Old East Village Commerical Corridor

This past winter semester I was busy with the War of 1812 smartphone app and interactive exhibit design projects, both of which I discussed at length on this blog.  For the public history program I had to choose a third course to fullfill my requirements.  The program is pretty flexible with electives, and many of my classmates took courses outside the history department such as "Principles in Applied Archeology" or "Land Claims and Primary Historical Research."  After exploring some of my options - both within and outside of the history department - I couldn't decide which course to take, nothing had really captured my attention.  That's when I started to look into developing my own course with an independent study.

The previous semester I had done some mapping using ArcGIS and enjoyed it more than I had anticipated.  I looked into taking a GIS course in the Geography departments, but I had some inside information that because of a change in TAs from the previous year it might not have as much of a historical bent as in the past.  So I decided to approach a couple of people I knew in the Geography department (see, it's all about knowing the right people...) about being an instructor for an independent study.  I asked the rest of the Public History crew if they were interested in joining me.  That's how Douglas McGlynn and I ended up spending our winter semester researching the historic commercial buildings of Old East Village in London, Ontario.

Building upon and updating some research that had been conducted a few years ago in the Geography department, Douglas and I used ArcGIS Online to create an interactive map that describes the architectural changes that took place over time to the commercial corridor of Old East Village.  Using city directories, fire insurance plans, historic and modern photographs we tracked how these buildings changed over time, not only in looks but in use as well.

If you would like to learn a bit more about it, head over Old East Village Commercial Corridor project website!

Veterans Day

The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, found me in Victoria Park honoring veterans as part of Canada's Remembrance Day commemorations.  Military personnel - both active and retired - as well as poppy pins were plentiful.  A brisk, but beautiful morning provided a perfect backdrop.  It was a moving ceremony, much like ones I have attended in the States, with the exception of song selections.  

I would like to take a moment, on this Veterans Day, to honor and thank those closest to me who served in the military.

Private First Class Harold E. Putt - United States Army Air Corps, World War II
I do not have a photo of my grandfather in uniform, but I did manage to find his enlistment record in the National Archives Database.

Seaman First Class William L Shorts - United States Navy, World War II
I had the chance to interview my grandfather as part of the Veterans History Project through the Library of Congress. 

Lieutenant Thomas E Price United States Army, Vietnam
My godfather served in the Army with a one-year tour of duty in Vietnam.

Finally, my brother, who is currently serving as a First Lieutenant in the United States Army, safely returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan two years ago.  He continues to make me proud to call him my little brother with his service to our country.

Lest we forget

Remember to thank the veterans in your life today.

My First Exhibit

As I have mentioned before, one of the things that drew me to the Public History program at UWO was the number of hands on opportunities I would have to learn new things in my field.  Here I am, less than a month into the program, already putting together exhibits!

This coming weekend is Homecoming at Western, and the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry is commemorating its 130th Anniversary as well.  As part of the celebration the Medical School asked that a few special exhibits be put together from the UWO Medical Artifact Collection.

Public History student were given the opportunity to volunteer, and gain a bit of experience to add to our portfolios.  All together there were three displays, although I only assisted with two of them.  It was a nice opportunity to learn about the challenges of working with different displays, and get a chance to play around with placing artifacts.

Overall, I think they turned out pretty well, and I had a great time collaborating with Allison, Lindsay, Adriana, Sarah, Shelley, and Michelle.

Toothkeys and Forceps: Tools of the Dentist

This wall display didn't have any shelves, so we had limited space with which to work.
Also, the foot-pump drill posed a challenge as it was hard to place it and not obscure the text.

Scalpels and Stethoscopes: The Doctor's Instruments

View from one side.

Though against a wall at the moment, this display will have a 360 degree view,
which makes placement of artifacts and text more difficult. 
You have to consider all views when arranging.

The Banting House

First, a confession:

Prior to moving to London, and doing some research on historic homes and museums in the area, I was not familiar with Dr. Fredrick Banting, the specifics of the discovery of insulin, or the severity of type I diabetes prior to this discovery.  All of that changed last Friday.

