TORONTO – Celebrate the province’s natural and cultural heritage and learn about local history this Ontario Heritage Week, February 20-26.

Enjoy visits to three of the Ontario Heritage Trust’s historical sites: Enoch Turner Schoolhouse (Toronto) and Fulford Place (Brockville) will be open for in-person visits on February 20 while the Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History (Dresden) will host a live virtual tour on February 28. Starting February 20, tune in to watch the Josiah Henson Museum’s videos celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Mary Ann Shadd Cary.

On Thursday, February 23, the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, will join John Ecker, Chair, Board of Directors, Ontario Heritage Trust, to present the 2022 Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Awards. This annual awards program recognizes exceptional achievements in heritage conservation.

“We encourage Ontarians to explore their communities and experience the province’s rich heritage this Heritage Week. From historical places and museums to the beautiful outdoors, there is so much to celebrate and learn about our province’s history,” said John Ecker, Chair, Board of Directors, Ontario Heritage Trust.

Communities across Ontario are also celebrating Heritage Week with special programs. Visit the Trust’s Heritage Week community events and activities list for more information.

Ontario Heritage Trust’s Heritage Week 2023 programs:

Open house at Enoch Turner Schoolhouse (106 Trinity Street, Toronto)
February 20 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Step back in time to 1858 and explore the history of Toronto’s first free school. The schoolhouse will be open for self-guided tours and children’s activities. E-mail enochturner@heritagetrust.on.ca or visit heritagetrust.on.ca/etsh for more information.

Open house at Fulford Place (287 King Street East, Brockville)
February 20 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Get a glimpse of early 20th-century Brockville through the perspectives of the Fulford family. Visitors are invited to explore the museum at their own pace through self-guided tours and talk to volunteers, who will be stationed throughout the house to answer questions and share stories. To celebrate Heritage Week, admission will be by donation. The museum is also collecting non-perishable food donations for the Brockville Food Bank. Email fulford@heritagetrust.on.ca or visit heritagetrust.on.ca/fulfordplace for more information.

Live virtual tour at the Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History
February 28 from 2 to 3:15 p.m.

Join this 75-minute live tour to learn the story of Reverend Josiah Henson, abolitionist and Underground Railroad conductor, and the history of the Underground Railroad in Ontario. Your livestream experience will incorporate a tour of the museum and the property. A brief question-and-answer session will follow the tour. Reserve your spot today on Eventbrite.

Beyond the Underground Railroad: The living legacy of Mary Ann Shadd Cary
Available starting February 20

Tune in for engaging pre-recorded conversations celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Mary Ann Shadd Cary, a 19th-century pioneer in publishing, education and law. Cary was the first Black woman publisher in Canada, established a racially integrated school in Windsor and, in 1883, became one of the first Black women to earn a law degree in North America. The videos will be available to watch starting February 20 on the Ontario Heritage Trust’s YouTube channel.

Learn more

• Download photos of Enoch Turner Schoolhouse, Fulford Place and Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History on Dropbox.
• Find out more about the Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Awards.
• Explore the Trust’s 2023 Black History Month programs.
• Consider making a donation to the Trust to support new opportunities to learn and experience heritage and conservation projects.

Contact

For more information about the Ontario Heritage Trust, contact Patricia Njovu at 437-248-1439 or patricia.njovu@heritagetrust.on.ca.

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About the Ontario Heritage Trust

The Ontario Heritage Trust (the Trust) is an agency of the Government of Ontario. The Trust conserves, interprets and shares Ontario’s heritage. We conserve provincially significant cultural and natural, tangible and intangible heritage, interpret Ontario’s history, celebrate its diversity and educate Ontarians of its importance in our society. The Trust envisions an Ontario where we conserve, value and share the places and landscapes, histories, traditions and stories that embody our heritage, now and for future generations.

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