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Thursday 11am - 5pm Friday 11am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 4pm Sunday 11am - 4pm

Craigleith Heritage Depot

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Craigleith Heritage Depot

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A Museum, an Archives, and a branch of The Blue Mountains Public Library located in an 1880s train station on the shore of Georgian Bay.

Explore our exhibits, find local history resources, check out our programs and events, and more!

10/29/2026

The Town of The Blue Mountains was once dotted was many little churches that served as places of worship and important community gathering spaces. Throughout the latter half of the 20th century, many of these small churches closed as congregations joined with the larger groups in Thornbury and Clarksburg. In October, museum staff took a search through the archives to figure out what happened to some of these churches, and how the buildings have been repurposed over the years.

Click the link below to read about “The Repurposed Churches of Collingwood Township” the latest installment of Tales from the Archives:
https://library.biblioboard.com/content/55c81ee3-f3f0-4049-b433-1ba31ce39d44

Want to read more? You can find previous installments in our online exhibits here: https://library.biblioboard.com/.../tales-from-the-archives

Pictured is the Redwing Methodist Episcopal Church in its original location, prior to its removal to Rockhaven in 1972.
2016-076-227 Collection of the Craigleith Heritage Depot.

10/27/2026

Temporary Service Disruptions at Craigleith Heritage Depot
We appreciate your patience as we complete these important building improvements.

10/27/2026

Temporary Service Disruptions at Craigleith Heritage Depot

The Craigleith Heritage Depot Museum and Archive will experience temporary service disruptions throughout the winter as we replace the building’s HVAC system.

Leading up to the disruption, the Museum will be FREE for visitors from October 29-November 1.

Beginning Monday, November 2
The Museum will be closed to visitors. Library services will remain available.

Beginning Monday, November 9
The Museum will remain closed, and library services will also be temporarily unavailable at this location.
During this time, you can pick up your library holds at the L.E. Shore Memorial Library in Thornbury or access our online services from home at thebluemountainslibrary.ca

We appreciate your patience as we complete these important building improvements.

10/27/2026

Did you know Clarksburg had an active Literary and Scientific Society? 130 years ago, in the autumn of 1896 Prof. Alpheus McTaggart, began the formation of the Clarksburg Literary and Scientific Club along with other charter members; Charles Pye, Henry Lye, Clayton Webb Hartman, Charles Hartman, Clifford Sine, Ashley Baillie and Richard Carroll. McTaggart was a former professor of Greek and Latin at Earlham College, who had recently retired to Clarksburg to live closer to his wife’s relatives.

The society met on Wednesday evenings through the late fall until Easter, initially in the homes of members and later in various buildings throughout Clarksburg until the construction of the Community Hall in 1927. The group hosted presentations on a number of topics given by members and guests, acting as a method for the community to bring different ideas and points of view often found more frequently in larger urban centres, rather than the rural communities in Collingwood Township. One of the most popular events held by the society was a mock parliament session, held at the Clarksburg Armouries in 1914, which had over 450 spectators in attendance.

Some members of the club went on to have very successful careers in their fields such as the Dr. Frank Moore, his brother E.S. Moore a successful geologist, apple magnate John G. Mitchell, his son, the artist Thomas Mitchell, and his nephew, the animal pathologist Dr. Charles Mitchell. The club was very active until the late 1950’s, when attendance began to wane and was disbanded by 1960.

Pictured is a group shot, believed to be members of the Clarksburg Scientific and Literary Club.
X2024-001-093 Collection of the Craigleith Heritage Depot.

10/23/2026

New additions have been made to the Cultural Map! Ekarenniondi, the Standing Rock, is a 16-metre-tall pillar of limestone, which holds spiritual significance to the Indigenous peoples who have lived and continue to live in the region. Wendat tradition states the rock was a marker to the land of the souls, or the afterlife. The Jesuit missionary, Jean de Brebeuf wrote in his recollections that a spirit known as “Oscotarach” lived at the foot of the rock and would erase the memories of the dead before passing on, leaving them without reason to yearn for the living.

Want to learn more? Check it out on the Cultural Map here: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/9af30be38f5f432d93f14910d22c5d8d =id%3Add482b0b230c4780b8586be608fef34b-Library_CulturalMap_2827%3A1874

Pictured is a view of Ekarenniondi looking east from the top of the Niagara Escarpment, from a picture postcard.
2008-040-011 Collection of the Craigleith Heritage Depot.