My Public History class took a field trip to the Banting House and was treated to a tour given by curator, Grant Maltman.  We had been told ahead of time that this historic site was a lot different from others because it tended to attract visitors with an emotional connection to Dr. Banting and his discovery.  Still, that didn't quite prepare me for the experience.  

Now, I will be the first to admit that museums can touch people.  It is because of some of the fond memories I have of visiting historic sites that I chose to go into Public History.  But as inspiring and educational the places I have worked at have been, I have yet to bring anyone to tears.  All through his tour Mr. Maltman told us of people that had come from all over the globe to Canada, specifically to visit the Banting House; a woman whose infant daughter was diagnosed with type I diabetes, a grown daughter whose father had been among the first to receive insulin when it was approved for human use, a child who cried when she didn't have the English words to thank Dr. Banting in the museum's guest book.  It was all I could do to hold back the tears while standing in the bedroom where Dr. Banting had his realization.

Since my visit, I have told pretty much everyone I have talked to what a wonderful museum it was.  I can't wait to go back and take Doug with me.  But as I thought about it, I wondered what made my visit so spectacular.  It was an interesting, and well put together museum - but the house and the artifacts themselves weren't anything that would blow you away.

Then it hit me.

It was Mr. Maltman's passion for the house and the history that made it so engaging.  The emotion he put into his tour made all the difference in the world.  Another guide could have given us the same information, but not delivered it the same way, and it would have been a completely different experience.  I was not the only one in my class that noticed his passion and was impressed.

Not only did I learn about Dr. Banting and his discovery, but I was reminded why I chose Public History in the first place.  I want to tell the intriguing stories from the past - inspire, excite, and perhaps evoke a few tears.  To be so excited about something, that it rubs off on others.

Decorative window depicting the Queen Mother's visit to Banting House.

Curator, Grant Maltman starts the tour talking about the
history of the museum, and the Queen's visit.

Banting enlisted in the Canadian Army Medical services during WWI,
and was awarded the Military Cross.

Dr. Banting moved to London to start a private practice,
but struggled to get started.

Dr. Banting was in the process of medical testing for the troops in WWII
when he died in a plane crash at age 49.

The bed where Dr. Banting had his life-changing dream.

 
(I apologize for the quality of the photos.  Flash was not permitted in the museum, and my camera isn't the best.)

Doors Open London

Have you ever looked forward to a day or event so much that you spend copious amounts of time making a plan and scheduling so that you can see and do as much as possible?  That is exactly what I did for this past Sunday.  And you know what usually happens when you put that much effort into a plan - it falls apart before it really has a chance to start.  My day turned into a series of happy accidents, which lead to my conclusion that while planning may not be everything, timing certainly is.

This weekend was the 10th anniversary of Doors Open London.  It's an event that happens all across Ontario (not necessarily on the same weekend) and gives people a chance to go into some buildings that aren't usually open to the public, and those that are usually open (like museums) are free!  It also happened to be the last weekend of the Car Free Festival, and several blocks downtown were open to pedestrian traffic making it easy to get around to the different venues.  

Although I didn't take photos of everything, here is a brief pictorial post of my day.  Call it an "afternoon in the life" if you will.

I started my day at Metropolitan United Church.  Now it wasn't a stop on DO (although it was a beautiful building), but it was a Sunday and I had yet to visit this church.  I figured it was a great place to start downtown.

Metropolitan United Church

Just across the street was the site I was most excited about seeing, the London Life building.  For the first time they had their auditorium open to the public.  This is where the London Life Troupers would rehears before touring to entertain the Allied troops during WWII.  I was very impressed with the knowledge and enthusiasm of the volunteers here.  They did a wonderful job of presenting some very interesting photos and artifacts.

