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Hutchison House News
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Speaker Series: Days from Destruction: How Public Action Saved Lakefield’s Old Stone Mill House

an old mill with five people (three men and two women) standing in front of it

Speaker series: Michael Chappell Michael Chappell is a Civil Engineering Technologist and Occupational Health and Safety expert who in 2021 helped mobilize citizens to save the historic Old Stone Mill House in Lakefield. A demolition permit already having been issued by the Township of Selwyn and an outside buyer having made an offer on condition … Read more

March Break at Hutchison House

Come to Hutchison House Museum for some March Break fun! This drop-off program will run from 9:30 to 12:30 pm on March 11th, 15th, 16th, and 18th. Please make sure to bring a peanut-free snack and indoor shoes. All visitors to the museum aged 12 or older must be fully vaccinated to enter the museum.  … Read more

The Lakefield College School Archives: A Powerful History Teaching Tool

Speaker series: Wendy Darby  Wendy Darby is a teacher and archivist at Lakefield College School. A strong believer in the active use of archival collections, Wendy incorporates archival resources to bring the history curriculum to life. Originating in the early days of Samuel Strickland, Lakefield College has played an important role in the development of … Read more

MUSEUM CLOSED

Please note that Hutchison House Museum is CLOSED for the duration of the province’s Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen. Please email staff at if you have any questions during this time.

Happy Hogmanay!

Did you know that the first-foot was the first person to enter a household on New Year’s Day? The first-foot would bring some gifts to the house, sometimes whisky, coal, and black bun. The first-foot was thought to bring good luck for the coming year.

John A. Macdonald, Elizabeth Hall and Beavermead Farm

Speaker series: Ken Brown. On 21 December 1860 the prominent Peterborough widow, Elizabeth Hall, wrote to John A. Macdonald beginning, “My loved John,” and closing, “Goodbye my own darling, Love your loving Lizzie.” Historians have long known of this letter, but until now, not much of the backstory. Ken Brown sheds new light on the … Read more

Work From Home Update

During the work from home mandate issued by Peterborough Public Health, please expect a longer than usual time for responses to phone messages. Please email if you require a quick response.