By Dave Osborne, OMAH member   It was 110 years ago this April 15 that the Titanic infamously sank. One of the survivors of that night had ties to Orillia and Simcoe County. Major Arthur Godfrey Peuchen was one of the First-Class passengers on the Titanic...

by David Town What! No Beer?In 1908 a binding referendum in Orillia outlawed the sale of all alcohol. It was the culmination of a 50-year campaign to “civilize” the town and reduce the violence, crime and domestic hardship that followed drunkenness. For the next 40...

By Fred Blair The Rev. Canon Richard W.E. Greene served in Orillia for twenty-three years. An inductee in the Orillia Hall of Fame, he made an indelible mark on our community, making it richer due to his passion and commitment. Rev. Greene retired from ministry at St....

By Fred Blair In 1850, at 37 years old, Frederick married Anna Brownrigg in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was employed as a bookkeeper in Michael and Nimrod Tempest’s Hamilton Road Pottery.  In 1865, Frederick purchased the company.  He employed from 10 to 31 potters in making...

By Fred Kallin The first Winter Olympics were held in Chamonix, France, at the base of Mont Blanc in 1924.  2022 is very close to the 100th Anniversary of the those first Winter games. In this article we will recognize a couple of the early Canadian pioneers in the...

By Mary Ann Grant, OMAH History CommitteeBackground – An important story to tell David Kennedy, President of the Copeland Forest Association asked Mary Ann Grant, OMAH History Committee member, if she would be interested in researching the history of Martinville, a...

By Mary Ann Grant   Years ago, this writer became a collector of old-fashioned ornaments that fell out of favour with the advent of plastic. Whether antique, vintage or reproduction, they are precious for their beauty and unique design. They are not just the red...