10/21/2026

October is Women’s History Month, and we would like to take this opportunity to celebrate a prominent woman in the history of our region. Edith Louise Marsh was born 155 years ago on October 21st, 1871, on a farm in Sandhill. As a young woman she became a journalist, contributing to the Toronto Mail and Empire and later became a renowned author. Her 1931 book “History of Grey County” has been a vital resource for local historians, and her other works such as “The Birds of Peasemarsh”, “The Story of Canada” and “Where the Buffalo Roamed” gained national recognition. Her memory continues to live on today in the name of the Peasemarsh Park and Nature preserve, property once owned by her family and named after the surnames of her parents; Hannah Pease and Benjamin Marsh. A naturalist and lover of birds, after her death, Edith entrusted Peasemarsh Farm to the Grey-Sauble Conservation Authority with the hope of transforming the area into a nature preserve for all to enjoy.

Want to learn more about Edith Marsh? Check out our online exhibit featuring her, among other local, literary women here: https://library.biblioboard.com/collection/d871a7d7-9044-4bbd-952a-68acbea97f21

Pictured is a portrait of Edith Marsh.
2016-076-296 Collection of the Craigleith Heritage Depot.

10/20/2026

Today marks 105 years since the completion and dedication of the Ravenna War Memorial. Through the efforts of the Ravenna Women’s Institute, the beautifully carved cenotaph was erected and unveiled on the grounds just west of the Township Hall. It was carved from grey Indiana granite and inscribed with the names of local soldiers who lost their lives during the First World War, later the names of those who served in the Second World War were added. The memorial still stands proud today over a century later, as a reminder of local soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice.

The dedication ceremony took place on a rainy, October afternoon, beginning with a procession led by the Collingwood Kiltie Band and remarks made by government officials and local veterans such as Col. Dougald Carmichael and Major. Reg Ferguson. Other events included hymns and prayers from local ministers, songs sung by schoolchildren and a reading of the Roll of Fallen and of the Roll of Returned soldiers.

Pictured are scenes from the dedication ceremony of the Ravenna War Memorial.
2016-076-170 and 2016-076-161 Collection of the Craigleith Heritage Depot.

10/19/2026

Library Board Open House
Two sessions:
*TOMORROW*Tuesday, October 20 | 5–6 p.m. | L.E. Shore Memorial Library
Tuesday, November 3 | 5–6 p.m. | L.E. Shore Memorial Library

Come meet current Board members and learn more about what it’s like to serve on the Blue Mountains Public Library Board. We’ll talk about what the Board does, what the commitment looks like, and how to apply, with plenty of opportunity to ask questions and hear firsthand about the Board experience.

Key Dates:
October 28 — Applications open
November 18 — Application deadline
November 19 — Applications provided to the Selection Committee
November 23–26 — Selection Committee review and interviews, if required
November 30 — Special Council meeting to consider recommendations and provide direction; selected applicants then proceed to reference checks
December 14 — Council appointment of selected applicants, pending satisfactory reference checks

10/17/2026

While The Blue Mountains is known for its apples, did you know we also have a deep history of growing other kinds of fruits? In the 1890’s John Mitchell was contracted by the Ontario Government to start an experimental fruit farm on his property just outside of Clarksburg. A report from 1896 details that he was growing seven varieties of apples, two types of cherries, four of peaches, two of pears, four of gooseberries, four of raspberries and 38 varieties of plums, showing that 130 years ago, John Mitchell was growing a wide variety of fruits on his 50-acre farm. John Mitchell would later go on to become a founding member of the Georgian Bay Fruit Growers Association, and his family would cement the Mitchell name into the local apple industry for decades to come.

Pictured is John Mitchell in his plum orchard, later used in a publication for the Ontario Department of Agriculture.
2018-003-158 Collection of the Craigleith Heritage Depot.

10/15/2026

🎥 NEW EPISODE: Episode 9: Amalgamation and Beyond

📺 WATCH NOW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K10UoPqpso&list=PLgml3XVkmG1T8m-nVVJw3ZMI7TMhKN4vo&index=9

In the ninth and final episode of our Towns of The Blue Mountains miniseries, "Amalgamation & Beyond," we take a deep dive into the pivotal moment that reshaped our region's history—and look forward to its future!

Journey back to 1998, a true line in the sand when the Town of Thornbury and the Township of Collingwood merged. Learn more about the unification of municipal identity, balancing rapid growth with deep-rooted rural origins, and celebrating the shared spirit that seamlessly ties together all 28 hamlets and villages across our community.

Featuring Insights From:

Ken Haigh, Gail Ardiel, Ellen Anderson, Marjorie Bell, and Linda Teed.

Created by:

Filmmaker:

If you enjoyed this series, make sure to like our page and share this post with fellow history lovers! 🔔👇

Address

113 Lakeshore Road East
The Blue Mountains, ON
L9Y0N1

Opening Hours

Thursday	11am - 5pm
Friday	11am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 4pm
Sunday	11am - 4pm

Telephone

+15195993681 #6

Website

http://www.TheBlueMountainsLibrary.ca/Museum

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