London Life

As I exited the building, I heard music playing and what sounded like a parade coming down the street.  I wasn't aware there was a parade affiliated with DO, so I watched to see what was going on.  Turns out it was part of the Walk A Mile in Her Shoes Campaign, which raises awareness of violence against women, as well as funds for a local women's shelter.  It was a parade of men walking around Victoria Park in red high heels.  An entertaining way to bring awareness to an important cause.

Walk A Mile In Her Shoes Parade

There were several men in uniform marching.  Kudos to them!

From here I rode my bike down to Dundas street that was closed to vehicles.  I walked along the closed street - which was much quieter than I was expecting, perhaps it was busier on Saturday - and took in all the buildings and booths on the street.  My favorite stop was the London City Planning offices.  The city had taken two buildings - previously a theatre and restaurant - and merged the inside to create a cohesive office space.  However, the facades were restored to their original splendor.  My historic preservation professor at EMU would have approved.

London city planning office

I stopped by an art gallery across the street.

The Arts Project

Finally, I decided to end my afternoon at a historic base ball game at Fanshawe Pioneer Village.  The London Tecumsehs played a fantastic game with an impressive 15 - 3 victory over the visitors.

Historic Base Ball!

 It was a nice end to a wonderful day, where nothing went according to plan!

Fanshawe Pioneer Village

One of the things i like about the UWO Public History grad program (other than it being a one-year non-thesis program) is that we have the opportunity to do a research assistantship rather than a teaching assistantship.  Even better, we have the opportunity to complete this RA at one of the local historical institutions.  Earlier this summer, our program director contacted us with a list of institutions and research projects form which to choose.  I submitted my top three, and waited to hear back.  I was thrilled to be placed at my top choice: Fanshawe Pioneer Village.

Now, those of you that are familiar with my work experience know that I worked at Greenfield Village for several years.  FPV is a similar living history institution, although it is smaller in scope.  To quote their mission, "Fanshawe Pioneer Village will partner with the community to educate about the past, collect and preserve local history and accurately interpret one century of time from 1820 - 1920."  They collect an preserve objects and building to tell the story of the founding and settlement of London up to 1840 and the settlement and rural development of the former townships of Westminster, London, West Nissouri, North Dorchester, Delaware and Lobo 1790 to 1920.

This year I will be working with the Director of Operations/Curator.  I am excited and a little apprehensive because I do not have any curatorial experience.  However, I have decided that I want to diversity my museum work outside the comfort zone of interpretation and special events.  Many smaller museums require their employees to be jack-of-all-trades, so the more varied my skills the better.  It sounds as if I will involved in two projects.  I'll be working on digitizing their collection records - which is also good registrar experience - as well as assisting in closing down the buildings and reopening them in the spring.  With the latter, I will get some hands-on artifact experience as well.

My first day was this past Friday, and wasn't quite sure what to expect.  It started out with the typical new job paperwork, and some training videos to watch as well as reading to do.  In the afternoon, one of the educational program employees took me on a guided tour of the Village.  Following the tour, I was given a crash course in PastPerfect, the collections management software most Canadian museums use.  It was practically an avalanche of information to absorb!

Everyone was welcoming and it seems like a wonderful work environment.  I believe I lucked out and am in for a great time, and a fantastic experience to add to my resume.

Social Insurance Number

Aka: If the U.S. government is “big brother” does that make the Canadian government “step-brother?”

One of the great things about moving to London a month before classes begin is that we have a lot of time to get all the “red tape” out of the way.  We have been using the International Student Handbook as a guide, making sure we accomplish everything needed.  Our student permits granted to us when we crossed the border allow us both to work while in school, but only on campus.  When reading up on working on campus, we realized that we would have to get a social insurance numbers from the Canadian government in order to be paid.

As I mentioned in a previous post, this is where the International & Exchange Student Centre was a huge help.  After reading through the handbook, we were still a bit confused about the employment contract we needed for the SIN.  At this point, we had still been going to our friend Don when we had questions about the moving process.  However, Don is Canadian so he was born with a SIN.  I suggested we stop at the IESC with our questions.  That is what they are there for right?  It was a slow day, since it was still a couple weeks out from the start of the semester, so we were quickly assisted with getting our paperwork together.

