by Monica | Sep 12, 2023 | Publications
By Fred Blair, OMAH Family researcher and guest contributer Eleanora’s Diary, November 4, 1833 “In the morning, before we went out of the steam vessel, George put his fish [line] in as he saw a good number of fish. He caught nine very soon, but he had not time to...
by Monica | Aug 2, 2023 | Publications
By Trish Crowe-Grande, OMAH History Committee Chair Lucius Richard O’Brien portrait undated M.O. Hammond Collection: National Gallery of Canada Archives Edward and Mary O’Brien At the age of fourteen, Edward George O’Brien entered the naval service as a mid-shipman,...
by Monica | Jul 3, 2023 | Publications
By History Committee members Bruce McRae and Mary Ann Grant Recently, our own City of Orillia was featured on the popular game show Jeopardy. What could we have done to garner such attention? CLUE: IN 1912 ORILLIA, ONTARIO WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TOWNS TO TRY THIS...
by Monica | Jun 15, 2023 | Publications
by Mary Ann Grant, OMAH History Committee Credit – Special to the Orillia Packet and Times – Kate Grigg Jan 12, 2017 “Dad’s Diary includes tales worth telling” The Orillia Museum of Art & History (OMAH) believes that it is important to...
by Monica | Jun 7, 2023 | Publications
By Fred Kallin, OMAH History Committee member Anatari, Pa-Push-Quan, Gwillam’s Island, Lundy’s Island, Creighton Island, Anderson Island, Starvation Island: these are all previous names for a small 25-acre island in Lake Simcoe we now know as Strawberry Island. Few...
by Monica | May 10, 2023 | Publications
The Barons of Dallas By Fred Blair, OMAH History Committee member and Family Historian In 1835, James Dallas and his family sailed from Scotland to New York City, travelled up the Erie Canal, and made their way to Orillia. In September he purchased 100 acres between...
