recorded to preserve them for future generations. The scanned photos will become part of a National Archive of historic photos. Several scanning have already taken place with hundreds of images collected. Anyone wishing to arrange a scanning date for their historic photos should call Elise Cole at 905-815-2042, ext. 5037 or email her at ecole@oakville.ca As well, the group has begun to photograph and research historic homes and farms in the area. 2. Education: the committee would like to inform Oakville’s citizens, many of whom are new to the area, about the rich history of Trafalgar Township. 3. Celebration: the committee wants to celebrate the area’s rural roots and give the community, especially the children, a tangible way to connect with the past. 4. Preservation: the committee would like to engage the public in the need to preserve buildings of historical significance. Given the large-scale development that is soon to take place north of Hwy. 5, this is especially timely. A long-term goal is to establish a local north Oakville museum and historical archive. Jane in Cooksville (Mississauga) Ontario, Canada -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.11.3/423 - Release Date: 18/08/06