To apply for our SINs we needed to go to a Service Canada Centre, which is located in downtown London in the Dominion Public Building.  We decided to make a day of it and walk downtown to familiarize ourselves with the city and enjoy a warm summer day.  Having chosen one of the “off-peak” times to go, it was a minimal wait after checking-in until being called. 

Dominion Public Building

The woman who assisted me was nice and helpful.  Although, she opened by telling me that a SIN was very different from a Social Security Number, but her description of a SIN made it sound exactly like a SSN.   However, she is the expert, so I will just have to take her word for it.  One of the differences is that if/when we move away from Canada, we are still entitled to the money we contribute to Social Insurance out of our paychecks.  The government will give us that money; we do not just lose it.  That was a bit of a pleasant surprise.

Our trip was efficient enough to leave us plenty of time to do some other things while we were downtown.  We stopped at the London Public Library to get cards, I checked out a couple running stores, and we stopped at Smoke’s Poutinerie for lunch.  For those of you not familiar with poutine, it is a traditional Canadian dish of french fries with cheese curds and brown gravy on top.  Since I had never experienced it before, I opted for traditional poutine.  Doug was a bit more adventurous and had the triple pork poutine with Italian sausage, smoked bacon, and chipotle pulled pork on top.  It was delicious and very filling.  We both had to take half of our “regular” sized portions home for dinner!

Downtown Branch of the London Public Library

Smoke's Poutinerie

Traditional on left, Triple Pork on right

Overall, it was a day that went a long way to making us feel more settled and Canadian!

Renting a House

Aka:  Look at all this cool stuff!

As many of you know, Doug and I really lucked out as far as living space for our first year in London.  The professor with whom Doug is working has a colleague who is on sabbatical for a year, and needed someone to rent his home.   So when Doug was here for a visit on his own, he met the owners, looked at the house, negotiated a price we could afford, and assured me I would love the place.

Boy was he right!

The house is about 100 years old with a lot of character, but is has also been recently renovated, so it has all the conveniences of a new home.  Top that off with an excellent location, in one of the nicest neighbourhoods in the city, and it is much nicer than anything we would normally be able to afford.  Because the owners’ main concern was having someone they could trust in the house while they are gone, they are renting it to us for mortgage and utilities costs. 

As you can imagine, since they are only gone for a year, they left most of their furnishings here and it has been an experience moving our stuff in and around their things.  We decided to sell our Craigslist couches before leaving Kalamazoo, so those were a couple items we didn’t have to store.  As it turns out, the only furniture of ours that isn’t in storage is our bed, kitchen table, filing cabinet, and trunk.  All other bookshelves, dressers, and desks are stored in the basement.  (Yes mom, we finally got our stuff out of the garage this weekend!)

We are even using most of their kitchen things.  I mean, why pack up their stuff and unpack our stuff, only to repack our things and unpack theirs in a little under a year?  So I’ve had fun playing with all the little kitchen gadgets that they have and we do not, not to mention being spoiled by a gas range.  (All I’ve ever know is electric.)

The down side is, even though we have added a few touches by putting some photos and things around, we are still definitely living in someone else's home, and with someone else’s cat!  Our cat is happily vacationing at Nana and Grandpa’s place in Ohio and enjoying the great outdoors for the first time in two years.  Meanwhile we cat-sit as well as house-sit.  We suspect that the new cat, Honeysuckle, is missing her family and demanding a lot of attention as compensation.

So far, the house is working out really well.  The location is great, a quick bicycle ride or nice walk to downtown as well as campus.  The size is more than we need, leaving plenty of storage for our stuff as well as some of theirs.  And the big pluses – a dishwasher and washer/dryer, we are being spoiled for sure!

Oh, and I almost forgot!  We have a hot tub and a guest room with a queen size bed.  Guests are welcome!  :)

Our home for the next year!

Honeysuckle "Honey" the cat