Museum
Exhibitions
Hours
Events
Background
Art Gallery *
Archives
Maps
Collections
Education
Boutique
Publications
Membership
Historical Society
What's New
Contact
Family Recollections

Version française

The Missisquoi Museum is owned and operated by the Missisquoi Historical Society (MHS).

To report typos, errors and omissions, please send email to the webmaster.

ART GALLERY

The Treasures of the Missisquoi Historical Society

In 1899, as the citizens of Missisquoi County prepared to move into a new century, a number of individuals determined that it was important to maintain a sense of the past as the 20th century drew closer. It was the goal of the original members to collect, preserve, and interpret the past of Missisquoi County for the education and enjoyment of the present and future generations. On June 14, 1899, the Missisquoi Historical Society was established.

"Bessie" is a china head doll with a cloth body and kid leather arms. She was owned by Miss Minnie Lambkin, Riceburg, Quebec, c. 1858. DON: Mme F. Drayton.

Unfortunately, in 1918, the Missisquoi Historical Society was declared inactive when several of its key members died. Although never disbanded officially, the loss of these individuals meant that the County of Missisquoi lost its Historical Society. In 1960, forty-two years after the last official Board of Directors meeting, another eager-community minded group with the same vision as the original members brought new life and vitality to the Missisquoi Historical Society.

Since that time, the Missisquoi Historical Society has:

• collected over 24,000 objects pertaining to the history of this region
• developed an archives with a collection of manuscripts, maps, newspapers, photographs, and genealogy
• created a progressive community museum
• protected and maintained 17 heritage graveyards
• published 21 volumes reflecting the history of the County
• developed children's educational programming, community outreach events, and fundraising activities

Currently the society is supported by 650 members and 75 volunteers.

Painted Memorial, watercolour and ink, by Ruth Cornell c. 1830, Missisquoi County. A unique example of primitive folk art commemorating the deaths of Rachel Cornell who died July 7, 1826 and Joseph Cornell who died November 22, 1828. DON: Mme Ruby Moore.

The photographed objets highlighted on this site are just some of the "significant treasures" held in the Missisquoi Museum. Other artifacts are important because they reflect the everyday lives of the people of this county, past and present. Others objects are our treasurers because they represent the rich diversity of the museum collection as a whole and give insight into the goal of the Historical Society over the past century.

The objects in this "photo-gallery" are a testimony to the grass-root spirit of this county museum and community based historical society. The artifacts are the cherished possessions not only of the Historical Society, but of the citizens of Missisquoi County themselves.

Brown silk wedding dress was worn by Amy Thomas (1822-1852) on the occasion of her wedding to Peleg Spencer (1815-1867) on May 3, 1846 in Frelighsburg, Quebec. Unfortunately, Amy Thomas died only six years after her marriage to Peleg Spencer. Peleg Spencer married again one year later to Amy's sister Jane Maria Thomas (1824-1897), a practice that was not out of the ordinary. DON: Mme O.C. Selby